Birthdays:
Doris Day (1924)
Songwriter Jeff Barry - Wrote "Tell Laura I Love Her," "Da Doo Ron Ron," "Be My Baby," "Baby I Love You," "Do Wah Diddy Diddy," among others (1938)
Wayne Newton (1942)
Billy Joe Royal (1942)
Tony Orlando (1944)
Richard Thompson - Fairport Convention (1949)
Mel Schacher - Grand Funk Railroad (1951)
Mick Mars - Motley Crue (1956)
Simon Raymonde - Cocteau Twins (1962)
Sebastian Bach - Skid Row (1968)
Wes Berggren - Tripping Daisy (1971)
Leona Lewis - 2006 UK #1 single "A Moment Like This." The download single set a world record, by being downloaded over 50,000 times within 30 minutes of being available online. (1985)
They Are Missed:
Born on this day in 1943, Richard Manuel, The Band. Manuel committed suicide on March 6, 1986.
In 1990, jazz singer Sarah Vaughan died of lung cancer. She had the 1954 US #6 single "Make Yourself Comfortable" and released over 50 albums.
Born today in 1944, Barry Pritchard, guitar, vocals, The Fortunes. He died on 11th January 1999.
Born on this day in 1928, Don Gibson, country singer songwriter. Neil Young covered "Oh Lonesome Me" on his 'After The Gold Rush' album. Died on November 17, 2003.
Stax records songwriter Homer Banks died in 2003 (age 61). Wrote "I Can't Stand Up for Falling Down," recorded by Sam & Dave and a UK hit for Elvis Costello. Rod Stewart, The Emotions, Isaac Hayes, Millie Jackson and Johnny Taylor all covered his songs.
Born today in 1941, Jan Berry, Jan and Dean. Berry died on March 26, 2004 after being in poor health from the lingering effects of brain damage after a 1966 car crash.
Founder member and original drummer for The Wonder Stuff, Martin Gilks died in 2006 (age 41), after losing control of his motorbike in London.
History:
Elvis Presley appeared on ABC-TV's 'The Milton Berle Show' live from the flight deck of the USS Hancock in San Diego, California in 1956. He performed "Heartbreak Hotel," "Shake Rattle And Roll" and "Blue Suede Shoes." It was estimated that one out of every four Americans saw the show.
In 1959, the BBC banned the Coasters song "Charlie Brown" because of the word "spitball." Two weeks later the BBC changed its position on the song.
During recording sessions at RCA studios in Nashville, Tennessee in 1960, Elvis Presley recorded "It's Now Or Never," "Fever" and "Are You Lonesome Tonight?"
The Marcels started a three week run at #1 on the US singles chart in 1961 with the Rodgers and Hart song "Blue Moon."
"Wooly Bully" by Sam the Sham and the Pharaoh's was released in 1965.
Working on The Beatles 'Sgt Pepper' album at Abbey Road studios in London in 1967, George Harrison recorded his lead vocal on his song "Within You Without You," as well as a sitar part, and some acoustic guitar parts.
The Doors' Jim Morrison turned himself in to the FBI in Los Angeles in 1969. He was charged on six charges of lewd behavior and public exposure at a concert in Miami on March 2, 1969. He was later released on $2000 bail.
The Temptations scored their second US #1 in 1971 with "Just My Imagination (Running Away With Me)."
“The Beatles 1962-1966” & “1967-1970” was released by Capitol Records in 1973.
In 1975, Steve Miller was charged with setting fire to the clothes and personal effects of a friend, Benita DiOrio, and resisting arrest. The charges were dropped the next day.
Johnnie Taylor started a four week run at #1 on the US singles chart in 1976 with "Disco Lady," his 10th US Top 40.
Sid Vicious played his first concert with the Sex Pistols in 1977.
The Traveling Wilburys (Bob Dylan, George Harrison, Tom Petty, Roy Orbison and Jeff Lynn) began recording their "Handle With Care" album in Malibu in 1988.
In 1989, 23 people were arrested after several thousand fans without tickets tried to gate-crash a Grateful Dead concert at the Pittsburgh Civic Arena, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Pepsi dismissed Madonna as a spokesperson in 1989 after her "Like a Prayer" video was called "blasphemous" by the Vatican.
Paul McCartney recorded his unplugged session for MTV in 1991.
In 1994, a forthcoming tour by Nirvana and Hole was cancelled amid continuing speculation about Kurt Cobain's drug problems.
Dave Navarro left the Red Hot Chili Peppers in 1998.
In 2006, “Dani California,” the first single from the Red Hot Chili Peppers’ ninth studio album, 'Stadium Arcadium,' made its radio premiere when KTBZ’s (Houston) Don Jantzen played the song continuously for his three hour show. The single peaks at #6 on the Billboard Hot 100.
In 2007, three David Lee Roth solo albums are reissued: remastered versions of '91's "A Little Ain't Enough," 94's "Your Filthy Little Mouth," and the rare Spanish-language version of 86's "Eat 'Em and Smile" (his career best). Didn't the former (and occasionally current) Van Halen frontman's record company lose enough money when these albums were originally released?
Also in 2007, Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards denied that he snorted the ashes of his late father during a drugs binge. Jane Rose, Richards' manager, told MTV News the remarks were made "in jest", and she could not believe they had been taken seriously. Richards had said in an interview with The NME: "He was cremated and I couldn't resist grinding him up with a little bit of blow." But NME interviewer Mark Beaumont was convinced that Richards was not joking when speaking to him about the alleged incident. "He did seem to be quite honest about it. There were too many details for him to be making it up," he later told BBC news.
In 2008, Mariah Carey smashed Elvis Presley's US chart record by scoring the 18th number one of her career with "Touch My Body," from her new album E=MC2. Carey had now surpassed Elvis Presley's 17 number ones, The Beatles still held the record with 20 US #1 hit singles.