Today in Music History...March 29, 2017 (Now with links)

Music History: March 29

 

2009 Nickelback rule the Juno Awards, winning Album of the Year, Group of the Year and the Fan Choice Award.

2006 Tom Jones is knighted by Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace.

2005 Neil Young has brain surgery to remove an aneurysm. His vision became blurry at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame ceremonies, and a subsequent checkup discovered the aneurysm.

2005 Weezer releases "Beverly Hills," the lead single from their Make Believe album.

2001 A tribute to Brian Wilson is held at Radio City Music Hall, with Paul Simon, Elton John and Billy Joel all performing Beach Boys songs.

2001 John Lewis (The Modern Jazz Quartet)

1999 Joe Williams

1996 Phil Spector's former bandmates in The Teddy Bears, Carol Connors and Marshall Lieb, sue the producer to collect royalties they claim are still owed from the group's 1958 smash To Know Him Is To Love Him.

1993 A Whole New World from the Disney animated film Aladdin wins an Academy Award for best song.

1992 For his role as Johnny Van Owen in Cool As Ice, Vanilla Ice is dubbed Worst New Star at the 12th Golden Raspberry Awards. Other honorees include MC Hammer, who lands Worst Original Song for "Addams Groove," written for The Addams Family.

1987 Prince is named Worst Actor and Worst Director for Under the Cherry Moon at the 7th Golden Raspberry Awards. The film also earns Razzies for Worst Picture (tied with Howard the Duck), Worst Supporting Actor (Jerome Benton), and Worst Original Song ("Love or Money").

1986 Falco's "Rock Me Amadeus," with verses in Austrian, hits #1 in America.

1986 The Beatles's records are officially licensed for sale in the Soviet Union.

1985 The Singing Nun

1985 Madonna's first film, Desperately Seeking Susan, debuts.

1982 Stevie Wonder and Paul McCartney release "Ebony And Ivory."

1980 Mantovani

1978 Tina Turner is officially divorced from husband Ike. She takes nothing from the partnership, but revives her career with a startling comeback in the early '80s.

1973 Dr. Hook & The Medicine Show, who have a hit with the Shel Silverstein-penned "The Cover Of 'Rolling Stone'," appear on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine.

1972 Elvis Presley: Always On My Mind, "It's A Matter Of Time"

1970 The Ed Sullivan Show broadcasts live from hospitals treating soldiers wounded in Vietnam. Guests include Bobbie Gentry and Gladys Knight and the Pips.

1969 Blood Sweat & Tears' LP Blood Sweat & Tears hits #1.

1967 Blues Traveler frontman John Popper is born in Chardon, Ohio.

1967 The Beatles: Good Morning Good Morning, Being For The Benefit Of Mr. Kite!, With A Little Help From My Friends

1962 Gene Chandler receives a gold record for Duke Of Earl.

1962 Gene Chandler's Duke Of Earl is certified gold.

1959 Perry Farrell (Jane's Addiction)

1958 Elvis Presley begins boot camp in Ft. Hood, Texas, where he insists on doing KP and guard duty just like the other soldiers.

1949 Michael Brecker (The Brecker Brothers)

1947 Bobby Kimball (Toto)

1945 Speedy Keen (Thunderclap Newman)

1944 Terry Jacks ("Seasons In The Sun") is born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.

1943 Chad Allan (The Guess Who)

1943 Vangelis

1942 Eden Kane

1918 Pearl Bailey

1902 William Walton

Brian Johnson Replaces Bon Scott In AC/DC

 

1980Brian Johnson of the band Geordie gets a new, slightly more high-profile gig: replacing the deceased Bon Scott in AC/DC. Johnson's first album with the band is Back In Black, which becomes the second-best selling album worldwide to Thriller.
 AC/DC suffered a devastating blow when their beloved lead singer Bon Scott was found dead in February 1980 following a night of heavy drinking in London. They consider disbanding, but with encouragement from Scott's family they decide to continue.

They find their new frontman in Brian Johnson, whose previous gig was with the little-known band Geordie. With the band already besieged by belittling disregard from mainstream music media and cultural critics, the announcement of an unheralded new singer arouses little excitement amongst those within conservative society.

Johnson overdelivers, writing potent lyrics for their album Back In Black and delivering them with searing vocals that evoke Scott without resorting to imitation. The album, which is dedicated to Scott, becomes one of the most successful in music history, with a hard-hitting and unpretentious brand of heavy rock that embodies a powerful honesty and viscerally resonates with audiences across the world.

Johnson turns out to be a great live performer as well, delivering rough and howling screams that are a perfect vocal accompaniment to AC/DC's monstrous instrumental section.

Thanks to their new lead singer, the band builds on Scott's legacy and reaches unprecedented heights, becoming one of the greatest rock bands of all time. "We just get out there and rock," says guitarist Angus Young. "If your amp blows up or your guitar packs it in, smash it up and pick up another one."

Featured Events

1975 Labelle's Lady Marmalade hits #1 in America as listeners track down French speakers to translate the line, "Voulez-vous coucher avec moi ce soir." ("Do you want to sleep with me tonight?")

1975 Led Zeppelin becomes the first band in history to have six albums on the Billboard chart at once: Physical Graffiti (#1), Led Zeppelin IV, House of the Holy, Led Zeppelin II, Led Zeppelin and Led Zeppelin III. They rarely released singles, which helped their album sales.