March 27

Birthdays

1914: Snooky Lanson (Singer)

1924: Sarah Vaughan (Jazz Singer)

1950: Tony Banks (Keyboard & Guitar for Genesis)

1953: Wally Stocker (Lead Guitar for The Babys)

1953: Walter Stocker (Air Supply)

1959: Andrew Farriss (Keyboards for INXS)

1962: Derrick McKenzie (Drums for Jamiroquai)

1964: Clark Datchler (Johnny Hates Jazz)

1965: Johnny April (Bass for Staind)

1970: Mariah Carey

1975: Fergie (Stacy Ferguson)

Events

1955: Frustrated over Ike Turner's inability to find a label to record the follow up to his hit, Jackie Brenston's "Rocket 88," Sam Phillips decides to form his own independent label in Memphis, known as Sun Records. Within a matter of days, Sun will release its first single, Johnny London's "Drivin' Slow" b/w "Flat Tire".

1958: CBS Records announces its sound lab's latest invention, stereophonic sound, which when played on a compatible phonograph will send sound through two channels instead of one.

1960: Representative Emanuel Celler (D-NY) introduces two bills designed to halt the practice of "payola" -- that is, DJs receiving cash or gifts to promote certain records. Celler, echoing the sentiments of his era, declares that "the cacophonous music called Rock and Roll" could not possibly have risen up the charts without the practice of payola.

1966: Roy Orbison takes a curve too tightly while out motorcycling in Hawkstone Park in Birmingham, England, fracturing his foot and resulting in him playing his next few English dates in crutches on a stool.

1967: Fats Domino plays his first UK gig at London's Saville Theatre, on a ticket that includes the Bee Gees and Gerry & the Pacemakers.

1967: The Young Rascals recorded "Groovin'."

1972: Elvis Presley recorded what would be his last major hit, 'Burning Love,' a No.2 hit on the US chart.

1973: Rolling Stone reports that Carlos Santana has become a devotee of Sri Chimnoy, and has therefore changed his name to "Devadip," which means "the lamp of the light of the Supreme."

1973: A routine speeding ticket in New Jersey becomes a headache for Grateful Dead leader Jerry Garcia when police search his car and find a significant quantity of LSD. He is released on two thousand dollars bail.

1976: Paul McCartney and Wings were forced to postpone forthcoming US tour for three weeks after guitarist Jimmy McCulloch fell in his hotel bathroom and broke a finger.

1978: All You Need Is Cash, a Beatles parody film developed from a skit by Eric Idle on BBC2's Rutland Weekend Television, introduces The Rutles to the world when it is shown for the first time on the BBC.

1979: Eric Clapton finally gets his "Layla" when he marries Pattie Boyd, ex-wife of best friend George Harrison. Harrison attends the wedding in Tucson, AZ, as do fellow Beatles Ringo Starr and Paul McCartney. Eric and Pattie would divorce in 1988.

1982: Ronnie Lane, former bassist for the (Small) Faces, is taken to the hospital for treatment of his multiple sclerosis. Lane would succumb to the wasting muscle disorder in 1997.

1986: Van Halen kicked off their 1986, 112 date North American tour at the Hirsch Memorial Coliseum in Shreveport, Los Angeles. This was the band's first tour with Sammy Hagar on lead vocals.

1987: U2 performed from the roof of a store in downtown LA to make the video for 'Where The Streets Have No Name', attracting thousands of spectators and bringing traffic to a standstill. The police eventually stop the shoot.

1991: New Kids On The Block's Donnie Wahlberg was arrested after setting fire to carpets (using a bottle of vodka) at The Seelbach Hotel, Louisville. Wahlberg plea bargains the charge down to criminal mischief and was ordered to perform fire safety and anti-drug abuse promos.

1995: Tupac Shakur's "Me Against the World" made him the first rap artist to debut at No. 1 on the charts while in jail for sexual assault.

2000: Singer, songwriter, poet and actor, Ian Dury died after a long battle with cancer aged 57.

2001: Christina Aguilera signed an U.S. sponsorship deal with Cola-Cola, only a month after Britney Spears signed a deal to promote Pespi.

2002: Lyle Lovett was trampled by a bull while trying to help his uncle who had just been thrown by the animal. Lovett's lower right leg was broken in several places.

2003: The Rolling Stones postpone a planned series of concerts in Hong Kong after the deadly SARS flu epidemic breaks out there; ironically, the Stones would later perform a benefit there to show the city was safe to visit.

2006: Victor Willis, the "policeman" in the Village People, is arrested in San Francisco for failing to appear at his trial for cocaine and gun possession. After agreeing to enter rehab, his sentence is reduced to three years probation.

2007: Jefferson Airplane/Starship vocalist Grace Slick sues former bandmate Paul Kantner for touring with different musicians under the name "Paul Kantner's Starship."

2007:  The wife of Velvet Revolver singer Scott Weiland was arrested on suspicion of burning over $10,000 of his belongings outside their home after police in southern California found a bin of smouldering clothes. Earlier that day, the couple left two rooms vandalised after an argument at a luxury hotel.

2007: Eminem and his ex-wife Kim reached a court agreement to stop insulting each other in public. The pair, who divorced for the second time last year, pledged to stop trading insults for the sake of their 11-year-old daughter Hailie. The deal came after the rap star took legal action to stop Kim Mathers making "derogatory, disparaging, inflammatory and otherwise negative comments".

2008, Grammy-nominated rapper Remy Ma was convicted of assault after a woman was shot in New York. The jury heard how Ms Smith had shot her friend outside a nightclub in July 2007 because she thought the woman had stolen $3,000 from her. The rapper was to remain in jail without bail until she was sentenced.

2008: an inquest in Leeds, England heard the husband of UK singer Corinne Bailey Rae died from a suspected overdose. The body of saxophonist Jason Rae, 31, was found in a flat in the Hyde Park area of Leeds. A 32-year-old man arrested on suspicion of supplying controlled drugs was bailed pending further inquiries.