Today in Music History...March 7, 2017 (Now with links)

Music History: March 7

 

2016 Michael White, the British producer whose work includes the films Monty Python and the Holy Grail and The Rocky Horror Picture Show, dies of heart failure at age 80.

2015 Drake places an astounding 14 songs in the Hot 100, thanks to the release of his mixtape If You're Reading This It's Too Late. The Beatles are the only other act to accomplish this, with 14 songs on the tally for a week in April, 1964.

2013 Peter Banks (Yes)

2009 Jimmy Boyd, known for introducing the 1953 Christmas tune "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus," dies of cancer at age 70.

2006 Renown African musician Ali Farka Toure dies at age 66.

2006 Rod Stewart is ordered to pay $3 million to Harrah's in Las Vegas after defaulting on a show in 2000.

2001 The National Endowment for the Arts, in conjunction with the RIAA, announces its Top Ten songs of the 20th century. At #1: Judy Garland's rendition of "Over The Rainbow." Also making the list: Bing's "White Christmas" (#2), Aretha's "Respect" (#4), Don McLean's "American Pie" (#5), and The Righteous Brothers' "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'" (#9).

2001 Ex-Trammps member Jerry Collins is convicted of attempted murder after being found guilty of bashing his wife's head into a sink and also pistol-whipping her. He is sentenced to a maximum of 35 years.

2001 Ed Townshend, singer/songwriter of the 1957 hit "For Your Love," sues the R&B group K-Ci and JoJo, claiming they use his song in their recent hit "Just For Your Love."

2000 Pee Wee King

1999 Marvin Inabnett (The Four Preps)

1998 Archbishop Franc Rode organizes a special mass to forgive the blasphemers who wrote and recorded "Bitchcraft."

1987 The Beastie Boys appear on Soul Train, where they perform "Brass Monkey." They win over host Don Cornelius, who tells them, "You're very chilling, very hip, and we like your music."

1987 Licensed To Ill by Beastie Boys becomes the first rap album to top the US chart. It stays at #1 for seven weeks.

1987 The first Beatles albums are released on compact disc: Please Please Me, With The Beatles, A Hard Day's Night, Beatles For Sale, and Help!. This marks the first time the band's official UK albums have been available as standard Beatles albums in the US, many being presented for the first time in America in their original mono mixes.

1985 The song "We are the World" is released as a single, soon achieving massive chart success all around the world. The song, written by Lionel Richie and Michael Jackson, is recorded for charity to help battle famine in Africa. The supergroup USA for Africa brought together for the recording features a stunning list of big names in music - everyone from Bruce Springsteen and Bob Dylan to Ray Charles, Cyndi Lauper and Dionne Warwick.

1983 New Order release "Blue Monday," which becomes the biggest-selling 12-inch single of all time. The track is reissued twice by the band: in 1988 and 1995. Despite massive success in Europe and on the specialist dance chart, only the 1988 Quincy Jones remix makes it to the mainstream Billboard Hot 100, peaking at #68.

1983 The Songwriter's Hall of Fame inducts Neil Sedaka and Stevie Wonder into their ranks during their annual New York ceremony.

1981 #1 Billboard Pop Hit: Eddie Rabbit's "I Love A Rainy Night"

1980 The Loretta Lynn biopic Coal Miner's Daughter debuts in theaters. Sissy Spacek, who does her own singing, wins an Oscar for her portrayal of the country singer. Beverly D'Angelo costars as Lynn's mentor Patsy Cline.

1976 Elton John becomes the first rock star since The Beatles to be immortalized at Madame Tussaud's Wax Museum in London.

1975 David Bowie releases his ninth album, the soul-inflected Young Americans.

1973 Columbia Records throw a party at Max's Kansas City in NYC to celebrate the newest addition to the label's roster, Bruce Springsteen.

1973 Columbia A&R giant John Hammond suffers a non-fatal heart attack at an early show by one of his proteges, Bruce Springsteen.

1973 Eric Weissberg and Steve Mandel's "Dueling Banjos" is certified Gold.

1970 Simon & Garfunkel's album Bridge Over Troubled Water hits #1. It stays there a total of 10 weeks, longer than any other LP in 1970.

1969 Tommy Roe's "Dizzy" is certified gold.

1968 Elvis Presley: "Wonderful World," "Edge Of Reality," "A Little Less Conversation"

1967 Randy Guss (Toad The Wet Sprocket)

1967 Sandra Dee and Bobby Darin officially divorce after 6 years of marriage.

1967 The Beatles: "Lovely Rita"

1966 Bob Dylan: "Absolutely Sweet Marie"

1966 Tina Turner: "River Deep, Mountain High"

1966 Brian Wilson: "Caroline, No"

1966 Mike Millward (The Fourmost)

1962 Taylor Dayne is born Leslie Wunderman. She took her stage name when she released her hit single "Tell It To My Heart."

1962 The Beatles appear on the BBC for the first time, recording for the radio show Here We Go, also marking the band's first full live performance caught on tape, and the first performance in what would become their trademark collarless suits designed by Beno Dorn.

1957 The Tune Weavers: "Happy Happy Birthday Baby"

1953 Circuit Judge Vincent M. Brennan sings "April Showers" to prove he is musically qualified after giving his decision in a contract suit.


1952 Ernie Isley (of The Isley Brothers) is born in Cincinnati, Ohio.

1946 Matthew Fisher (Procol Harum)

1946 Peter Wolf (The J. Geils Band)

1945 Arthur Lee (Love)

1944 Townes Van Zandt

1943 Chris White (The Zombies)

1942 Bohannon

1939 Guy Lombardo and his Royal Canadians: "Auld Lang Syne"

1923 Mahlon Clark (Lawrence Welk)

1918 Lena Guilbert Ford is killed in a zeppelin raid on her London home, inspiring the song "Keep The Home Fires Burning."

1917 "The Dixie Jass Band One Step," by Nick LaRocca's Original Dixieland Jass Band (Victor 18255), becomes the first jazz recording released for sale in the US.

1875 Composer Maurice Ravel is born in France.