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Sunday, March 18, 2018

This Date in Rock Music History: March 19

1955:  Johnny Ace ruled the R&B chart for an eighth week with "Pledging My Love".
1957:  Elvis Presley first viewed the Graceland mansion in Memphis, Tennessee.  He fell in love with it instantly, and agreed to purchase the property.  His mother, Gladys, had made a cash deposit of $1,000 (believed to be on March 16, with an official sales contract signed by his father Vernon (subject to Elvis's approval) on March 17.  The Presleys (Vernon, Gladys and Elvis) signed the official real estate contract on March 21, and the sale closed on March 26 (according to Heritage Auctions).  (Note:  some websites erroneously claim that Presley purchased the home on March 17.  He was on the set of the movie 'Loving You' in Hollywood, California on that date, and did not arrive in Memphis until 11:35 p.m. on March 18, according to several websites.  The official closing date was not until several days later.)




                               The Sisters pictured with the lucky Dean Martin...


1958:  The McGuire Sisters held down #1 with "Sincerely".
1958:  "Our Song" was released as the first single by Tom and Jerry, a teenage duo from Queens, New York, who later became known by their real names--Simon & Garfunkel.  








1958:  Buddy Holly played his only two shows in the U.K. at the Regal Cinema in Hull, Yorkshire.











1962:  Bob Dylan released his self-titled debut LP.
1964:  After a long day of filming for their first movie Beatlemania!, Ringo Starr came out (still thinking it was day) and said, "It's been a hard day...', then looking around and seeing it was dark said, "night!".  So the phrase "It's been a hard day's night" came to be.  John Lennon began writing lyrics to that title and the phrase becomes the eventual title of the hit song "A Hard Day's Night" and the new title of the movie.
1966:  Lesley Gore was a guest on the final episode of The Donna Reed Show on ABC-TV.
1966:  SSgt. Barry Sadler remained on top of the Adult chart with "The Ballad Of The Green Berets".









                                                The law always wins.

1966:  "The Ballad Of The Green Berets" from SSgt. Sadler was #1 for a third week.  The Rolling Stones moved up to challenge with "19th Nervous Breakdown" but they would be pushed back.  Nancy Sinatra's former #1 "These Boots Are Made For Walkin'" was third.  Three years in and the Beatles had their 41st career hit as "Nowhere Man" moved from 7 to 4.  The rest of the Top 10:  "Elusive Butterfly" from Bob Lind, Herman's Hermits fell with "Listen People", the Mamas and the Papas dropped with the classic "California Dreamin'", Simon & Garfunkel's new song "Homeward Bound" was #8, Bobby Fuller Four told us how "I Fought The Law" and the Lovin' Spoonful climbed from 25-10 with "Daydream".
1968:  Donovan traveled to India to study transcendental meditation.
1970:  David Bowie married Angie Barnett.
1971:  Bobby Sherman was a guest on The Partridge Family on ABC-TV.
1974:  Jefferson Starship set out on their first tour since they changed their name from Jefferson Airplane, playing at the Auditorium Theatre in Chicago, Illinois.





1975:  The movie musical Tommy premiered in New York City.  (Note:  some websites claim the movie opened on April 12, and one says it opened March 18.  According to 'VH-1', the movie premiered on March 19.
1975:  America released their fifth album Hearts.











1975:  America released the single "Sister Golden Hair".














1976:  Paul Kossoff, guitarist with Free, died in flight from Los Angeles to New York City of heart failure from using heroin.












"Take the Money and Run", one of the tracks keeping Steve Miller's album in the forefront...

1977:  The Soundtrack to "A Star Is Born" was #1 on the Album chart for a sixth week.  But a new album released by Fleetwood Mac (Rumours) was generating quite a buzz and it moved from 4 to 2 in its third week.  Animals from Pink Floyd was third with former #1's Hotel California by the Eagles and Stevie Wonder's Songs in the Key of Life still holding their own.  The rest of the Top 10:  The Steve Miller Band was at #6 after 43 weeks with Fly Like An Eagle, the debut from Boston, John Denver's Greatest Hits, Volume 2 was up to #8 after just three weeks, George Benson landed at #9 with In Flight and Manfred Mann's Earth Band represented quite a comeback with The Roaring Silence.
1977:  For the fourth week, Natalie Cole held on to #1 on the R&B chart with "I've Got Love On My Mind".




       
       One of the great vocal performances of the Rock Era from Thelma Houston...

1977:  Barbra Streisand remained at #1 for a third week with "Evergreen".  Steve Miller was the closest with "Fly Like An Eagle" while "Rich Girl" by Hall & Oates climbed from 9 to 3.  Bob Seger finally had reached the masses as "Night Moves" ranked fourth.  The rest of the Top 10:  ABBA and "Dancing Queen", Kenny Nolan dropped with "I Like Dreamin'", Mary MacGregor with "Torn Between Two Lovers", David Soul moved from 17-8 with "Don't Give Up On Us", Thelma Houston had a hot new song that entered the Top 10--"Don't Leave Me This Way" and Fleetwood Mac remained at #10 with the highly underrated "Go Your Own Way".










1980:  Ambrosia released the single "Biggest Part Of Me".
1980:  The autopsy records of Elvis Presley were subpoenaed in the case against Dr George Nichopoulous, Presley's personal physician.










1982:  Randy Rhoads, elite guitarist with Ozzy Osbourne and Quiet Riot, died in a plane crash in Leesburg, Florida at age 25.
1983:  "You Are" by Lionel Richie, one of The Top 100 Adult Contemporary Songs of the 1980's*, remained at #1 for a fourth week.









                                  Chrissie & the Pretenders were at their peak...

1983:  "Billie Jean" from Michael Jackson stood proud at #1 for a third week.  "Shame On The Moon" from Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band was second with Culture Club next with "Do You Really Want To Hurt Me".  Duran Duran's first hit "Hungry Like The Wolf" was hot on the trail and the Pretenders reached #5 with "Back On The Chain Gang".  The rest of the Top 10:  "You Are" From Lionel Richie, Kenny Rogers & Sheena Easton found themselves at #7 with their remake of the great Bob Seger song "We've Got Tonight", Journey rolled up with "Separate Ways", Hall & Oates had their 21st hit with "One On One" and Styx went techno with "Mr. Roboto".






                          "Send Her My Love" helped propel Journey to the #2 spot...

1983:  Michael Jackson's new release, Thriller, was #1 on the Album chart for the fourth straight week.  Frontiers by Journey came in second while H2O by Hall & Oates captured the #3 spot.  Former #1 Business As Usual by Men At Work was still fourth with  The Distance from Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band trailing.  The rest of the Top 10:  Rio from Duran Duran, the debut by Lionel Richie, Toto IV was #8 after 48 weeks, Def Leppard with Pyromania and Styx debuted at #10 with Kilroy Was Here.










1988:  Billy Ocean entered the Top 10 with "Get Outta' My Dreams, Get Into My Car".
1988:  The Soundtrack to "Dirty Dancing", one of The Top Soundtracks of the Rock Era*, remained #1 for a 10th week.
1994:  Toni Braxton jumped to #1 on the Album chart with her self-titled release.  The Sign from Ace of Base was second.
1996: The second album of the Beatles' Anthology series was released in the U.S., featuring the new track "Real Love".









1999: Cher had a huge comeback hit with the #1 song "Believe".
2002: Megadeth released the live album Rude Awakening.

2003:  Cliff--The Musical, based on the life of Cliff Richard opened at the Prince of Wales Theatre in London.
2003: Justin Timberlake was voted "Best Chart Act" at the Dance Music Awards show in Las Vegas.  (Note:  some websites claim the event was March 20.  According to 'MTV', it was Wednesday night, which in 2003 occurred on March 19.) 
2007: Soul singer Luther Ingram died of a heart attack in Belleville, ILlinois at age 69. He had the #2 song "(If Loving You Is Wrong) I Don't Want to Be Right" and also wrote the Staple Singers' biggest hit "Respect Yourself".

2010:  The Runaways, the film biography of the group which featured Joan Jett, opened in theaters.

Born This Day:

1937:  Clarence "Frog Man" Henry ("But I Do" from 1961) was born in Algiers, Louisiana.
1946: Paul Atkinson, lead guitarist of the Zombies, was born in Cuffley, Hertfordshire, England; died of liver and kidney disease in Santa Monica, California April 1, 2004.

1946: Ruth Pointer of the Pointer Sisters was born in Oakland, California.
1952:  Derek Longmuir, drummer of the Bay City Rollers, was born in Edinburgh, Scotland.
1953: Ricky Wilson, founding member, singer, songwriter and guitarist of the B-52's, was born in Athens, Georgia; died October 12, 1985 of AIDS in New York City .
1953: Billy Sheehan, bassist of Mr. Big, was born in Buffalo, New York.
1975: Brann Dailor, drummer of Mastodon, was born in Rochester, New York. 

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