This Date In Music History- March 17

Birthdays:

Pattie "Layla" Boyd (former Mrs. George Harrison and Mrs. Eric Clapton-- the one he wrote "Layla" for) turns 64.

Scott Gorham- guitar, Thin Lizzy (1951)

John Sebastian ("Welcome Back" and lead singer of the Lovin' Spoonful) is 65.

Caroline Corr - The Corrs (1973)

Melissa Auf der Maur- Hole, Smashing Pumpkins (1972)

Billy Corgan- Smashing Pumpkins (1967)

Paul Kantner- Jefferson Airplane/Starship (1941)

Jim Weatherly (1943)


They Are Missed:

The late Nat "King" Cole was born in 1919.

Terry Stafford ("Suspicion") died of liver failure in 1996.

The late Zola Taylor of the Platters ("Twilight Time"-- claimed after his death that Frankie Lyman had married her) was born in 1938.

Samuel George, Jr., lead singer of the Capitols ("Cool Jerk") was stabbed to death during a family argument in Detroit in 1982.

Rick Grech, bass player with Family, Blind Faith and Traffic died of kidney and liver failure in 1990.


History:

In 1962, the Shirelles release "Soldier Boy." The single becomes the New Jersey girl group's biggest hit, selling a million copies and going all the way to #1.

The Bee Gees made their U.S. television debut on the Ed Sullivan Show in 1968. They performed "To Love Somebody" and "Words."

Tangerine Dream formed in 1970.

In 1951, Sam Phillips recorded Howlin' Wolf for Chess Records.

The Champs started a five week run at #1 on the US singles chart in 1958 with 'Tequila', a #5 hit in the UK.

In 1997, the RIAA announced that the Eagles' "Greatest Hits" album had tied Michael Jackson's "Thriller" as the all-time best-selling album in the U.S.

In 1976, Bob Dylan's protest song "Hurricane" led to boxer Rubin "Hurricane" Carter's murder case being reopened.

The Grateful Dead released their self-titled debut album in 1967.

In 2000, Dixie Chick Natalie Maines apologized to George W. Bush for comments made earlier in the month. Several radio stations boycotted the group's records after Maines said she was ashamed the president was from her home state of Texas.

“Deja Vu,” by Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young, was released in 1970. With the addition of Neil Young giving the band a more electric edge, the album goes to #1 and sells more than 7 million copies.

Paul McCartney tops the Rolling Stone rich list in 2003, with earnings of $72 million. Runners-up were the Rolling Stones ($44 million) and Dave Matthews Band ($31 million).

The movie "American Hot Wax" (about influential disk jockey Alan Freed) premiered in 1978.

In 1958, the Coasters recorded "Yakety Yak," which was highlighted by King Curtis's honking sax solo. It hits #1 on both the pop and R&B charts, and King Curtis becomes a mainstay of Atlantic Records' soul and R&B sound.

Eric Weissberg started a three-week run at #1 in 1973 with “Dueling Banjos.” Song taken from the film “Deliverance.”

In 1973, Dr Hook's single “On The Cover Of Rolling Stone” peaked at #6 on the US chart. The single was banned in the UK by the BBC due to the reference of the magazine.

The soundtrack album “O Brother, Where Art Thou?” started a two week run at #1 on the US album chart in 2002.