What Was the Better Decade--the Sixties or the Seventies?

You all are going to have your own take and favorites.  After the break, I'll take my shot at this:

Hits List: Genesis

1968:  The Silent Sun
           A Winter's Tale
1969   Where the Sour Turns to Sweet
1971:  The Knife (Part One)
1972:  Happy the Man
1974:  I Know What I Like (In Your Wardrobe)
1975:  The Carpet Crawlers
1976:  A Trick of the Tail
           Ripples
1977:  Your Own Special Way (#62)
           Match of the Day          
           Pigeons (#14)
1978:  Follow You, Follow Me (#23)
          Many Too Many
          Go West Young Man (In the Motherlode)
1980:  Turn it On Again (#58)
           Duchess
           Misunderstanding (#14)
1981:  Abacab (#26)
           No Reply at All (#29)
           Keep it Dark
1982:  Man on the Corner (#40)
           Paperlate (#32)
           You Might Recall
1983:  Mama (#73)
           That's All (#6)
           Home by the Sea
1984:  Illegal Alien (#44)
          Taking it All Too Hard (#50)
1986:  Invisible Touch (#1)
           Throwing it All Way (#4)
           Land of Confusion (#4)
1987:  In Too Deep (#3)
           Tonight, Tonight, Tonight (#3)
1991:  No Son of Mine (#12)
           I Can't Dance (#7)

1992:  Hold on My Heart (#12)
           Jesus He Knows Me (#23)
           Never A Time (#21)
1993:  Tell Me Why
1997:  Congo
           Shipwrecked
1998:  Not About Us
1999:  The Carpet Crawlers 1999
2006:  The Silent Sun 2006

Who Has Had More Hits--Mariah Carey or Celine Dion?

This one should be close.  Mariah started out like gangbusters but hasn't been able to match her early success since.  Celine Dion spotted Carey a few years head start but has been a consistent hitmaker through the years.  Not only that, but Dion has been far more successful on the Adult Contemporary charts, while Carey's success (especially of late) has been primarily teens.  In other words, Celine's been popular with more than just one small segment of the population.  And let's face it, there are far more adults than teens.  Let's examine the record:


Mariah Carey:
Vision of Love (#1)
Love Takes Time (#1)
Someday (#1)
I Don't Wanna' Cry (#1)
Emotions (#1)
Can't Let Go (#2)
Make It Happen (#5)
I'll Be There (#5)
Dreamlover (#1)
Hero (#1)
Without You (#3)
Anytime You Need a Friend (#12)
Endless Love (with Luther Vandross--#2)
All I Want For Christmas is You (#83)
Fantasy (#1)
One Sweet Day (#1)
Open Arms
Always Be My Bay (#1)
Forever
Honey (#1)
Butterfly
I Know What You Want (with Busta Rhymes--#3)
My All (#1)
When You Believe (#15)
You Make Me Wanna' (with Jadakiss--#21)
I Still Believe (#4)
Heartbreaker (#1)
Thank God I Found You (#1)
Against All Odds
Loverboy (#2)
Don't Stop (Funkin' for Jamaica)
Never Too Far (#81)
Through the Rain (#81)
Just Stand Up (#11)
Boy (I Need You)
It's Like That (#16)
We Belong Together (#1)
Shake it Off (#2)
Get Your Number
Don't Forget About Us (#1)
Say Somethin' (#79)
Touch My Body (#1)
My Love (with the Dream--#82)
Bye Bye (#19)
I'll Be Lovin' U Long Time (#58)
Obsessed (#7)
I Want to Know What Love Is (#60)
Up Out My Face (#100)
Everybody Hurts (Helping Haiti)




Celine Dion:
If There Was (Any Other Way) (#8 AC)
Unison
Where Does My Heart Beat Now (#4)
The Last to Know
Beauty & the Beast (#9, #3 AC)
If You Asked Me to (#4, #1 AC)
Nothing Broken But My Heart (#29, #1 AC)
Love Can Move Mountains (#36, #8 AC)
Water From the Moon (#11 AC)
When I Fall in Love (#23, #6 AC)
The Power of Love (#1)
Misled (#23, #15 AC)
Think Twice (#95, #21 AC)
Only One Road (#93, #27 AC)
Falling into You
Because You Loved Me (#1, #1 AC)
It's All Coming Back to Me Now (#2, #1 AC)
All by Myself (#4, #1 AC)
Send Me a Lover (#23 AC)
Tell Him (#5 AC)
My Heart Will Go On (#1, #1 AC)
Immortality
I'm Your Angel (with R. Kelly--#1, #1 AC)
The Prayer (#22 AC)
Treat Her Like a Lady
That's the Way It Is (#6, #1 AC)
I Want You to Need Me (#12 AC)
A New Day Has Come (#22, #1 AC)
I'm Alive (#6 AC)
Goodbye's (the Saddest Word) (#27 AC)
At Last (#16 AC)
I Drove All Night (#45, #7 AC)
One Heart
Have You Ever Been in Love (#2 AC)
Stand by Your Side (#17 AC)
You and I (#16 AC)
Beautiful Boy (#18 AC)
In No Small Way (#28 AC)
I Believe in You (#31 AC)
Taking Chances (#54, #6 AC)
Alone
My Love (#15 AC)




It came out close, but Mariah Carey still has a 49-42 edge.  But if you asked anyone over 18 who was more successful, Celine wins hands down.

Paulinho Da Costa

Paulinho Da Costa is one of those guys that was a natural at his profession.  He was born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and by the age of five, Paulinho was tapping everything he could get his hands on, exploring the different sounds.  As a teenager, Da Costa traveled throughout the world as a member of several music groups.  But when he came to America, the immensely-talented percussionist struck gold.

Da Costa has become of the premier session musicians of all-time, and certainly the top percussionist.  He has lent his talent to over 400 artists, from Kenny Rogers to Burt Bacharach, from Quincy Jones to Alice Cooper and appeared on dozens of some of the top albums in music history (including Seal’s debut, “Off The Wall”, the all-time #1 “Thriller”, “Bad” and “Dangerous” for Jackson, “Sleepwalk” by Larry Carlton, debut albums by Janet Jackson, Richard Marx, Whitney Houston and Wilson Phillips, Lionel Richie’s self-titled debut and “Can’t Slow Down”, “The Broadway Album” by Barbra Streisand, “USA for Africa”, “Like A Prayer” and “True Blue” by Madonna, the first two albums for Richard Marx, “Midnight In San Juan” by Earl Klugh, “The Colour of My Love” by Celine Dion, “Hell Freezes Over” by the Eagles “The Look of Love” by Diana Krall, “Chicago 17”, and many more.   

 Paulinho has been invited to contribute to box office hits such as Saturday Night Fever, Footloose, Flashdance, Four Weddings and a Funeral, An Officer and a Gentleman, Ice Age, Mission:  Impossible III, Night Shift, The Lost World:  Jurassic Park, The Color Purple, Arthur, Against All Odds, Taps, The Thomas Crown Affair, There’s Something About Mary, Trading Places, What Women Want, The Wiz and over 100 other films.    His music is feature on TV shows such as ER, The Drew Carey Show and Knots Landing.

Whether it’s a commercial, television shows, movies or CD’s, Paulinho’s amazing work is being heard by you on a daily basis.  He now plays the following:  conga drums, tumbadoras, bongos, timbales, pandeiro, surdo, repenique, repique, caion, claves, American Indian drum, maracas, berimbau, atabaque, cuice, reco-reco, tamborim, ganza, chimes, wood percussion, cow bells, agogo bell, African agogo bell, triangles, caxixi, tambora, tantan, tarol, quiro, snare drums, chocalho, base drums, shekere, diembe, zabumba, log drums, whistles, samba whistle, guiro, rainmakers, tambourine, cabasa, dumbek, ceramic dumbek, afuche cabasa, cricket, flex-a-tone, clad bells, cymbals, bar chimes, bell trees,  African drums, finger cymbals, jaw bone, temple blocks, castanets, spoons, udu, doum doum, bougarabou, kora, keg drum, okanga, bata drums, talking drums, wood blocks, kokiriko, vibra slap, ashiko, shakers, gongs and the kettle drum.

The National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences presented Paulinho with its “Most Valuable Player Award” for three consecutive years and recently honored him with its “Musicians Emeritus Award”. 

Here are the artists who feature work by Da Costa:

Diane Warren

Those in the music business know her well.  She has received six Academy Award nominations for “Song of the Year”, five Golden Globe nominations (including one win), and seven Grammy Award nominations, including one win.  She was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2001.  She is the first person in history to have written seven songs all on the singles chart at the same time.  She has written over 70 songs that are featured in movies or television shows. 

She writes almost exclusively romantic songs, yet has never married.  She has written hit songs but has never recorded.  

Diane Warren was born September 7, 1956 in Van Nuys, California.  She felt alienated growing up but began writing music at age 14.  She says “Music saved me.”  Her mother wanted her to give up her dream of a songwriting career and take a secretarial job.  Today, secretaries all over the world listen to her songs on the radio while they work.  

Diane got her first break when Laura Branigan accepted a Warren composition and turned it into a #7 song in 1983—“Solitaire”.  

Warren was named Pop Songwriter of the Year by ASCAP in 1990, 1991, 1993, 1998 and 1999 and was Country Songwriter of the Year in 2000.  She won the Palm Springs International Film Festival’s Frederick Loewe Music Award this year.  Warren has also won the Women in Film Crystal Award (2006), a 2001 award by the Hollywood Film Festival for Outstanding Achievement in Songwriting, Billboard’s Songwriter of the Year in 1997, 1998 and 1999 and the Hollywood Reporter and Billboard’s Inaugural Film and TV Music Career Achievement Award in 2008.

Diane Warren's songs have sold over 125 million copies.  US Air, Delta and United Airlines have not devoted in-flight channels to her music.  Warren was given a star on Hollywood’s Walk of Fame in 2001 and was elected to the Songwriters Hall of Fame that same year.  

She owns her own publishing company, Realsongs.  She focuses nearly her entire day on her work.  The Diane Warren Foundation, in conjunction with ASCAP and the VH1 Save the Music Foundation created a joint initiative in 2000 called Music in the Schools.  To combat the shocking lack of support for public music education by the current leadership of city and state governments, the imitative provides sheet music, band arrangements and method books to schools that also receive musical instruments from VH1. 

Last year, Diane joined with Avon as a celebrity judge for Avon Voices, an online singing talent search for women and songwriting competition for men and women. 

A sample of Warren’s classic compositions is included below:

“Always Tomorrow”, sung by Gloria Estefan, reached #5 on Adult Contemporary chart

“Because You Loved Me”, sung by Celine Dion, featured in the movie Up Close and Personal,  reached #1 on Billboard Hot 100 (6 weeks) and #1 on Adult Contemporary chart, setting a record with 19 weeks at #1, finished 1995 as the #3 song for the year and is the #18 song for the 90’s decade, #1 in Canada and Australia, sold two million copies in the U.S., won Grammy Award for Best Song Written for a Motion Picture, nominated for Grammy Awards for Record of the Year, Song of the Year and Best Female Pop Vocal Performance , nominated for 1995 Song of the Year at the Academy Awards, won ASCAP award for Most Performed Song from a Motion Picture

“Blame It on the Rain”, recorded by Milli Vanilli, reached #1 on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart

“By the Time This Night is Over”, by Kenny G, sung by Peabo Bryson, reached #1 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart

“Can’t Fight Fate”, sung by Taylor Dayne, featured in the 1991 movie Class Action

“Can’t Fight the Moonlight”, sung by LeAnn Rimes, reached #1 in the UK, Belgium, Holland, Finland, Ireland, New Zealand, Sweden and Australia, #1 song of the year in Australia, is the 18^th-biggest single in Irish history, featured in the movie Coyote Ugly, won ASCAP award for Most Performed Song from a Motion Picture

“Chasin’ the Wind”, sung by Chicago

“Could I Have This Kiss Forever”, sung by Whitney Houston & Enrique Iglesias, reached #1 in Holland, Spain and Switzerland and on the Eurochart

“Do You Feel Me”, sung by Anthony Hamilton, nominated for Song of the Year by the Broadcast Film Critics Association

“Don’t Take Away My Heaven”, sung by Aaron Neville, reached #4 on Adult Contemporary chart

“Don’t Turn Around, originally recorded by Tina Turner, later sung by Neil Diamond and Ace of Base, the latter reached #4 on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles chart, was the #10 song of 1994, reached #1 in Canada, certified gold in the U.S.

“Faith of the Heart”, sung by Rod Stewart, reached # 3 on Billboard Adult Contemporary chart

“For You I Will”, sung by Monica, reached #4 on Billboard Hot 100 Chart and #3 on Adult Contemporary chart, featured in the 1996 animated movie Space Jam

“Have You Ever?”, sung by Brandy, reached #1 on Billboard Hot 100 chart, the #14 song of the year 1999, reached #1 in New Zealand

“Hot Night”, featured in the 1984 movie Ghostbusters, nominated for a Grammy award

“How Do I Live”, sung by LeAnn Rimes and also by Trisha Yearwood, reached #2 on Billboard Hot 100 chart and #1 on Adult Contemporary chart, the #4 song of the year and #12 for the 90’s decade, sold three million copies in the U.S. and four million worldwide, featured in the 1997 movie Con Air, Yearwood’s version won a Grammy Award for Best Female Country Vocal Performance, Rimes’ version was nominated for Grammy Award for Best Female Country Vocal Performance, nominated for Song of the Year at the Academy Awards, won ASCAP Award for Most Performed Song from a Motion Picture

“I Could Not Ask For More”, sung by Edwin McCain, reached #3 on Billboard Adult Contemporary chart

“I Don’t Wanna’ Live Without Your Love”, sung by Chicago, reached #3 on Billboard Hot 100 chart

“I Don’t Want To Miss a Thing”, sung by Aerosmith, reached #1 on Billboard Hot 100 chart, reached #1 in Austria, Australia, Holland, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Norway and Switzerland, featured in the 1998 movie Armageddon, nominated for Song of the Year at the Academy Awards, nominated for Grammy Award for Best Song From a Motion Picture, won ASCAP award for Most Performed Song From a Motion Picture, won Golden Satellite Award for Best Song

“I Get Weak”, sung by Belinda Carlisle, reached #2 on Billboard Hot 100 chart

“I Turn To You”, sung by All-4-One, reached #3 on Billboard Hot 100 chart

“I Want You to Need Me”, sung by Celine Dion, reached #1 in Canada

“I Will Be Here For You”, sung by Michael W. Smith

“I’ll Be Your Shelter”, sung by Taylor Dayne, reached #4 on Billboard Hot 100 chart, reached #1 in Canada

“I’ll Never Get Over You (Getting Over Me)”, sung by Expose, reached #8 on Billboard Hot 100 chart, reached #1 on Adult Contemporary chart

“If I Could Turn Back Time”, sung by Cher, reached #3 on Billboard Hot 100 chart, reached #1 on Adult Contemporary chart, reached #1 in Australia and Norway, single sold two million copies in the U.S.

“If You Asked Me To”, sung by Patti LaBelle, featured in 1989 James Bond movie License to Kill, and later released as the debut single by Celine Dion

“Just Like Jesse James”, sung by Cher, reached #8 on Billboard Hot 100 chart

“Let Me Make It Up to You Tonight”, sung by Jody Watley, featured in the movie White Men Can’t Jump

“Live For Loving You”, sung by Gloria Estefan, reached #2 on Billboard Adult Contemporary chart

“Look Away”, sung by Chicago, reached #1 for two weeks on Billboard Hot 100 chart, reached #1 on Adult Contemporary chart

“Love Can Move Mountains”, sung by Celine Dion, reached #2 in Canada

“Love Will Lead You Back”, sung by Taylor Dayne, reached #1 on Billboard Hot 100 chart

“Music of My Heart”, sung by Gloria Estefan and ‘N Sync, reached #2 on Billboard Hot 100 chart, certified gold in the U.S., featured in the movie Music of the Heart, nominated for Academy Award, nominated for Grammy Award,  won Song of the Year at the Broadcast Film Critics Association Awards

“My First Night With You”, sung by Mya, certified gold in the U.S.

“Nothing Broken But My Heart”, sung by Celine Dion, reached #1 on Billboard Adult Contemporary chart, reached #1 in Canada

“Nothing’s Gonna’ Stop Us Now”, sung by Starship, reached #1 on Billboard Hot 100 chart, reached #1 on Adult Contemporary chart, the #5 song of the year, reached #1 in Ireland and the U.K., certified gold in the U.S., sold over a million copies worldwide, featured in the movie Mannequin,  (nominated for 1987 Song of the Year at the Academy Awards, Best Song Written for a Motion Picture at the Grammy Awards and Song of the Year at the Golden Globe Awards, won ASCAP award for Most Performed Song from a Motion Picture

“One Night Without You”, sung by Cosimo, reached #1 in Australia

“Reach”, sung by Gloria Estefan, reached #5 on Billboard Adult Contemporary chart, reached #1 in Columbia

“Rhythm of the Night”, song by DeBarge, reached #3 on Billboard Hot 100 chart, reached #1 on Adult Contemporary chart, featured in the movie The Last Dragon, nominated for Song of the Year at the 1985 Golden Globes Awards

“Un Roman d’amitie (Friend You Give Me a Reason)”, sung by Elsa Lunghini, reached #1 in France

“Saving Forever For You”, sung by Shanice, reached #4 on Billboard Hot 100 chart

“Set The Night to Music”, recorded by Roberta Flack & Maxi Priest, reached #6 on Billboard Hot 100 chart and #2 on Adult Contemporary chart, also recorded by Starship

“Solitaire”, sung by Laura Branigan, reached #7 on Billboard Hot 100 chart

 “Some Kind of Miracle”, sung by Kelly Clarkson

“The Arms of the One Who Loves You”, sung by Xscape

“There You’ll Be”, sung by Faith Hill, reached #10 on Billboard Hot 100 chart, reached #1 on Adult Contemporary chart, reached #1 in Canada and Sweden, featured in the movie Pearl Harbor, nominated for Grammy Award for Best Song From a Motion Picture, nominated for 2000 Song of the Year at the Academy Awards, nominated for Song of the Year at the Golden Globe Awards, won ASCAP award for Most Performed Song From a Motion Picture, nominated for Song of the Year from the Broadcast Film Critics Association, nominated for Golden Satellite Award

“Time, Love and Tenderness”, sung by Michael Bolton, reached #7 on Billboard Hot 100 chart and #1 on Adult Contemporary chart

“Un-Break My Heart”, sung by Toni Braxton in 1996, reached #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart for 11 weeks in a row, was the #4 song of the year and the #4 song of the 90’s decade, reached #1 in Austria, Europe, Sweden and Switzerland, certified platinum in both the U.S. and U.K., won Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance

“Water From The Moon”, sung by Celine Dion

“When I See You Smile”, sung by Bad English, reached #1 on Billboard Hot 100 chart, reached #1 in Canada

“Where the Dream Take You”, sung by Mya, featured in the 2001 animated movie Atlantis:  The Lost Empire, nominated for Best Original Song at the World Soundtrack Awards

“Wherever I Would Be”, sung by Dusty Springfield and Daryl Hall, featured in the 1995 movie While You Were Sleeping

“Who Will You Run To”, sung by Heart, reached #7 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart

“You Haven’t Seen the Last of Me”, sung by Cher, featured in the movie Burlesque, won for 2009 Song of the Year at the Golden Globe Awards 

Rock Acts from Queens, New York

50 Cent
Big Daddy Kane
Nasir Jones
Juice Crew
Cyndi Lauper
Run D.M.C.
Simon and Garfunkel
Nathanial Wilson

Hits List: Pointer Sisters

1973:  Yes We Can Can (#11)
1974:  Fairytale (#13)
1977:  How Long (Betcha' Got A Chick on the Side) (#20)
1979:  Fire (#2)
1980:  He's So Shy (#3)
1981:  Slow Hand (#2)
1982:  Should I Do It (#13)
           American Music #16)
1984:  Automatic (#5)
           Jump (For My Love)  (#3)
           I'm So Excited (#9)
           Neutron Dance (#6)
1985:  Dare Me (#11)

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. 

This Date in Rock Music History: March 18

1955:  For the seventh week, "Pledging My Love" by Johnny Ace set the pace on the R&B chart.  
1958:  Jerry Lee Lewis performed on American Bandstand on ABC-TV.
1959:  EMI Records announced that it had halted all production of 78 rpm records.
1960:  The Everly Brothers recorded "Cathy's Clown" at RCA Studios in Nashville, Tennessee. 
1960:  Dean Martin and Ricky Nelson joined John Wayne and Walter Brennan in the movie Rio Bravo, which opened in theaters. 

1962: Gary U.S. Bonds performed on The Ed Sullivan Show.
1965:  The Standells ("Dirty Water") were guests on an episode of The Munsters on NBC-TV.  (Note:  some websites claim the show aired on March 17.  According to the book 'Big Bang, Baby:  Rock Trivia' by Richard Crouse, the episode which starred the Standells aired March 18, 1965.)

 
1967:  Pink Floyd signed a recording contract with EMI Records.

1967:  Steve Winwood, former member of the Spencer Davis Group, announced that he was forming a new group with Jim Capaldi, Chris Wood and Dave Mason that would be known as Traffic.








                                                    "Mary, Mary" from the Monkees...

1967:  The second Monkees album, More of the Monkees, appeared to be dominating the same way their debut did as for the sixth week it topped the Album chart.  The Rolling Stones couldn't compete and were stuck at 2 with Between the Buttons.  In fact, the self-titled Monkees debut was third.  The popular Soundtrack to "Doctor Zhivago" was fourth while S.R.O., the new album from Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass, was #5.  The rest of the Top 10:  The Supremes Sing Holland-Dozier-Holland, the monumental Soundtrack to "The Sound of Music" headed back up after more than two years of release (105 weeks), The Temptations' Greatest Hits at #8, That's Life from Frank Sinatra was ninth and Boise, Idaho's Paul Revere & the Raiders were at #10 with The Spirit of '67.
1967:  The Four Tops meant business!  "Bernadette" moved from #65 to #23 on this date.






                                          The Hermits were on the move again...

1967:  The Beatles rose to #1 with "Penny Lane".  The Turtles belied their name and quickly moved from 8 to 2 with "Happy Together".  Johnny Rivers' great song "Baby I Need Your Lovin'" was third, followed by the former #1's from the Supremes ("Love Is Here and Now You're Gone") and the Rolling Stones ("Ruby Tuesday").  The rest of the Top 10:  "Dedicated To The One I Love" from the Mamas and the Papas, Mitch Ryder & the Detroit Wheels were at 7 with "Sock It To Me--Baby!", Herman's Hermits amazingly achieved their 11th Top 10 song out of 14 releases with "There's A Kind Of Hush", Ed Ames and "My Cup Runneth Over" while the Casinos dropped with "Then You Can Tell Me Goodbye".








1968:  The Beatles released the single "Lady Madonna".














1968:  Bobby Goldsboro released the single "Honey".

1972:  Ringo Starr was the director as shooting began for the movie Born to Boogie at a T. Rex concert at the Empire Pool in Wembley, England.
1972:  A new artist first appeared on the chart--Jackson Browne debuted with his first single "Doctor My Eyes".

1972:  The self-titled Paul Simon rose to the top of the U.K. Album chart.
1972:  "I Gotcha'" by Joe Tex moved into the #1 slot on the R&B chart.  







1972:  Nilsson continued to possess the #1 Adult song for the fifth consecutive week with "Without You".










1972:  Neil Young had his only #1 song of his career--"Heart Of Gold".  New group America rose from 7 to 2 with their first release--"A Horse With No Name" while Robert John's remake of the Tokens' classic "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" was #3.  Paul Simon had the top new song in the Top 10 with "Mother and Child Reunion".

1973:  Paul McCartney & Wings played a benefit concert for the drug charity Release at the Hard Rock Cafe in England.










1974:  The Stylistics released the single "You Make Me Feel Brand New".

1974:  Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band played at Gertie's in Dallas, Texas.












  1977:  The Commodores released the single "Easy".

1975: The crazy movie version of Tommy premiered in New York City.

1976:  The movie The Man Who Fell To Earth, starring David Bowie, premiered in London.

1978: California Jam II took place at the Ontario Motor Speedway in Ontario, California, with over 250,000 in attendance.  Santana, Heart, Aerosmith and Dave Mason were among the performers.  
1978:  Parliament controlled the R&B chart for a third week with "Flash Light".

"Scenes From An Italian Restaurant"--One of the best songs by Billy Joel you may not know...

1978:  The Soundtrack to "Saturday Night Fever" was becoming a phenomenon, now totaling nine weeks at #1 on the Album chart.  The Stranger by Billy Joel was a solid #2, but still not close to the top.  Eric Clapton was a distant third with Slowhand, changing places with Jackson Browne's Running On Empty. The great Steely Dan album Aja took fifth, just ahead of News of the World by Queen.  The rest of the Top 10:  George Benson's Weekend In L.A., Even Now by Barry Manilow moved from 11-8 in its fourth week, Styx with The Grand Illusion and Earth, Wind & Fire closed the list with All 'N All.






1978:  The Bee Gees were responsible for each of the Top 3 songs and 4 of the Top 5.  The only other time an artist has been that dominant in the Rock Era was in March of 1964 when the Beatles had each of the Top 5 songs.  "Night Fever" led the way, followed by "Stayin' Alive", which was moving back up, and Emotion", which the group wrote and sang backing vocals for Samantha Sang.  Eric Clapton's "Lay Down Sally" broke through to #4 while Andy Gibb's former #1 "(Love Is) Thicker Than Water" fell to fifth.

1979:  Sister Sledge released the single "We Are Family".

1980:  Lipps, Inc. released the single "Funkytown".
1982: Teddy Pendergrass was in a car accident in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, paralyzing him from the waist down.










1986:  Whitney Houston released the single "Greatest Love Of All".

1985:  Billy Ocean released his single "Suddenly".  (Note:  some websites naively say the single was released on May 10.  "Suddenly" debut on the Singles chart on March 23.  It is physically impossible for a song to be included on the Singles chart if it has not yet been released as a single.)

1989:  Phil Collins and wife Jill celebrated the birth of daughter Lily Jane.
1989:  Bon Jovi had one of the hottest songs as "I'll Be There For You" moved from 51 to 34.








                                          The Bangles had a big hit moving up...

1989:  Debbie Gibson held on to #1 for the third week with "Lost In Your Eyes".  Mike + the Mechanics were still at 2 witih "The Living Years" while Bobby Brown's "Roni" and "Girl You Know It's True" by Millli Vanilli were next.  The rest of the Top 10:  "Paradise City" from Guns N' Roses, the Bangles jumped from 11-6 with "Eternal Flame", Rod Stewart had his 38th career hit with "My Heart Can't Tell You No", Roxette bounced from 13 to 8 with "The Look", New Kids on the Block were 9th with "You Got It (The Right Stuff)" and Breathe entered the group with "Don't Tell Me Lies".
1989:  On the Adult Contemporary chart, which had eclipsed the Top 40 chart in popularity, Mike + the Mechanics remained at #1 for a fourth week with "The Living Years".








  
1992: Donna Summer earned a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
1994: Kenner, Louisiana named a street after Lloyd Price.
1994: Darryl Jones replaced longtime bassist Bill Wyman on tour for the Rolling Stones.
1994: Police in Seattle, Washington confiscated four guns and 25 boxes of ammunition from Kurt Cobain of Nirvana after his wife, Courtney Love, called police fearing he would commit suicide. He did just that about three weeks later.








                                                                 "I Alone" from Live...

1995:  After 20 years, Bruce Springsteen had enough material for a Greatest Hits album and it debuted at #2, sending II by Boyz II Men down to 2.  The Hits by Garth Brooks, itself a #1 album, was now at 3 while Sheryl Crow was still on the upswing after 53 weeks with Tuesday Night Music Club.  Another longevity champ, Dookie by Green Day, was #5 after 56 weeks.  The rest of the Top 10:  Cracked Rear View from Hootie & the Blowfish, CrazySexyCool from TLC, the Eagles took position #8 with Hell Freezes Over, the outstanding album Throwing Copper by Live and Balance by Van Halen was #10.
1995:  Madonna ruled for a fourth week with "Take A Bow".  Soul for Real held down #2 with "Candy Rain" with the former #1 smash "Creep" by TLC third.  "Baby" from Brandy followed that trio with another TLC smash--"Red Light Special" leaping from 18 to 5.  

1997: Yanni became the first artist from the West to play at the Taj Mahal in India.
1997: Taylor Hawkins replaced William Goldsmith as the drummer for the Foo Fighters.
1997: Joni Mitchell announced that she had reunited with a daughter she had given up for adoption many years previous.
2001:  An in-store appearance by A1 in Jakarta, Indonesia ended in tragedy as four girls were killed and two others seriously injured in a stampede to get to the group.

2001:  John Phillips, songwriter, singer and guitarist of the Mamas and the  Papas, died in Los Angeles of heart failure at age 65.

2001:  Crazy Town had the #1 song with "Butterfly".

2002:  U2 are awarded the Freedom of the City of Dublin in a ceremony.

2002: 1,500 music lovers in Concord, California swarmed a music store in Sun Valley Mall to get autographs from B2K. The mall had to temporarily shut down due to the large crowd.

2003:  Jason Newsted, formerly with Metallica, joined Ozzy Osbourne's band.

2004:  Buckethead left the group Guns N' Roses.
2006:  Ne-Yo owned the top album with In My Own Words.
2010:  Rihanna reached #1 with "Rude Boy".  It was the sixth #1 of her career, tying her for fifth all-time among female artists.
2014:  Joe Lala, drummer and singer with Blues Image, who also worked with the Bee Gees, the Eagles, Whitney Houston, Barbra Streisand, Neil Diamond, Kenny Rogers, Rod Stewart, John Mellencamp, Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young, Ringo Starr, the Byrds, Eric Clapton, Poco and the Allman Brothers, died of lung cancer in Tampa, Florida, at the age of 66.

2017:  Rock pioneer Chuck Berry died at his home near Wentzville, Missouri.  (Note:  some websites report his place of death as St. Louis, Missouri.  According to the newspaper 'The New York Times', he died at his home near Wentzville.)




Born This Day:

1941: Wilson Pickett was born in Prattville, Alabama; died of a heart attack in Reston, Virginia on January 19, 2006.
1947:  Barry J. Wilson, drummer of Procol Harum ("Whiter Shade Of Pale" from 1967), was born in Southend, Essex, England; died at age 43 after spending several months in a coma following a car accident on October 8, 1990.
1950: John Hartman, co-founder and drummer of the Doobie Brothers, was born in Falls Church, Virginia.

1959: Irene Cara (real name born Irene Cara Escalera) was born in the Bronx, New York.  (Note:  some websites say Cara was born in New York City, but according to the book 'Encyclopedia of African American Actresses in Film and Television' by Bob McCann, she was born in the Bronx.)1963: Vanessa Williams was born in Millwood, New York.  (Note:  some websites claim Williams was born in the Bronx, others in Tarrytown, New York.  According to 'Billboard', the newspaper 'The Los Angeles Times', 'Us' magazine, as well as Vanessa's official website, she was born in Millwood.)
1963: Jeff LaBar, guitarist of Cinderella, was born in Darby, Pennsylvania.
1966: Jerry Cantrell, singer, songwriter and elite guitarist of Alice In Chains, was born in Tacoma, Washington.




 

1970: Queen Latifah was born in Newark, New Jersey.
1977: Devin Lima (real name Harold Lima) of LFO, was born in Boston, Massachusetts.
1979: Adam Levine, singer, songwriter and guitarist of Maroon 5, was born in Los Angeles.