Friday, March 16, 2012

March 16


Births

1942: Jerry Jeff Walker (Country Singer / Songwriter)
1948:  Michael Bruce (guitarist for Alice Cooper Band)
1949: Erik Estrada (Ponch)
1954:  Nancy Wilson (Guitar for Heart)
1959:  Flavor Flav  (William Jonathan Drayton, Jr ) (Rapper in Public Enemy)
1964:  Patty Griffin (Singer / Songwriter)
1972:  Andy Dunlop (Lead Guitar for Travis)

Events

1964:  The Beatles set a new record for advance sales in the U.S. with 2,100,000 copies of their latest single 'Can't Buy Me Love.'

1965:  The Beatles continue filming in Austria for their second movie, Help! They completed the "ski lift" segment of the film.

1968:  The posthumously released Otis Redding single 'Sittin' On The Dock Of The Bay', started a five week run at No.1 on the US chart, (a No.3 hit the UK). Otis was killed in a plane crash on 10th December 1967 three days after recording the song.

1970:  Motown singer Tammi Terrell died of a brain tumor at the age of 24.  She had collapsed onstage on October 14, 1967 into Marvin Gaye's arms during a concert in Hampton, Virginia.

1971:  Winners at this years Grammy Awards included, Simon and Garfunkel who won Record of the year, Song of the year and Album of the year for 'Bridge Over Troubled Water', The Carpenters won Best new act and Best vocal performance.

1972:  John Lennon lodged an appeal with the US immigration office in New York, after he was served with deportation orders arising from his 1968 cannabis possession conviction.

1974:  During a US tour, Elvis Presley played the first of four nights at the Midsouth Coliseum in Memphis Tennessee. This was the first time Elvis had played in Memphis since 1961.

1977:  After being with the label for just six days The Sex Pistols were fired from A&M due to pressure from other label artists and its Los Angeles head office.  25,000 copies of ‘God Save The Queen’ were pressed and the band made $127,500 from the deal.

1979:  Twisted Sister became the first band to sell out New York City's Palladium without ever releasing a record. The band did not sign a record deal until 3 years later.

1989:  MTV America launched a contest to give away Jon Bon Jovi's childhood home.

1991:  Seven members of Country singer Reba McEntire's band and her road manager were among 10 people who were killed when their private jet crashed in California just north of the Mexican border.  McEntire, who had given a private concert in San Diego for IBM employees the night before, was not on the plane.

1992:  During a Metallica gig at an Orlando Arena, fans dangled an usher by his ankles from the balcony as trouble broke out at the concert. The band was charged $38,000 for repairs and cleaning after the audience trashed the building.

1996:  The Ramones performed what they claimed would be their last ever date in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

1999 - The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) presented the first Diamond Awards. The awards are given in recognition of albums and singles that have sold 10 million copies or more.

2005:  Billy Joel checked into a rehabilitation center for alcohol abuse.  A statement from the 55-year-old singer's spokesperson put his latest problems down to "a recent bout of severe gastrointestinal distress."

2010:  Abba were inducted into the US Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, along with Genesis and The Hollies.