Music Almanac: March 8, 2018

Birthdays

• 1922 - Johnny Dollar (d. 1986)
• 1937 - Richard Farina (d. 1966)
• 1942 - Ralph Ellis (Swinging Blue Jeans) (76)
• 1943 - Shel Macrae (Fortunes) (75)
• 1945 - Micky Dolenz (Monkees) (73)
• 1946 - Randy Meisner (Eagles) (72)
• 1947 - Carol Bayer Sager (71)
• 1947 - Michael Allsup (Three Dog Night) (71)
• 1948 - Peggy March (70)
• 1948 - Mel Galley (Whitesnake, Trapeze) (d. 2008)
• 1949 - Dave Lambert (Strawbs) (69)
• 1954 - Cheryl Baker (Bucks Fizz) (64)
• 1957 - Clive Burr (Iron Maiden) (d. 2013)
• 1958 - Gary Numan (born Gary Webb) (60)
• 1960 - Richard Darbyshire (Living in a Box) (58) 
• 1962 - Steve Grantley (Stiff Little Fingers, Alarm) (56)
• 1964 - Peter Gill (Frankie Goes to Hollywood) (54)
• 1966 - Salt (born Cheryl James) (Salt-n-Pepa) (52)
• 1968 - Shawn Mullins (50)
• 1976 - Gaz Coombes (Supergrass) (42)
• 1979 - Tom Chaplin (Keane) (39)
• 1979 - Andy Ross (OK Go) (39)
• 1981 - Timothy Jordan II (All American Rejects) (d. 2005)
• 1988 - Eleanor Jackson (La Roux) (30)
• 1990 - Kristinia DeBarge (28)

Deaths

• 1973 - Ron "Pigpen" McKernan (Grateful Dead) - Gastrointestinal hemorrhage (27)
• 1989 - Hank Locklin (91) 
• 1989 - Stuart Hamblen - Brain cancer (80)
• 1995 - Ingo Schwichtenberg (Helloween) - Suicide (29)
• 2003 - Adam Faith (born Terrence Nelhams-Wright) - Heart attack (62)
• 2005 - Gordon Spaeth (Fleshtones) (53)
• 2009 - Hank Locklin (91)
• 2011 - Mike Starr (Alice in Chains) - Possible prescription drug overdose (44)
• 2012 - Jimmy Ellis (Trammps) - Alzheimer's disease (74)
• 2015 - Lew Soloff (Blood, Sweat & Tears) - Heart attack (71)
• 2016 - George Martin (90)

On This Day

• 1966 - Lulu became the first British female vocalist to tour behind the Iron Curtain when she went on the road with the Hollies. 
• 1968 - The Fillmore East opened in New York.
• 1968 - Stay Away Joe with Elvis Presley premiers. 
• 1969 - Steve Marriott left the Small Faces and the band split up.
• 1970 - Diana Ross made her solo debut in Framingham, Massachusetts
• 1973 - Paul McCartney was given a $170 fine for growing marijuana on his farm. 
• 1974 - Bad Company opened their first British tour in Newcastle.
• 1987 - Bob Seger told an audience that it was his last tour. 
• 1999 - Former manager Bill Sammeth sues Cher for 15% of proceeds from Believe which he says masterminded before being fired. 
• 2001 - Courtney Love announces the forming of a new band, Bastard. 
• 2003 - Mark Knopfler was in an accident while riding his motorcycle. 
• 2004 - Jack White was sentenced to probation and anger management therapy for attacking the lead singer of the Van Bondies.
• 2004 - Bryan McFadden announced he was leaving Westlife.
• 2004 - Todd Harrell of 3 Doors Down was accused of assault after fighting with a newspaper deliveryman. 
• 2004 - Courtney Love was charged with disorderly conduct in a 2003 drug arrest.
• 2011 - Phil Collins announced his retirement. 
• 2016 - AC/DC postponed the balance of their U.S. tour after Brian Johnson was forced to leave the group due to hearing damage. 

Recorded

• 1966 - Just Like a Woman - Bob Dylan
• 1974 - Annie's Song, Thank God I'm a Country Boy - John Denver
• 1968 - Wheels of Fire - Cream (live tracks)

Released

• 1965 - Subterranean Homesick Blues - Bob Dylan (single)
• 1980 - I Me Mine - George Harrison (book)
• 2011 - Live at Shea Stadium - Billy Joel

Broadcasts

• 1962 - Teenager's Turn (BBC Radio) - Beatles (radio debut)
• 1964 - Ed Sullivan - Dave Clark Five (first appearance)
• 1965 - Gadzooks! It's All Happening (UK) - Mannish Boys with David Bowie (Bowie's TV debut)
• 1975 - Mary Tyler Moore Show (CBS) - Carole King
• 1993 - Beavis and Butthead (MTV) (Premier)
• 2007 - American Idol - Carrie Underwood

Number Ones – U.S. Singles

• 1975 - Have You Never Been Mellow - Olivia Newton-John (1 week)
• 2003 - In da Club - 50 Cent (9 weeks)
• 2014 - Happy - Pharrell Williams (10 weeks)

Number Ones – U.S. Albums 

• 1969 - Wichita Lineman - Glen Campbell (3 weeks (1 previous week))
• 1986 - Whitney Houston - Whitney Houston (7 weeks)
• 1997 - Secret Samadhi - Live (1 week)
• 2003 - Chocolate Factory - R.Kelly (1 week)
• 2014 - Frozen - Soundtrack (1 week (4 previous weeks))

Number Ones – U.S. R&B Singles

• 1969 - Give It Up or Turnit Loose - James Brown (2 weeks)
• 1975 - Express - B.T. Express (1 week)
• 1986 - How Will I Know - Whitney Houston (1 week)
• 1997 - Can't Nobody Hold Me Down - Puff Daddy Featuring Mase (6 weeks)

Number Ones – U.S. Country Singles

• 1952 - Let Old Mother Nature Have Her Way - Carl Smith (6 weeks)
• 1969 - Only the Lonely - Sonny James (3 weeks)
• 1975 - Linda On My Mind - Conway Twitty (1 week)
• 1980 - My Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys - Willie Nelson (2 weeks)
• 1986 - Think About Love - Dolly Parton (1 week)
• 1997 - Me Too - Toby Keith (1 week)

Number Ones – U.S. Adult Contemporary Singles

• 1975 - Have You Never Been Mellow - Olivia Newton-John (1 week)
• 1980 - Give It All You Got - Chuck Mangione (2 weeks)

Number Ones – U.K. Singles

• 1975 - If - Telly Savalas (2 weeks)
• 1986 - Chain Reaction - Diana Ross (3 weeks)
• 2003 - Beautiful - Christina Aguilera (2 weeks)
• 2014 - Happy - Pharrell Williams (1 week (3 previous weeks))

Number Ones – U.K. Albums 

• 1997 - Spice - Spice Girls (1 week (9 previous weeks))
• 2003 - Come Away With Me - Norah Jones (4 weeks)
• 2008 - Back to Black: Deluxe Edition - Amy Winehouse (1 week)