Today in Entertainment History – Feb. 16

On February 16th, 1962, Bobby Vinton recorded the song “Roses Are Red.” He was in danger of being dropped by Epic Records but still owed them two single sides.

In 1968, John Lennon, George Harrison and their wives traveled to India to study transcendental meditation with the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. Later, they were joined by Ringo Starr and his wife and Paul McCartney and his fiancee.

In 1969, country singers George Jones and Tammy Wynette were married in Ringgold, Georgia. They had said they were secretly married six months earlier.

In 1974, Elton John released “Bennie and the Jets.”

In 1975, Cher’s musical variety series debuted on CBS. It ran until 1976.

In 1982, actress Farrah Fawcett and actor Lee Majors were divorced, after nine years of marriage.

In 1990, musician Ike Turner was sentenced to four years in prison on cocaine charges. He began serving his sentence the next day. Four years earlier, Turner had said he had been addicted to cocaine for 15 years.

In 2007, Britney Spears shaved her head after a salon owner refused to do it for her.

Today’s Birthdays: Actor Jeremy Bulloch (Boba Fett in “The Empire Strikes Back”) is 71. Actor William Katt (“Greatest American Hero”) is 65. Singer James Ingram is 64. Actor LeVar Burton is 59. Rapper-actor Ice-T is 58. Actress Lisa Loring (“The Addams Family”) is 58. Guitarist Andy Taylor (Duran Duran) is 55. Drummer Dave Lombardo of Slayer is 51. Actress Sarah Clarke (“Twilight”) is 45. Drummer Taylor Hawkins of Foo Fighters is 44. Actor Mahershala Ali (“House of Cards”) is 42. DJ-producer Bassnectar is 38. Rapper Lupe Fiasco is 34. Singer Ryan Follese of Hot Chelle Rae is 29. Guitarist and drummer Danielle Haim of the rock group Haim is 27. Actress Elisabeth Olsen (“Martha Marcy May Marlene”) is 27.