More About Music History On This Day
4 Mar 1963
The Beach Boys released 'Surfin' U.S.A.' a song with lyrics by Brian Wilson set to the music of 'Sweet Little Sixteen', written by Chuck Berry. Billboard ranked 'Surfin' U.S.A.' the No. 1 song of 1963.
4 Mar 1966
John Lennon's statement that The Beatles were 'more popular than Jesus Christ' was published in The London Evening Standard. His opinions drew no controversy when published in the UK, but when republished in the US a few months later, angry reactions flared up in Christian communities. Extensive protests broke out with some radio stations banning Beatles songs and their records were publicly burned.
4 Mar 1967
The Rolling Stones went to No.1 on the US singles chart with 'Ruby Tuesday', the group's fourth US No.1 single. 'Lets Spend The Night Together' was the original A side but after radio stations banned the song 'Tuesday' became the A side.
4 Mar 1974
ABBA released 'Waterloo' the first single from their second album and the first single to be credited to the group performing under the name ABBA. It later became the winning entry for Sweden in the 1974 Eurovision Song Contest and a No.1 hit in several countries. It reached the US Top 10 and went on to sell nearly six million copies, making it one of the best-selling singles in history.
4 Mar 1978
The US internal Revenue Service carried out a dawn raid at the home of Jerry Lee Lewis and removed cars worth over $170,000 to pay off his tax debts.
4 Mar 1979
Randy Jackson of The Jackson Five was seriously injured in a car crash breaking both legs and almost died in the emergency room when a nurse inadvertently injects him with methadone.
4 Mar 1982
Frank Zappa's son Dweezil and his daughter Moon Unit formed a band called Fred Zeppelin. Their first single was 'My Mother is a Space Cadet'.
4 Mar 1986
American songwriter Howard Greenfield died of a brain tumor aged 50. Working out of the famous Brill Building with Neil Sedaka he co-wrote many hits including 'Calendar Girl', 'Breaking Up Is Hard To Do', and 'Crying In The Rain' with Carole King. Also wrote TV theme songs including the theme to 'Bewitched.'
4 Mar 1986
After just completing a two-set show with The Band in Winter Park, Florida, 41-year-old Richard Manuel of The Band hanged himself from a shower curtain rod in a hotel room in Florida. His band mate, Robbie Robertson honored his friend with the song, 'Fallen Angel' in 1987.
4 Mar 1993
Whitney Houston and Bobby Brown became parents when Whitney gave birth to a baby girl, Bobbi Kristina Houston Brown. Bobbi went on to become an reality television and media personality, singer, and actress. Brown died in hospice care on July 26, 2015, at the age of 22 after being found face down in a bathtub in her Georgia home. She was later placed into a medically induced coma.
4 Mar 1994
Kurt Cobain was rushed to hospital after overdosing on alcohol and drugs in a Rome hotel during a Nirvana European tour. Cobain had taken 50-60 pills of Rohypnol mixed with champagne; rumors on the internet claimed that Kurt was dead.
4 Mar 1997
Raymond Edwards American bassist with The Silhouettes died. The doo wop/R&B groups single 'Get A Job' was a No.1 hit on the Billboard R&B singles chart and pop singles chart in 1958. The doo-wop revival group Sha Na Na derived their name from the song's lyrics. 'Get A Job' is included in the soundtracks of the film American Graffiti, Trading Places and Stand By Me. The Silhouettes performed in the 1986 movie Joey.
4 Mar 2001
Village People singer Glenn Hughes died of lung cancer aged 50 in his Manhattan apartment in New York. He was the original "Biker" character in the disco group who scored the 1978 UK No.1 & US No.2 single Y.M.C.A.
4 Mar 2002
Doreen Waddell, singer with Soul II Soul was killed after attempting to run across the A27 in Brighton, England after being caught shoplifting.
4 Mar 2003
A noisy neighbor was banned from playing her music and had her stereo system impounded, after she had played Cliff Richard music too loudly. 23-year-old Sian Davies was fined $1,700 plus court costs after environmental protection officers raided her flat in Porth, Rhondda, Wales and seized 15 amplifiers and speakers, plus 135 CDs and cassette tapes. The disc found in her CD player was the Cliff Richard single, 'Peace in Our Time'. A spokesman for the Cliff Richard Organization said he was delighted to hear of somebody in their early 20s owning one of his many recordings. He added, Cliff would not want anyone to play his music so that it caused a nuisance.
4 Mar 2007
Take That went to No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'Shine', their 10th UK No.1 single. The song was featured in several commercials for the re-launched Morrisons supermarkets in the UK, and went on to win the British single of the year award at the 2008 Brit Awards.
4 Mar 2009
Britney Spears kicked off a world tour in New Orleans, her first concert tour for five years. The 27-year-old who dressed as a ringmaster in the show, featured jugglers, acrobats and martial arts dancers.
4 Mar 2012
According to Nielsen SoundScan in the US, vinyl sales increased 36 percent in 2011 compared to the previous year, concluding that vinyl records were making a big comeback for music fans.
4 Mar 2015
Daryl Hall and John Oates were suing cereal maker Early Bird Foods & Co. over the company's use of the name Haulin' Oates for their maple syrup granola bars. The two musicians accused the Brooklyn-based firm of infringing on their trademark with the packet of cereal deliberately creating a phonetic play on the band's well-known name.
4 Mar 2019
Keith Flint, singer and dancer with English electronic dance group The Prodigy was found dead at his home in Essex, England age 49. The Prodigy scored the 1996 UK No.1 & US No. 30 single 'Firestarter' and the 1997 UK & US No.1 album 'The Fat Of The Land'. He owned a motorcycle race team, Team Traction Control, which won three Isle of Man TT races in 2015 and competed in the British Supersport Championship running Yamaha YZF-R6 motorcycles.
4 Mar 2020
American singer, Barbara Martin died age 76. She is best known as one of the original members of Motown group The Supremes. She left the group in spring 1962.
4 Mar 2021
Procol Harum’s former bassist Alan Cartwright died aged 75. He was part of the band’s line-up between 1971 and 1976, playing on four albums including their ground-breaking 1972 release Live With The Edmonton Symphony Orchestra.
The Beach Boys released 'Surfin' U.S.A.' a song with lyrics by Brian Wilson set to the music of 'Sweet Little Sixteen', written by Chuck Berry. Billboard ranked 'Surfin' U.S.A.' the No. 1 song of 1963.
4 Mar 1966
John Lennon's statement that The Beatles were 'more popular than Jesus Christ' was published in The London Evening Standard. His opinions drew no controversy when published in the UK, but when republished in the US a few months later, angry reactions flared up in Christian communities. Extensive protests broke out with some radio stations banning Beatles songs and their records were publicly burned.
4 Mar 1967
The Rolling Stones went to No.1 on the US singles chart with 'Ruby Tuesday', the group's fourth US No.1 single. 'Lets Spend The Night Together' was the original A side but after radio stations banned the song 'Tuesday' became the A side.
4 Mar 1974
ABBA released 'Waterloo' the first single from their second album and the first single to be credited to the group performing under the name ABBA. It later became the winning entry for Sweden in the 1974 Eurovision Song Contest and a No.1 hit in several countries. It reached the US Top 10 and went on to sell nearly six million copies, making it one of the best-selling singles in history.
4 Mar 1978
The US internal Revenue Service carried out a dawn raid at the home of Jerry Lee Lewis and removed cars worth over $170,000 to pay off his tax debts.
4 Mar 1979
Randy Jackson of The Jackson Five was seriously injured in a car crash breaking both legs and almost died in the emergency room when a nurse inadvertently injects him with methadone.
4 Mar 1982
Frank Zappa's son Dweezil and his daughter Moon Unit formed a band called Fred Zeppelin. Their first single was 'My Mother is a Space Cadet'.
4 Mar 1986
American songwriter Howard Greenfield died of a brain tumor aged 50. Working out of the famous Brill Building with Neil Sedaka he co-wrote many hits including 'Calendar Girl', 'Breaking Up Is Hard To Do', and 'Crying In The Rain' with Carole King. Also wrote TV theme songs including the theme to 'Bewitched.'
4 Mar 1986
After just completing a two-set show with The Band in Winter Park, Florida, 41-year-old Richard Manuel of The Band hanged himself from a shower curtain rod in a hotel room in Florida. His band mate, Robbie Robertson honored his friend with the song, 'Fallen Angel' in 1987.
4 Mar 1993
Whitney Houston and Bobby Brown became parents when Whitney gave birth to a baby girl, Bobbi Kristina Houston Brown. Bobbi went on to become an reality television and media personality, singer, and actress. Brown died in hospice care on July 26, 2015, at the age of 22 after being found face down in a bathtub in her Georgia home. She was later placed into a medically induced coma.
4 Mar 1994
Kurt Cobain was rushed to hospital after overdosing on alcohol and drugs in a Rome hotel during a Nirvana European tour. Cobain had taken 50-60 pills of Rohypnol mixed with champagne; rumors on the internet claimed that Kurt was dead.
4 Mar 1997
Raymond Edwards American bassist with The Silhouettes died. The doo wop/R&B groups single 'Get A Job' was a No.1 hit on the Billboard R&B singles chart and pop singles chart in 1958. The doo-wop revival group Sha Na Na derived their name from the song's lyrics. 'Get A Job' is included in the soundtracks of the film American Graffiti, Trading Places and Stand By Me. The Silhouettes performed in the 1986 movie Joey.
4 Mar 2001
Village People singer Glenn Hughes died of lung cancer aged 50 in his Manhattan apartment in New York. He was the original "Biker" character in the disco group who scored the 1978 UK No.1 & US No.2 single Y.M.C.A.
4 Mar 2002
Doreen Waddell, singer with Soul II Soul was killed after attempting to run across the A27 in Brighton, England after being caught shoplifting.
4 Mar 2003
A noisy neighbor was banned from playing her music and had her stereo system impounded, after she had played Cliff Richard music too loudly. 23-year-old Sian Davies was fined $1,700 plus court costs after environmental protection officers raided her flat in Porth, Rhondda, Wales and seized 15 amplifiers and speakers, plus 135 CDs and cassette tapes. The disc found in her CD player was the Cliff Richard single, 'Peace in Our Time'. A spokesman for the Cliff Richard Organization said he was delighted to hear of somebody in their early 20s owning one of his many recordings. He added, Cliff would not want anyone to play his music so that it caused a nuisance.
4 Mar 2007
Take That went to No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'Shine', their 10th UK No.1 single. The song was featured in several commercials for the re-launched Morrisons supermarkets in the UK, and went on to win the British single of the year award at the 2008 Brit Awards.
4 Mar 2009
Britney Spears kicked off a world tour in New Orleans, her first concert tour for five years. The 27-year-old who dressed as a ringmaster in the show, featured jugglers, acrobats and martial arts dancers.
4 Mar 2012
According to Nielsen SoundScan in the US, vinyl sales increased 36 percent in 2011 compared to the previous year, concluding that vinyl records were making a big comeback for music fans.
4 Mar 2015
Daryl Hall and John Oates were suing cereal maker Early Bird Foods & Co. over the company's use of the name Haulin' Oates for their maple syrup granola bars. The two musicians accused the Brooklyn-based firm of infringing on their trademark with the packet of cereal deliberately creating a phonetic play on the band's well-known name.
4 Mar 2019
Keith Flint, singer and dancer with English electronic dance group The Prodigy was found dead at his home in Essex, England age 49. The Prodigy scored the 1996 UK No.1 & US No. 30 single 'Firestarter' and the 1997 UK & US No.1 album 'The Fat Of The Land'. He owned a motorcycle race team, Team Traction Control, which won three Isle of Man TT races in 2015 and competed in the British Supersport Championship running Yamaha YZF-R6 motorcycles.
4 Mar 2020
American singer, Barbara Martin died age 76. She is best known as one of the original members of Motown group The Supremes. She left the group in spring 1962.
4 Mar 2021
Procol Harum’s former bassist Alan Cartwright died aged 75. He was part of the band’s line-up between 1971 and 1976, playing on four albums including their ground-breaking 1972 release Live With The Edmonton Symphony Orchestra.
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