Today in Music History for March 19:
In 1859, the opera "Faust" by Charles Gounod premiered in Paris.
In 1937, R&B singer Clarence "Frogman" Henry was born in Algiers, La. His nickname comes from a line in his best-known song, "Ain't Got No Home," in which he says he can sing like a frog -- and proceeds to give a pretty good imitation. "Ain't Got No Home" was a top-20 pop hit in 1957, as were the more restrained "But I Do" and "You Always Hurt the One You Love" in 1961.
In 1957, Elvis Presley purchased a 23-room manor at 3764 South Bellevue Boulevard in Memphis. He paid $100,000 to the home's original owner, Ruth Moore, who had christened the home Graceland after her great-aunt Grace. More than 700,000 people visit Graceland annually, touring the home, filing past Elvis' grave in the estate's Meditation Garden and purchasing souvenirs in the shopping complex across the street.
In 1958, the duo of "Tom and Jerry" released their first single, "Our Song." They later became known as "Simon and Garfunkel."
In 1958, Cadence Records released the instrumental song "Rumble" by "Link Wray," innovative for its use of the power chord, alongside techniques such as distortion and feedback, which were not common in popular music at the time. Many music critics consider it an early precursor to punk and heavy metal.
In 1974, "Jefferson Airplane" began its first tour as the "Jefferson Starship." The "Starship" included "Airplane" members Grace Slick, Paul Kanter, John Barbata, David Frieberg and Papa John Creach, plus Peter Kangaroo and Craig Chaquico. Lead singer Slick was fighting a losing battle against alcoholism, and in 1978, she was forced to quit the band in the middle of a European tour. There was a riot in West Germany when she did not appear.
In 1976, British blues rock guitarist Paul Kossoff died of a heart attack aboard a plane en route to New York. He was only 25. Kossoff was known to have a drug problem. He was a member of the group "Free" and later formed "鈥淏ack Street Crawler."
In 1976, Motown rushed out Diana Ross' "Love Hangover" to beat a version by "The Fifth Dimension." Ross's record went to No. 1 on both the pop and R&B charts.
In 1982, several members of rocker Ozzy Osbourne's entourage, including guitarist Randy Rhoads, were killed in a freak accident near Orlando, Fla. Rhoads and two others were in a light plane which buzzed Osbourne's tour bus, clipped a wing and crashed into a house. Osbourne and most of his band were on the bus and were not injured. Rhoads was replaced within a few weeks, and the show went on. Osbourne released a Randy Rhoads tribute album in 1987.
In 1988, Porter Wagoner performed with Dolly Parton for the first time since their celebrated split 14 years earlier. They sang "Long Journey Home" on Parton's TV show.
In 1996, the second instalment of "The Beatles'" "Anthology" album was released, featuring the song "Real Love."
In 1997, 15 minutes before he was to go on stage, Cape Breton fiddler Ashley MacIsaac cancelled a show at a Cleveland nightclub. He performed two more U.S. gigs, then announced he was cancelling the remaining five dates of his American tour because of exhaustion. MacIsaac was embroiled in a controversy at the time for discussing his sexual proclivities with a reporter and flashing his privates during an appearance on a late-night U.S. talk show.
In 2001, Herbie Jones, a jazz musician who worked with Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn, died at age 74. The trumpeter, composer, arranger and jazz educator toured five continents with the Ellington band.
In 2011, musician Wyclef Jean, in Haiti helping the presidential campaign of his friend and fellow musician Michel "Sweet Micky" Martelly, had a bullet graze his right hand as he stepped out of his car in the Delmas section of Port-au-Prince.
In 2013, Canadian folk-pop group "The Grapes of Wrath" released "High Road," the first album to include all three founding members - Kevin Kane, Chris Hooper, Tom Hooper - after an acrimonious split in 1992.
In 2015, Michael Brown (born Michael Lookofsky), a keyboardist and songwriter for The Left Banke, died at age 65. He co-wrote the band's biggest hit, "Walk Away Renee," which hit No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1966. He also wrote "Pretty Ballerina,'' a No. 15 hit in 1966.
In 2017, Kandi Burruss, Tameka Cottle and Kevin Briggs - the songwriters behind TLC's 1999 megahit "No Scrubs" - were added as co-writers to Ed Sheeran's chart-topping "Shape of You," co-written by Sheeran, Steve Mac and John McDaid. The song was released in January and spent seven consecutive weeks at No. 1 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart.
In 2022, Will Butler left Arcade Fire. The Montreal band was co-founded by Butler's older brother and frontman, Win, two decades ago. They've received multiple awards, including the 2011 Grammy for album of the year. Will Butler said it was time for new things, and that he and the band are still friends and family.
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The Canadian Press
