Today in Oldies Music History: March 15

Today In Oldies Music History: March 15

--

Births

1912: Lightnin' Hopkins
1931: D.J. Fontana
1931: Les Cooper
1932: Arif Mardin
1936: Howard Greenfield
1940: Phil Lesh (The Grateful Dead)
1941: Mike Love (The Beach Boys)
1942: Jerry Jeff Walker
1944: Sly Stone
1944: David Costell (Gary Lewis and the Playboys)
1946: Howard Scott (War)
1947: Ry Cooder
1947: Frank Lugo (? and the Mysterians)

Deaths

1929: Pinetop Smith
2002: Marshall Lieb (The Teddy Bears)

Events

1956: The musical My Fair Lady opens on Broadway at the Mark Hellinger Theatre.
1958: Elvis Presley performs his last concert before leaving for the Army, a show at Memphis' Russwood Park. Aside from two benefit shows in 1961, this would be the last Presley concert until 1969.
1965: Elvis Presley begins filming his 19th movie, Harum Scarum, in Los Angeles.
1966: Tonight's winners at the Grammy Awards in New York City: Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass for "A Taste Of Honey" (Record Of The Year), Frank Sinatra's September Of My Years (Album Of The Year), and "The Shadow Of Your Smile" (Song Of The Year).
1969: John Lennon and Yoko Ono, attempting to marry in Paris, are caught "standing in the dock at Southampton / Trying to get to Holland or France," as later documented in the Beatles song "The Ballad Of John And Yoko." Passport problems keep them from boarding.
1971: CBS-TV announces it will cancel The Ed Sullivan Show, then the longest-running TV show in history, after 23 years.
1972: After Los Angeles station KHJ broadcasts Donny Osmond's version of "Puppy Love" for 25 1/2 hours straight, worried callers summon the local police, who break into the studio, convinced that hippies or anarchists have taken it over. Turns out it was just a publicity stunt.
1975: Mick Jagger settles his paternity suit with singer Marsha Hunt out of court.
1978: The Alan Freed biopic American Hot Wax, widely considered one of the best rock and roll movies of all time, premieres in New York City, featuring appearances and performances by Jerry Lee Lewis, Chuck Berry, and Screamin' Jay Hawkins.
1979: Elvis Costello gets in an infamous argument with Stephen Stills and Bonnie Bramlett of Delaney and Bonnie fame at an afterparty following Stills' show in Columbus, OH. In an attempt, reportedly, to get Bramlett so disgusted she'd stop arguing, a drunk Costello refers to James Brown as a "jive-ass n*****" and Ray Charles as a "blind, ignorant n******." "It became necessary for me to outrage these people with about the most obnoxious and offensive remarks that I could muster," Costello explained at the next day's press conference. Bramlett responded at the bar by punching Costello in the face. Elvis later apologizes to Brown and Charles personally and does some work with the Rock Against Racism project.
1982: Bob Dylan is inducted, somewhat belatedly, into the Songwriters Hall Of Fame.
1989: The Rolling Stones sign a contract for $70 million -- the largest ever amount to that time -- for their upcoming US tour.
1999: The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame inducts Curtis Mayfield, Del Shannon, Dusty Springfield, Paul McCartney, The Staple Singers, Billy Joel, and Bruce Springsteen at their annual ceremony in New York City. Marking their reunion after ten years, Springsteen performs at the ceremony with the E Street Band.
2004: The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame inducts Bob Seger, George Harrison, The Dells, ZZ Top, Jackson Browne, Prince, and Traffic at their annual ceremony in New York City.
2006: Remnants of Fats Domino's three pianos are discovered and saved by the Louisiana State Museum after attempting to salvage his Ninth Ward home after Hurricane Katrina.
2008: The musical I Am Who I Am, based on the life of singer Teddy Pendergrass, opens in Chicago.

Releases

1962: Bobby Darin, Bobby Darin Sings Ray Charles
1965: Freddie and the Dreamers, "I'm Telling You Now"
1976: KISS, Destroyer

Recording

1954: The Chords, "Sh-Boom"
1955: Fats Domino, "Ain't It (That) A Shame"
1966: Sandy Posey, "Born A Woman"
1967: The Beatles, "Within You Without You"
1971: Elvis Presley: "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face," "Amazing Grace," "Early Morning Rain," "That's What You Get For Lovin' Me," "It Won't Seem Like Christmas," "If I Get Home On Christmas Day," "Padre," "Holly Leaves And Christmas Trees," "Merry Christmas, Baby," "Silver Bells"
1975: Elvis Presley: "Bringing It Back," "Pieces of My Life"

Charts

1952: Kay Starr's "Wheel Of Fortune" hits #1
1969: Tommy Roe's "Dizzy" hits #1
1973: Elton John's LP Don't Shoot Me I'm Only The Piano Player hits #1
1975: Olivia Newton-John's LP Have You Never Been Mellow hits #1
1975: The Doobie Brothers' "Black Water" hits #1

Certifications

none