Thursday, March 5, 2009

This Date In Music History-March 5

Birthdays:

Alan Clark- Dire Straits (1952)

Reggae star Eddy Grant (1948)

Craig and Charlie Reid- The Proclaimers (1962)

Teena Marie- (1956)

John Frusciante- Red Hot Chili Peppers (1970)

Murray Head ("Superstar") is 63.


They Are Missed:

Michael "Smitty" Smith, drummer for Paul Revere & the Raiders ("Kicks"), is found dead from natural causes in 2001.

The late Tommy Tucker ("Hi-Heel Sneakers") was born in 1939.

Singer and Solid Gold host Andy Gibb ("Shadow Dancing") was born in Manchester, England in 1958. Gibb died on March 10th 1988.

Syd Nathan, boss of R&B label King Records, died in 1968 (age 63). His short temper brought him the nickname "Little Caesar," but King released records by legends like Little Willie John and James Brown.


Country singer Patsy Cline was killed in a plane crash at Dyersburg, Virginia in 1963, along with The Cowboy Copas and Hawkshaw Hawkins. They were traveling to Nashville to appear at a benefit concert for DJ 'Cactus' Jack Call, who'd died in a car crash. Cline was the first country singer to cross over as a pop artist.

Actor and singer John Belushi died from an overdose of cocaine and heroin in 1982. Belushi was one of the original cast members on US TV's Saturday Night Live, played Joliet 'Jake' Blues in The Blues Brothers.


History:

Ike Turner recorded "Rocket 88," in 1951, a song many consider the first Rock n’ Roll record. Three months later it topped the R&B chart.

In 1970, John Lennon and Yoko Ono checked into the London Clinic. Later in the month the couple began a primal-scream course led by therapist Dr. Arthur Janov. Lennon started writing songs - such as "Mother" and "Isolation" - that will appear on Plastic Ono Band.

Led Zeppelin performed the epic anthem, "Stairway to Heaven," in concert for the first time in 1971 at the Ulster Hall in Belfast, Northern Ireland.

Pink Floyd guitarist Dave Gilmour releases his second solo album, "About Face" in 1984. He later realizes his solo material sells more when recorded under the name Pink Floyd.

Herb Alpert And The Tijuana Brass went to #1 on the US album chart in 1966 with “Going Places.”

Today in 1966, the song "The Ballad of the Green Berets" by Sgt Barry Sadler topped the charts and stayed there for 5 weeks.

Barbra Streisand started a three week run at #1 on the US singles chart in 1977 with “Love Theme From A Star Is Born,” her second US #1.

R.E.M. cleaned up in The Rolling Stone Music Awards in 1992 winning Album of the year, for “Out Of Time,” Artist of the year, Best single for “Losing My Religion,” Best video for “Losing My Religion'”and Best band, Best guitarist and Best songwriter awards. I guess they were the Best.

Madonna went to #1 on the UK singles chart in 2000 with her version of the Don McLean 1972 hit “American Pie.”

Elvis Presley was discharged from the U.S. Army in 1960.

Elvis Presley made his first TV appearance in 1955, on the "Louisiana Hayride" program.

Bobby Darin recorded "Dream Lover" in 1959.

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