This Date In Music History-March 20

Birthdays:

Jimmie Vaughan - Fabulous Thunderbirds (1949)

Carl Palmer - Emerson Lake and Palmer/Asia (1951)

Poison Ivy, (Kristy Wallace) - The Cramps (1953)

Blues singer Marcia Ball (1954)

Jimmy Seales - Shenandoah (1954)

Slim Jim Phantom - Stray Cats (1961)

Tracy Chapman (1964)

Adrian Oxxal - James (1965)

Shelly Poole - Alisha's Attic (1972)

Alex Kapranos - Franz Ferdinand (1972)

Chester Bennington - Linkin Park (1976)


They Are Missed:

Born on this day in 1937, Jerry Reed, country guitarist, (1971 US #8 single "Amos Moses"). Worked with Chet Atkins, Bobby Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson and Elvis Presley. He died on Sept 1, 2008.


History:

"Your Hit Parade" made its debut on radio in 1935.

Bobby Rydell made his first TV appearance, on "American Bandstand" in 1959.

In 1960, Elvis Presley started his first recordings since being discharged from the US Army. A 12 hour session in a Nashville recording studio produced his next #1 single, "Stuck On You." Scotty Moore and Bill Black, who had quit Presley's touring band in 1957, were in the studio with him for the last time.

Elvis Presley started a two week run at #1 on the US singles chart with "Surrender," his fifth #1 of the 60's. It also went to #1 in the UK. The song was based on the 1911 Italian song, "Return To Sorrento."

Ricky Nelson recorded "Hello Mary Lou" in 1961 (his father, Ozzie plays tenor guitar on the record while celebrating his 55th birthday).

In 1964, the Beatles appeared live on the UK television program Ready Steady Go! miming to "It Won't Be Long," "You Can't Do That" and "Can't Buy Me Love." They were also presented with a special award from US magazine Billboard, in recognition of The Beatles having the top three singles on the chart simultaneously.

A parade was held in London in 1965 before Martha Reeves headlined the first Motown tour of England (also featuring Stevie Wonder, the Supremes and the Temptations).

In 1968, Eric Clapton, Neil Young, Richie Furay and Jim Mesina, were arrested in Los Angeles for 'being at a place where it was suspected marijuana was being used.' Clapton was later found innocent, the others payed small fines.

In 1969, John Lennon married Yoko Ono at the British Consulate Office in Gibraltar. They spent their honeymoon in Amsterdam campaigning for an international "Bed-In" for peace. They planned another "Bed-in" in the United States, but were denied entry. The couple then went to Montréal, and during a "Bed-in" at the Queen Elizabeth Hotel recorded "Give Peace a Chance." Lennon also detailed this period in The Beatles' "The Ballad of John and Yoko," recorded by Lennon and McCartney on April 14, 1969.

In 1971, at their own expense The Rolling Stones placed full page advertisements in all the UK's music papers disclaiming any connection with the release of the Decca album 'Stone Age' saying 'in our opinion the content is below the standard we try to keep.'

Also in 1971 - The Iron Butterfly’s “In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida” slipped off the Billboard album chart after a 138 week run.

Janis Joplin started a two week run at #1 on the US singles chart in 1971 with the Kris Kristofferson's "Me And Bobby McGee." Joplin died the year before on 4th October (age 27).



Ringo Starr released "Back Off, Boogaloo" in 1972.

Lou Reed was banned from appearing The London Palladium in England in 1977 because of his punk image.

T Rex played their final ever gig when they appeared at The Locarno in Portsmouth, England in 1977.

In 1980, 28 year-old Joseph Riviera held up the Asylum Records office in New York and demanded to see either Jackson Browne or The Eagles. Riviera wanted to talk to them to see if they would finance his trucking operation. He gave him-self up when told that neither act was in the office at the time.

Joan Jett And The Blackhearts started a seven week run at #1 on the US singles chart in 1982 with "I Love Rock 'n' Roll." The song had been a B-side from 60's bands The Arrows.



Gloria Estefans tour bus was rammed by a tractor-trailer on the way to a concert in 1990. Emilio Estefan and their son Nayib were injured; Gloria suffered a serious back injury, which required an operation two days later.

In 1991, Eric Clapton's four year old son, Conor, fell to his death from the 53rd story of a New York City apartment after a housekeeper who was cleaning the room left a window open. The boy was in the custody of his mother, Italian actress, Lori Del Santo and the pair were visiting a friend's apartment. Clapton was staying in a nearby hotel after taking his son to the circus the previous evening. The tragedy inspired his song "Tears in Heaven."

Michael Jackson signed a $1 billion contract with Sony in 1991, the richest deal in recording history.

While on tour in Peru in 2006, Carlos Santana slams the United States' decision to wage war in Iraq. "I try to present a dimension that brings harmony and healing. My concept is the opposite of George W. Bush," says Santana. "There is more value in placing a flower in a rifle barrel than making war." That would make them hard to shoot....

In 2007, founding Jefferson Airplane/Jefferson Starship singer-guitarist Paul Kantner was sued for trademark infringement by former band mate Grace Slick and ex-manager Bill Thompson. Kantner, who often performed with fellow Airplane/Starship member Mary Balin, used the Jefferson Starship moniker in apparent violation of a '85 settlement. Slick and Thompson let it slide until Kantner’s band crossed the line, at least according to the plaintiffs, by signing a lucrative sponsorship deal involving Microsoft.

In 2009, Smashing Pumpkins announce that drummer Jimmy Chamberlin has left the group. The departure leaves frontman Billy Corgan as the only remaining original member. "I can no longer commit all of my energy into something that I don't fully possess," Chamberlin writes online. "I won't pretend I'm into something I'm not. I won't do it to myself, you the fan or my former partner [frontman Billy Corgan]." A Pumpkins' statement says, "Corgan will continue to write and record as Smashing Pumpkins."