This Date in Rock Music History: March 15

1956:  Elvis Presley hired Colonel Tom Parker as his manager.

1964:  Berry Gordy, Jr., the founder of Motown Records, and his wife celebrated the birth of son Kennedy William Gordy, who would later be known as Rockwell ("Somebody's Watching Me"), in Detroit, Michigan.
1964:  The Rolling Stones began a tour of the U.K. at the Invicta Ballroom in Chatham, Kent, England.

1965:  Wayne Fontana & the Mindbenders released the single "Game Of Love".
1965:  Neil Sedaka was a guest star on I've Got a Secret on CBS-TV.  (Note:  several websites list the date of the appearance as March 5.  In a 1965 edition of 'Billboard', the magazine reported that Sedaka would appear on February 1, but the websites which report the appearance as March 5 are missing a digit, and 'Billboard' got their information wrong; the correct date is March 15, according to the newspaper 'The Daily Times-News' in Burlington, North Carolina, as well as 'TV.com'.)
1965:  Freddy Cannon appeared on the television show No Time for Sergeants on ABC.

1966:  The Grammy Awards turned eight years old today, and Frank Sinatra won Album of the Year with his great LP September of My Years.




1966:  "A Taste Of Honey" from Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass won the Grammy for Record of the Year.
1967:  The Beatles began recording "Within You, Without You" with George Harrison being the only member of the group to perform on the song.  Harrison played the swordmandel and tamboura, Natver Soni played tabla and Amrat Gajjar played dilruba, PD Josh was also on swordmandel.

1968: LIFE magazine called Jimi Hendrix "the most spectacular guitarist in the world."

1969:  Marc Bolan, lead singer of T. Rex, published a book of poetry called The Warlock of Love.

1969:  Janis Joplin was on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine.
1969:  Bob Cowsill of the Cowsills ("Hair" from 1969) appeared on an episode of The Dating Game on ABC-TV.

1969:  Cream had the top U.K. album with Goodbye.

1969:  What a classic looks like--the 5th Dimension moved from #89 to #37 with "Aquarius/Let The Sunshine In".








                 
                                                     The Zombies hit the Top 10...

1969:  Tommy Roe earned a #1 song with "Dizzy".  CCR was stuck at #2 with "Proud Mary" while previous #1 "Everyday People" from Sly & the Family Stone fell to #3.  The Foundations were on their way down with "Build Me Up Buttercup" but the Classics IV, featuring the great voice of Dennis Yost, moved from 17-5 with their latest, "Traces".  The rest of the Top 10:  Former #1 "Crimson And Clover" from Tommy James & the Shondells, Dionne Warwick had another Top 10 with "This Girl's In Love With You", the 1910 Fruitgum Company provided comic relief with "Indian Giver", the Zombies were up strong (20 to 9) with "Time Of The Season" and Jay & the Americans slipped with "This Magic Moment".













1971:  Neil Diamond released the single "I Am...I Said".













1971:  Bread released the single "If".

1974:  The Emerson, Lake and Palmer movie Pictures at an Exhibition premiered in Los Angeles.

1975:  The group T. Rex ("Bang A Gong" from 1972) broke up.
1975:  Led Zeppelin owned the #1 album in the U.K. with Physical Graffiti.







1975:  Former Drifter Ben E. King topped the R&B chart with "Supernatural Thing".
1975:  Olivia Newton-John (Have You Never Been Mellow) overtook Bob Dylan (Blood on the Tracks) for the top album.  Led Zeppelin debuted at #3 with Physical Graffiti.
1976:  KISS released the album Destroyer on Casablanca Records.








1975:  The Doobie Brothers had their first #1 as "Black Water" moved to the top.  Frankie Valli was poised and ready with "My Eyes Adored You" and LaBelle was going to be a factor with "Lady Marmalade".  Previous #1 "Have You Never Been Mellow" was now fourth with Minnie Riperton's "Lovin' You" at 5 and "Lady" from Styx close behind.  The rest of the Top 10:  "Lonely People" from America, B.T. Express moved from 13 to 8 with the instrumental "Express", ELO's first big hit--"Can't Get It Out Of My Head" climbed to #9 and Sugarloaf entered the Top 10 with "Don't Call Us, We'll Call You".
1977:  Pink Floyd opened in the first of five sellouts at Empire Pool in London.
1978:  The movie American Hot Wax, about the life of early rock disc jockey Alan Freed, premiered in New York City.  There are appearances by Chuck Berry, Jerry Lee Lewis and Screamin' Jay Hawkins.
1980:  The Whispers held on to #1 on the R&B chart with "And the Beat Goes On".
1980:  For the third week, Chuck Mangione's "Give It All You Got" was #1 on the Adult chart.

1980:  Queen had one of their biggest career hits as "Crazy Little Thing Called Love" spent a fourth week at #1.  Dan Fogelberg was up to #2 with "Longer" while "Another Brick In The Wall" by Pink Floyd was making its move.  Andy Gibb ("Desire") and Donna Summer ("On The Radio") both peaked this week.  The rest of the Top 10:  The Spinners with "Working My Way Back To You/Forgive Me, Girl", Teri DeSario and K.C. had "Yes, I'm Ready", Rupert Holmes was up to the #8 spot with "Him", Shalamar with "The Second Time Around" and Kool and the Gang were "Too Hot".







                    
                           Fogelberg's album was right there near the top...

1980:  The Wall from Pink Floyd remained strong for a ninth week on the Album chart.  Damn the Torpedoes by Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers was runner-up for the sixth straight week while Phoenix by Dan Fogelberg peaked at #3.  Rush came in next with Permanent Waves while Linda Ronstadt debuted at #5 with Mad Love.  The rest of the Top 10:  Fans were glad for Heart's new album as Bebe Le Strange moved from 19 to 6 in its second week of release, the Whispers were up with their self-titled album, Fun and Games from Chuck Mangione, Kenny by Kenny Rogers remained in the #9 position and Michael Jackson tumbled Off the Wall.    
1986:  After 51 weeks, Whitney Houston was at her peak with her self-titled debut album, which spent a second week at #1.  It was just getting started.
1986:  One of the hottest new songs was "Bad Boy" from Miami Sound Machine, up from 76 to 55.








           
                                  Mellencamp had one of his biggest hits...

1986:  Starship had their 27th hit (counting their days as Jefferson Airplane and Jefferson Starship) and second consecutive #1 with "Sara".  Heart was making a bid with "These Dreams" while previous #1 "Kyrie" by Mr. Mister relinquished its spot.  Atlantic Starr was up with "Secret Lovers" but Whitney Houston finally was falling after 15 weeks with "How Will I Know".  The rest of the Top 10:  John Cougar Mellencamp burst into the list with "R.O.C.K. In The U.S.A.", Falco jumped from 14 to 7 with "Rock Me Amadeus", Mike + the Mechanics and "Silent Running", the Thompson Twins edged up with "King For A Day" and Elton John reached the Top 10 again with "Nikita".






1986:  Heart was back in a big way as "These Dreams" reached #1 on the Adult Contemporary chart.
1988:  Mick Jagger of the Rolling Stones went on his first solo tour, debuting at the Osakajo Castle Hall in Osaka, Japan.  (Note:  many websites report that Jagger went on tour in 1982, but he had no albums nor solo releases that year, and the credible websites report his first tour as being in 1988.)
1989:  The Rolling Stones signed a contract to play 50 concerts in the United States for $70 million, the largest contract to that point in the Rock Era.

1990:  13.7 million households signed up to see a pay-per-view special by New Kids on the Block, breaking the record for PPV events.

1997:  The Spice Girls became the first act to ever hit #1 with their first four singles in the U.K., as "Mama" reached the top.

1997:  Pop by U2 was the #1 album in the U.K.

1997:  For the fourth week, newcomers the Spice Girls had the #1 song with "Wannabe".

1999:  If every class of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame was this small and this accomplished, they'd have credibility.  Paul McCartney, Billy Joel, Bruce Springsteen and Dusty Springfield were inducted into the Hall.  At the ceremony, Springsteen performed with the E Street Band for the first time in a decade.
2000:  Mick Jagger was ordered by a court to increase his child support payments to Luciana Morad from $5,500 a month to $10,000.  Now we know why the Rolling Stones have to tour so much.
2002:  Marshall Lieb, an original member of the Teddy Bears ("To Know Him Is To Love Him" from 1958) and later a member of the Hollywood Argyles, died of a heart attack in Northridge, California at the age of 63.

2002:  Yoko Ono unveiled a seven-foot bronze statue of John Lennon in the Liverpool John Lennon airport.  The airport also featured a sketch of Lennon's face with the words "Above Us Only Sky".

2004:  Whitney Houston entered a drug rehabilitation program.

2004:  George Harrison, Prince, Bob Seger, Jackson Browne, ZZ Top, Traffic and the Dells were all inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

2008:  The musical I Am Who I Am (The Teddy Pendergrass Story) opened in Chicago, Illinois.  

2010:  Sony Music announced a recording deal with the estate of the late Michael Jackson that would pay Jackson's heirs $200 million over seven years, the largest contract in music history.
2011:  Nate Dogg died at the age of 41 in Long Beach, California of complications from multiple strokes.




2015:  Mike Porcaro, bassist of Toto, and brother of Jeff and Steve Porcaro, died of Amyotophic lateral sclerosis in Los Angeles.  Jeff was 59 years old.  In addition to being with Toto for nearly 25 years, Porcaro also worked with Seals & Crofts, Boz Scaggs and Larry Carlton.

Born This Day:
1931:  James Mitchell, saxophonist of the Memphis Horns, who worked with Elvis Presley, Aretha Franklin, the Doobie Brothers, Al Green, Sam and Dave and Otis Redding; died December 18, 2000.
 

1932:  Arif Mardin, producer of "Jive Talkin'" by the Bee Gees, "Respect" for Aretha Franklin, Barbra Streisand, Norah Jones, Dusty in Memphis for Dusty Springfield and "I Feel for You" by Chaka Khan and many others, was born in Istanbul, Turkey; died June 25, 2006 in New York City.

1940:  Phil Lesh, bassist of Grateful Dead, was born in Berkeley, California.








1941:  Singer-songwriter Mike Love of the Beach Boys was born in Baldwin Hills, California.  (Note:  some websites claim Love was born in Los Angeles, but he was born in Baldwin Hills, according to the official Beach Boys website.)

1943:  Sly Stone of Sly & the Family Stone was born in Denton, Texas.  (Note:  some sites show his birthday in 1941 or 1943, but according to the official website for Sly, he was born in 1944.)
1944:  David Costell of Gary Lewis and the Playboys, was born in Pittsburg, California.  (Note:  some websites say Costell was born in Pittsburgh, California.  There is no such city.  There is a Pittsburg, California, which is where Costell was born.)
1946:  Howard Scott, guitarist with War, was born in San Pedro, California.








1947:  Ry Cooder, great guitarist with Captain Beefheart, who worked with the Rolling Stones, Gordon Lightfoot, Eric Clapton and Randy Newman and was also a solo artist, was born in Santa Monica, California.  (Note:  some websites say Ry was born in Los Angeles.  According to 'Billboard', the newspaper 'The Guardian', and the book 'Legends of Rock Guitar:  The Essential Reference of Rock's Greatest Guitarist' by Pete Prown and Harvey P. Newquist, Cooder was born in Santa Monica.)
1947:  Francisco Hernandez "Frank" Lugo, bassist of ? & the Mysterians ("96 Tears" from 1966), was born in Weslaco, Texas. 

1953:  Preston Hubbard, the bassist for the Fabulous Thunderbirds ("Tuff Enough"), was born in Providence, Rhode Island.

1955:  Daniel "Dee" Snider, lead singer of Twisted Sister, was born in Queens, New York.  (Note:  some websites say he was born in Astoria, Queens, New York, others in Massapequa, Long Island.  First off, Astoria is a not a city, but rather a neighborhood, so that rules that out as the official birthplace.   Massapequa is indeed a hamlet and census-designated place, but Long Island is not a state, so Massapequa, Long Island gets the buzzer as well.  According to the book 'The Robert Englund Handbook - Everything you need to know about Robert Englund' by Emily Smith, Snider was not born in Massapequa, but Queens.)
1962:  Terence Trent D'Arby ("Wishing Well" from 1987) was born in Manhattan, New York.
1962:  Steve Coy, singer-songwriter and keyboardist of Dead or Alive ("You Spin Me 'Round (Like A Record)"), was born in Liverpool, England.
1963:  Bret Michaels, lead singer of Poison, was born in Butler, Pennsylvania.
1964:  Rockwell ("Somebody's Watching Me") was born in Detroit, Michigan.
1968:  Mark McGrath, lead singer of Sugar Ray ("Every Morning" from 1999), was born in Hartford, Connecticut.




1972:  Mark Hoppus, co-lead singer and bassist of Blink-182, was born in Ridgecrest, California.










1975:  Will.I.am (real name William Adams) of the Black Eyed Peas was born in Los Angeles.

Calendar* Clarification: Elvis Presley Purchase of Graceland

Many websites report that on March 17, 1956, Elvis Presley bought the Graceland mansion in Memphis, Tennessee.    Other sites report the date of the sale as March 19.  Cindy Hazen, in the book 'Memphis Elvis-Style', says that Presley bought Graceland on March 19.   These dates are not technically correct.  According to the book Elvis Presley:  Rock & Roll's King by Stephanie Watson, the only thing that happened on March 17 regarding the property was that Presley's father, Vernon, made a $1,000 cash deposit and signed a "provisional sales contract".  Watson states that Elvis agreed to purchase the home on March 19, but he didn't close the sale (the official date that he bought the home) until March 26.  The official Graceland website states that the Presleys (Elvis, mother Gladys and father Vernon) made the cash deposit on March 16.  This information is difficult to believe, since Mr. and Mrs. Presley didn't return to Memphis until March 16.  The Presleys had been visiting Elvis in Hollywood, California on the set of his movie Loving You.  Elvis returned to Memphis by train on March 18 (arriving at 11:35 p.m. according to many Presley fan websites), so he couldn't have bought the home on March 17.   

According to Heritage Auction, which recently had a copy of the official contract, Elvis, his mother, and his father, signed the contract to purchase on March 21.  The above photo of the contract also refutes those sites that claim the home was purchased on March 17.  Elvis could not have bought the home on either March 17 or March 19, since this contract was dated March 21, 1956.  It likely took a few days to draw up, so the above contract doesn't tell us exactly when the cash deposit was made, but 'History.com' states that the deposit was made on the 19th.  Elvis viewed the estate for the first time on March 19, the day after he arrived back in Memphis.  But Gladys Presley first viewed the property, and on March 16, according to the official Graceland website, she made the $1,000 deposit (subject to approval by Elvis) to realtor Virginia Grant.  The official sale contract form from Grant Realty was drawn up and signed on March 17--again very possible the deposit was made March 16 with the official papers presented the following day.  Watson is probably wrong on the March 17 date for this reason. 

 The official Graceland website states that the home was purchased on March 25.  According to Heritage Auctions and several other websites, the closing date "was set for March 26 at 4:30 p.m.)

To summarize, we believe Gladys Presley viewed the Graceland home on March 16 and made a deposit to Virginia Brown Realty that night.  Vernon Presley then signed the sales contract the following day, subject to approval by Elvis.  Presley returned from Hollywood late March 18, and viewed the Graceland property the following day (March 19).  He fell in love with it instantly, and agreed to purchase the home.  The official sales contract, which contained the signatures of Vernon, Gladys, and Elvis, was drawn up and signed on March 21.  The official purchase of the home was on either March 25 or 26.  The Graceland website claims it was the 25th, but Heritage Auctions, University Archives, and other websites say the closing was on March 26 at 4:30 p.m.  Unless the closing was moved up a day, the March 26th date is all that we have to go by, and unfortunately, we cannot find official records of the closing papers. 

Calendar* Correction: Movie Rock Around the Clock

Several websites report that on March 17, 1956,  the movie Rock Around the Clock premiered in Washington, D.C.  Others say the premiere occurred on March 21.  According to the book Rock Around the Clock:  The Record That Started the Rock Revolution! by Jim Dawson, the correct date is March 14.

This Date in Rock Music History: March 14

1955: CBS talent scout Arthur Godfrey turned down Elvis Presley for a recording contract, opting to sign Pat Boone instead.  Big mistake, Arthur. 
1955: Elvis Presley was interviewed on The Jimmy Dean television show.

1956: The movie Rock Around the Clock, starring Billy Haley, premiered in Washington, D.C.  It was the second movie to include the song "Rock Around The Clock", the first being Blackboard Jungle a year earlier.  (Note:  you will see several dates all over the Internet for the opening.  Inside The Rock Era investigates discrepancies, strives to use the most reliable sources for our Calendar*, and publishes who those sources are.  Some websites say the premiere was on March 17, and others on March 21, but according to the book 'Rock Around the Clock: The Record that Started the Rock Revolution!' by Jim Dawson, the movie premiered on March 14.)
1958:  The Recording Industry of Association of America (RIAA) announced awards for sales.  A single selling a million copies would be awarded a Gold disc, a single selling over two million would get a Platinum record.  A Gold album would signify sales over 500,000 copies and a Platinum album signified album sales over one million.  (Note:  some websites report the awards began March 13, but according to the official website for the RIAA, they began on March 14, 1958.)
1958: The first Gold record was awarded to Perry Como for his single "Catch A Falling Star".
1960: Sam Cooke began a tour of the West Indies in Montego Bay, Jamaica.
1960: For the sixth week, Dinah Washington & Brook Benton had the top R&B song with "Baby (You've Got What It Takes)".
1960: "The Theme From 'A Summer Place'" by Percy Faith was on the way to becoming one of The Top 500 Songs of the Rock Era*, posting its fourth straight week at #1.
1963:  The Beatles performed at the Gaumont Cinema in Wolverton, West Midlands, England.  

1964:  "Java" by Al Hirt led the way on the Adult chart for the fourth week.

1964: Meet the Beatles! was the #1 album for the fifth consecutive week.








1964: The Searchers had one of the hottest songs as "Needles And Pins" moved from 75 to 46.
1964: The Beatles made history by being the first act in the Rock Era to own the top three songs for a week--they were on top for the seventh straight week with "I Want To Hold Your Hand", remained second with "She Loves You" and "Please Please Me" moved to #3. No one has ever been able to match that feat, although the Bee Gees came close in 1978.   
1965: Petula Clark appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show on CBS-TV.







1966: Boise, Idaho's Paul Revere & the Raiders released the single "Kicks".
1968: The Beatles' promotional clip for "Lady Madonna" was shown on Top of the Tops on BBC-TV.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1969:  Several great songs released on This Day in Rock Music History*.  Stevie Wonder released the single "My Cherie Amour".  The song debuted on the Singles chart on May 31, 1969.
1970: Mary Ann Ganser of the Shangri-Las ("Leader Of The Pack") did not heed the words of Paul Revere & the Raiders and died of drugs in Queens, New York at the age of 22.  (Note:  Mary Ann's death is shrouded in myth.  Some websites say that Mary Ann died in 1971, some say she died on March 16, 1970, and most websites state that Mary Ann died of encephalitis from a mosquito bite, but according to the newspaper 'The Los Angeles Times', Mary Ann in fact died on March 14, 1970 from a drug overdose.  The date of March 16 was the date that Mr. Ganser identified Mary Ann's body, but according to the newspaper 'The New York Times', Mary Ann was found dead on Sunday afternoon, March 15, and an official Coroner's report showed that she died on March 14. ) 
1970: Brook Benton reached #1 on the R&B chart with "Rainy Night In Georgia".
1970: "Bridge Over Troubled Water" from Simon & Garfunkel was the #1 song on the Adult chart for a third week.





                                Santana showed they would be a force for some time...


1970: Simon & Garfunkel remained at #1 for the third week with "Bridge Over Troubled Water". CCR's double-sided "Travlin' Band"/"Who'll Stop The Rain" was the closest challenger with the Jaggerz moving from 7 to 3 with "The Rapper".   Brook Benton held steady with "Rainy Night In Georgia".  The rest of the Top 10: the Tee Set and "Ma Belle Amie", Chairmen of the Board were at 6 with "Give Me Just A Little More Time", "Thank You" from Sly & the Family Stone, Eddie Holman dropped with "Hey There Lonely Girl", the Hollies edged up with "He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother" and Santana vaulted up with "Evil Ways".
1972: Linda Jones ("Hypnotized" from 1967) collapsed into a diabetic coma backstage after a performance at the Apollo Theatre in Harlem, New York and died shortly afterwards.

1980:  Quincy Jones received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. 

1981:  Eric Clapton had bleeding ulcers and was admitted to United Hospital in St. Paul, Minnesota.

1981:  Yarbrough & People reigned for the third week on the R&B chart with "Don't Stop The Music".

1981:  Barbra Streisand & Barry Gibb rose to #1 on the Adult Contemporary chart with their duet--"What Kind Of Fool".






 

 
            
       Blondie had one of the first (and one of the only good) rap songs...
 

1981:  Dolly Parton topped the chart with "9 To 5", heading off REO Speedwagon's bid with "Keep On Loving You".  John Lennon remained third with "Woman" while Styx was up with "The Best Of Times".  The rest of the Top 10:  Eddie Rabbitt's former #1 "I Love A Rainy Night", Don McLean had another hit with "Crying", Blondie responded with a 12 to 7 move for "Rapture", ABBA and "The Winner Takes It All", Neil Diamond had hit #47 with "Hello Again" and Kool and the Gang's former #1 "Celebration" was 10th.
1982:  Metallica made their live debut at Radio City in Anaheim, California.







1983:  Jon Bon Jovi, Richie Sambora and Alec John Such formed the group Bon Jovi.
1984:  Rainbow played live for the last time at the Budokan in Japan.
1987:  The Very Best of Hot Chocolate rose to the top of the U.K. Album chart.
1987: Janet Jackson moved to #1 on the R&B chart with "Let's Wait Awhile".

1987:  Huey Lewis & the News scored their third career #1 with "Jacob's Ladder", although stations that didn't have "I Want a New Drug" at #1 in 1984 missed the boat.  Starship had a big comeback going as "Nothing's Gonna' Stop Us Now" entered the Top 10.







1988:  Johnny Hates Jazz released the single "Shattered Dreams" in the United States.















1990:  Heart released the single "All I Wanna' Do Is Make Love To You".













1990:  Michael Jackson received the Artist of the Decade honor at the Soul Train Awards.










1991:  Doc Pomus, who wrote several hits with Mort Shuman including "This Magic Moment" for the Drifters, died of lung cancer at the age of 65 in New York City.
1992:  R. Kelly first appeared on the chart with his first single "She's Got That Vibe".








1992:  Forty-thousand people attended Farm Aid in Irving, Texas.  It was the fifth annual event and featured Paul Simon, John Mellencamp, Neil Young and Willie Nelson. 

1992:  Mr. Big had the #1 song for a third week with "To Be With You".
1992:  Garth Brooks once again ruled the Album chart for a 16th week with Ropin' the Wind.
1998:  Celine Dion returned to #1 in the U.K. with "My Heart Will Go On".








1998:  Will Smith had the #1 song in the United States of America with "Gettin' Jiggy Wit It".













1998:  The Soundtrack to "Titanic" was #1 on the Album chart for the eighth week.
2002:  Alicia Keys played a show at a suite in the House of Commons in London.

2005:  The Cars announced they were reforming with Todd Rundgren as their lead vocalist instead of Ric Ocasek.
2005:  U2 and frankly several other artists who don't belong in a "hall of fame" were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame at a ceremony in New York City.  Since the Hall has poisoned themselves, it's time for a legitimate Rock Era Hall of Fame.
2008:  Peter MacBeth, formerly bassist with the Foundations ("Build Me Up Buttercup", was jailed for child sex offenses.
2011:  James Taylor broke a leg and injured his shoulder while skiing in Park City, Utah.
2011:  Ronnie Hammond, lead singer of the Atlanta Rhythm Section, died of a heart attack in Forsyth, Georgia at the age of 60.

Born This Day:

1922:  Les Baxter, who had one of the big early Rock Era hits--"Poor People Of Paris", was born in Mexia, Texas; died January 15, 1996 of a massive heart attack in Newport Beach, California.  (Note:  Some websites claim the cause of death was "heart and kidney problems".  'Allmusic.com reports that Baxter died in Palm Springs, California.  More credible sources, such as the books 'American Big Bands' by William F. Lee, and 'Billboard Book of Number One Hits' by Fred Bronson, state that Baxter died of a heart attack in Newport Beach.)1926:  Phil Phillips ("Sea Of Love" from 1959) was born in Lake Charles, Louisiana.

1933:  Quincy Jones, arranger for Frank Sinatra, award-winning producer for Michael Jackson and others, conductor, arranger and trumpeter, was born in Chicago, Illinois.
1943:  Jim Pons, bassist of the Turtles and Mothers of Invention, was born in Santa Monica, California.








1945:  Walter Parazaider, saxophone player for Chicago, was born in Chicago, Illinois.
1945:  James O'Rourke, guitarist and singer with John Fred & His Playboy Band ("Judy In Disguise (With Glasses)").
1945:  Michael Murphey, who gave us the classic "Wildfire" in 1975, was born in Dallas, Texas.








1950: Rick Dees, famous disc jockey for KIIS-FM in Los Angeles who had the hit "Disco Duck" in 1976, was born in Jacksonville, Florida.
1969:  Michael Bland, drummer for Prince who has also worked for Soul Asylum, was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
1970:  Kristian Bush of Sugarland was born in Knoxville, Tennessee.
1983:  Taylor Hanson of Hanson was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
1989:  Colby O'Donis ("Just Dance" with Lady GaGa) was born in Queens, New York.

This Date in Rock Music History: March 13

1956:  Elvis Presley released his self-titled debut album on RCA Records, believed to be the first album to sell one million copies.
1961:  Rick Nelson recorded "Travelin' Man".
1961:  Chubby Checker took over at #1 on the R&B chart with "Pony Time".

1961:  "Pony Time" by Chubby Checker was #1 for a third week overall with Elvis Presley waiting behind with "Surrender".












1964:  Mary Wells released the single "My Guy".
1964:  Sales of Beatles records accounted for 60% of the market, unprecedented in music history to that time and since.
1965:  Eric Clapton left the Yardbirds.










1965:  Meet the Beatles became the #1 album in U.S. history, topping 3.5 million units.
1965:  Tom Jones made his television debut on The Billy Cotton Band Show on BBC-TV.
1965:  "Shotgun" by Jr. Walker & the All-Stars was the new #1 song on the R&B chart.
1965:  The Soundtrack to "Mary Poppins", which had hung around the top for several weeks, finally became the #1 album.  








1965:  "Eight Days A Week" became the seventh #1 song for the Beatles in just over a year.  That sent the Temptations down with "My Girl" while the Supremes became a factor as "Stop!  In The Name Of Love" moved from 13-3.  Gary Lewis & the Playboys were next with "This Diamond Ring".  The rest of the Top 10:  Jewel Akens with "The Birds And The Bees", Roger Miller's "King Of The Road", Gerry & the Pacemakers moved from 9 to 7 with "Ferry Across The Mersey", Herman's Hermits were up big (19-8) with "Can't You Hear My Heartbeat", the Kingsmen dropped with their tale of "The Jolly Green Giant" and Little Anthony & the Imperials found the Top 10 with "Hurt So Bad".
1966:  Pink Floyd debuted live at the Marquee Club in London.
1962:  James Darren was a guest star on the television show Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea on ABC.
1966:  Rod Stewart left the group Steampacket to start a solo career.  
1967:  Six members of Sounds, Incorporated (three saxophones, two trombones and one french horn) recorded the parts for "Good Morning Good Morning" for the Beatles' upcoming album.
1969:  The Elvis Presley movie Charro! opened in theaters.

1971:  Pearl by the late Janis Joplin was #1 on the Album chart for the third week.  The Soundtrack to "Love Story" remained second with Chicago III in third.  Another Soundtrack--"Jesus Christ Superstar" was fourth followed by Elton John's Tumbleweed Connection and Abraxas from Santana.  The rest of the Top 10:  Love Story by Andy Williams, The Cry of Love by Jimi Hendrix moved from 18-8 in only its second week while CCR held steady with Pendulum and Barbra Streisand enjoyed another Top 10 album with Stoney End.
1971:  The Carpenters remained at #1 on the Adult chart for the third week with "For All We Know".










   
                           CCR with their 16th and 17th hits in a little over three years...

1971:  The Osmonds incredibly remained at #1 a fourth week with "One Bad Apple", even though most radio stations had other songs at #1 by now.  Janis Joplin moved to #2 with "Me And Bobby McGee", the Carpenters were next with "For All We Know" and the Temptations remained fourth with "Just My Imagination (Running Away With Me)".  The rest of the Top 10:  Tom Jones enjoyed a good week, moving to #5 with "She's A Lady", "Mama's Pearl" by the Jackson 5, Ike & Tina Turner moved to #7 with the CCR classic "Proud Mary", CCR themselves had their fourth consecutive double/sided Top 10 with "Have You Ever Seen The Rain"/"Hey Tonight", the Partridge Family found themselves at #9 with "Doesn't Somebody Want To Be Wanted" and Gordon Lightfoot's big hit "If You Could Read My Mind" was now at #10.  













1972: Cat Stevens released the single "Morning Has Broken".

1976:  The Jackson 5 left Motown Records for Epic and changed their name to the Jacksons.
1976:  The Captain & Tennille took a second Neil Sedaka song to #1 on the Adult chart--"Lonely Night (Angel Face)". 











1976:  The Four Seasons, one of the groups affected (they all were, to some extent) by the onset of the Beatles, hit #1 for the first time in 12 years with "December, 1963 (Oh, What A Night)".  Eric Carmen was still at #2 with "All By Myself" with previous #1 "Love Machine" by the Miracles third.  The Eagles flew higher with "Take It To The Limit" and Gary Wright was at #5 with "Dream Weaver".  The rest of the Top 10:  The Captain & Tennille with "Lonely Night (Angel Face)", the "Theme From 'S.W.A.T.'" by Rhythm Heritage, Nazareth edged up with "Love Hurts", Rufus Featuring Chaka Khan climbed in with "Sweet Thing" and Larry Groce had a novelty hit with "Junk Food Junkie".







                         "Desperado" helped sales of the Eagles' Greatest Hits...

1976:  Eagles/Their Greatest Hits 1971-1975, which debuted at #4 the previous week, was the new #1 album.  Very few groups could put out a greatest hits package after five years and have it be the top-selling album of all-time but that is what happened with this release.  Frampton Comes Alive!  by Peter Frampton was second with Desire by Bob Dylan out of its league with those two.  The self-titled Fleetwood Mac was fourth while David Bowie's Station to Station and Stanley, Idaho's Carole King (Thoroughbred) trailed.  The rest of the Top 10:  Still Crazy After All These Years by Paul Simon, still in the Top 10 after 21 weeks, Rufus Featuring Chaka Khan, Run with the Pack by Bad Company and America's Greatest Hits--History was #10.





 
1979:  Olivia Newton-John received the Officer of the Order of the British Empire medal from Queen Elizabeth at Buckingham Palace in London.











1981:  The single "Watching The Wheels" by John Lennon was released posthumously.

1982:  Most people wouldn't hear of this Canadian until the following year, but on this date, he first entered the chart with his debut single--"Lonely Nights".  Bryan Adams no doubt celebrated heartily.







 

           
                                                     The Go-Go's had arrived...

1982:  The J. Geils Band held on to #1 for a sixth week with "Centerfold" while Journey's "Open Arms", which was a better record, stayed at #2.  Joan Jett & the Blackhearts slowed down with "I Love Rock 'N Roll" and the Cars were at 4 with "Shake It Up".  The rest of the Top 10:  "That Girl" from Stevie Wonder", Air Supply's "Sweet Dreams", the Go-Go's had their first Top 10 with "We Got The Beat", Diana Ross and "Mirror, Mirror", Dan Fogelberg at #9 with "Leader Of The Band" and the Little River Band head steady at #10 with "Take It Easy On Me".

1984:  The Cars released the album Heartbeat City. 

1987:  Bryan Adams released "Heat Of The Night" as a cassette single (or a cassingle, as it was called), the first of its kind.

1987:  Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.








1989:  Madonna released the single "Like A Prayer".
1993:  Unplugged, the new album from Eric Clapton, was the new #1, taking over for "The Bodyguard" Soundtrack.  Other notable albums:  Breathless by Kenny G at #4, Duran Duran debuted at #7 with their self-titled comeback album and the Spin Doctors were at #10 with Pocket Full of Kryptonite.
1993:  "Freak Me" by Silk took over at #1 on the R&B chart.
1993:  Canada's Snow moved to #1 with "Informer".








1999:  Cher became the oldest woman to ever have a #1 song when "Believe" reached the top. 

2004:  Travis Barker, drummer of Blink-182, broke his foot while getting off a bus in Melbourne, Australia, forcing a delay in the group's tour plans.

2005:  Lyn Collins (nicknamed "The Funky Preacher") , one of the backup singers for James Brown, died at the age of 56 of cardiac arrhythmia in Pasadena, California.  (Note:  some websites report that Collins died in Los Angeles--not true, according to the newspaper 'The New York Times'.  The 'Times' states that Collins died in Pasadena.) 
2006:  The Kinks made the most money selling out their music for commercials, with Kinks music used to sell laundry detergent, computers and medicines.  Other sellouts include Led Zeppelin in second and the Rolling Stones third.

2006:  Blondie, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Black Sabbath and a few other members who have no business in a Rock Hall of Fame were inducted in a ceremony in New York City.

Born This Day:

                                                              Stoller, Presley, Leiber...

1933:  Mike Stoller, part of the Leiber & Stoller songwriting team that kept Elvis Presley supplied with material ("Hound Dog" and "Jailhouse Rock") was born in Queens, New York.  (Note:  some websites claim Stoller was born on Long Island, and the notorious 'Allmusic.com' says he was born in New York City.  Other sites list his birthplace as Belle Harbor, Long Island.  First, Belle Harbor is a neighborhood, not a city, so it is not an official place of birth, and you will never see a birth certificate list it.  Second, Belle Harbor is located in the borough of Queens.  Long Island is just that, an island, which contains the boroughs of Queens and Brooklyn.  You won't see Long Island on a birth certificate either.  According to the official website for publisher Simon & Schuster, as well as the books 'Hound Dog:  The Leiber & Stoller Autobiography', published by Simon & Schuster and 'Encyclopedia of the Blues' by Edward Komara, Mike was born in Queens.)

1939:  Neil Sedaka was born in Brooklyn, New York.
1940:  Daniel Bennie of the Reflections was born in Johnstone, Scotland.
1949:  Donald York of Sha Na Na was born in Boise, Idaho.









1950:  Danny Kirwan, guitarist of Fleetwood Mac, was born in London.
1959:  Ronnie Rogers, guitarist of T'Pau ("Heart And Soul"), was born in Shrewsbury, Shropshire, England.

1960:  Adam Clayton, guitarist of U2, was born in Chinnore, Oxfordshire, England.

1973:  David Draiman, lead singer of Disturbed, was born in Brooklyn, New York.