Today in Music History for March 21:
In 1685, Johann Sebastian Bach, one of the greatest and most influential composers in the Western world, was born in Eisenach, Germany. Bach was the master of baroque music, and composed works in almost every musical form known at the time. But during his lifetime, Bach was better known as an organist than as a composer. For decades after his death, his works were neglected. However, in the 19th century, such romantic composers as Mendelssohn and Schumann recognized his genius. The bulk of Bach's work is religious in nature. Among the best-known of his religious compositions are ``St. Matthew Passion'' and ``Christmas Oratorio.'' His best-known secular works include ``The Well-Tempered Clavier'' and the Brandenburg concertos.
In 1902, blues vocalist and guitarist Eddie (Son) House was born in Riverton, Miss. House, cited as a major influence by such artists as Muddy Waters and Bob Dylan, was one of the ``Delta bluesmen'' who helped lay the groundwork for rock 'n' roll in the years prior to the Second World War. The folk and blues revival of the early 1960s brought House a wide audience for the first time. He recorded several albums and toured in both North America and Europe.
In 1940, Gary Buck, one of Canadian country music's most renowned and versatile personalities, was born in Thessalon, Ont. He was raised in Sault Ste. Marie, and later made his home in Kitchener, where he founded the Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame in 1989. He was inducted into the Hall in 2001. Among his many hits were ``The Weatherman,'' ``Break The 撸奶社区 To Lisa,'' ``Mr. Brown'' and ``Wayward Woman of the World.'' He died Oct. 14, 2003.
In 1950, Roger Hodgson, singer-songwriter and guitarist/keyboardist with the rock group ``Supertramp,'' was born in Portsmouth, England. ``Supertramp'' was formed in the late 1960s by Rick Davies, and the first person he recruited was Roger Hodgson. In 1974, the group released ``Crime of the Century,'' which topped the LP chart in Britain but failed to make an impact in North America. The band's international breakthrough came in 1979 with ``Breakfast in America,'' which celebrated the band's move from Britain to California. The album went to No. 1 on both sides of the Atlantic. Roger Hodgson left ``Supertramp'' for a solo career in 1983.
In 1952, disc jockey Alan Freed was the host at the first-ever rock 'n' roll concert -- the Moondog Coronation Ball at the Cleveland Arena. The arena's capacity was 10,000 -- but 25,000 people showed up. All the performers were black, while two-thirds of the audience members were white, a fact that upset parents and city fathers to no end.
In 1955, the juvenile-delinquent film drama ``Blackboard Jungle'' premiered. ``Rock Around the Clock'' by ``Bill Haley and the Comets'' was used under the opening and closing credits, catapulting the group to No. 1 on the record charts. The single had been released the previous year but was barely noticed until it was used in the film.
In 1961, John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr first appeared together at the Cavern Club in Liverpool. By July, ``The Beatles'' had a regular Wednesday night gig and appeared there two or three times a week in addition to lunchtime sessions. The group performed at the Cavern Club more than 300 times during the next couple of years.
In 1963, singer Barbra Streisand and actor Elliot Gould were married. They divorced in 1971.
In 1969, John Lennon and Yoko Ono began their ``Bed-In For Peace'' in the presidential suite of the Amsterdam Hilton one day after being married in Gibraltar. In May, they attempted to resume their bed-in in the U.S., but American authorities wouldn't let them into the country because of their arrest on drug charges in October 1968. So the bed-in continued in a suite at the Queen Elizabeth Hotel in Montreal. ``Give Peace a Chance'' was recorded in the suite, with such personalities as Tommy Smothers and Timothy Leary chanting in the background.
In 1970, the single ``ABC'' by ``The Jackson 5'' was released. It went on to spend two weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
In 1986, the city of Cleveland changed its tune about rock music, proclaiming March 21st -- Rock 'n' Roll Day. There was a Moondog Coronation Ball II in honour of Alan Freed's pioneering concert. Chuck Berry acted as a disc jockey, playing records for a crowd of 3,500 people. It was all part of a campaign to lure the newly-established Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame to Cleveland -- a campaign which was eventually successful.
In 1989, Dick Clark announced he was stepping down as host of ``American Bandstand'' after 33 years.
In 1989, Madonna's ``Like a Prayer'' album was released. (It has since sold 15 million copies worldwide.)
In 1991, Clarence Leo Fender, whose Stratocaster guitar was favoured by such rock stars as Buddy Holly, Jimi Hendrix and Eddie Van Halen, died in Fullerton, Calif., at age 82. Fender introduced the first mass-produced solid-body electric guitar, the Broadcaster, in 1948. The Stratocaster came out in 1954 with an arm that could be pushed to change the pitch of the strings. Over the years, the Stratocaster became the No. 1-selling guitar in the world, used in musical styles ranging from country to blues and heavy metal.
In 1993, singer Anne Murray was honoured in her 25th year in show business by being inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame.
In 1994, Bruce Springsteen's ``Streets of Philadelphia'' won an Oscar for best original song from the movie ``Philadelphia.''
In 2001, Michael Jackson, ``Aerosmith,'' ``Queen,'' Paul Simon, Ritchie Valens, ``Steely Dan,'' ``The Flamingos'' and Solomon Burke were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
In 2002, Tommy Hill, who wrote the country music classics ``Slowly'' and ``Teddy Bear'' died in Nashville at age 72. ``Slowly'' was a No. 1 hit for Webb Pierce in 1954, while ``Teddy Bear'' topped the charts for Red Sovine in 1976. Hill was also a fiddler, guitarist, producer, road musician and engineer.
In 2010, Wolfgang Wagner, the grandson of composer Richard Wagner and the leader of the Bayreuth opera festival for more than half a century, died. He was 90. He had led the festival dedicated to his grandfather's works since 1951, first with his brother, Wieland, and then as the sole director. He stepped down in 2008. A daughter from his second marriage, Katharina, and his long-estranged daughter from his first marriage, Eva Wagner-Pasquier, took charge in 2009.
In 2011, Canadian singer-songwriter-producer Bryan Adams received his Hollywood Walk of Fame star in front of the Musicians Institute.
In 2011, Pinetop Perkins, one of the last old-school bluesmen who played with Muddy Waters and became the oldest Grammy winner this year, died of cardiac arrest at his home in Austin, Texas. He was 97. In an 80-year career, he played at juke joints, nightclubs and festivals. He didn't start recording in his own name until he was in his 70s and released more than 15 solo records since 1992.
In 2012, ``Up All Night'' debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 albums chart, making ``One Direction'' the first U.K. group in history to do so with its first album. The band first came together when they all tried out individually for the U.K. edition of ``The X Factor'' in 2010. Judge and mentor Simon Cowell thought they would make an interesting combination instead. The group ended up in third place that season and Cowell signed them to his Syco music label.
In 2013, crooner Tony Bennett was honoured at the first Amy Winehouse Foundation Inspiration Awards and Gala in New York.
In 2013, guitarist, singer-songwriter and producer Colin James was inducted into the Canadian Music Industry Hall of Fame. The six-time Juno Award winner has had hits with songs such as ``Just Came Back'', ``Voodoo Thing'' and ``Five Long Years.''
In 2013, the U.S. Library of Congress added Chubby Checker's dance hit ``The Twist'' and the ``Saturday Night Fever'' soundtrack to the National Recording Registry, which preserves sound recordings of cultural or historic importance. Also included was The Ramones' 1976 self-titled album, Pink Floyd's ``Dark Side of the Moon,'' ''Cheap Thrills`` by Big Brother and the Holding Company, and Simon and Garfunkel's ''The Sounds of Silence.``
In 2013, Motown studio band ``The Funk Brothers'' received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Thirteen members were named as official star honourees. Many of them have died, but guitarist Eddie Willis and percussionist Jack Ashford attended.
In 2018, the U.S. Library of Congress added 25 recordings to its National Recording Registry. Among the songs: ``(We're Gonna) Rock Around The Clock'' by Bill Haley and His Comets, ``Rhythm is Gonna Get You'' by Gloria Estefan and Miami Sound Machine, Tony Bennett's standard ``I Left My Heart in San Francisco,'' Kenny Rogers' ``The Gambler,'' ''My Girl`` by The Temptations, ''Le Freak`` by Chic, ''Footloose`` by Kenny Loggins and ''Alice's Restaurant Massacree`` by Arlo Guthrie. Among the albums: Fleetwood Mac's ''Rumours,`` Run D.M.C.'s ''Raising Hell,`` Harry Belafonte's ''Calypso`` and ''The Sound of Music`` soundtrack.
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The Canadian Press
