March 20

Births

1928: Fred “Mr.” Rogers

1936: Lee "Scratch" Perry (Reggae Artist)

1937: Jerry Reed (Country Singer)

1949: Marcia Ball (Blues Singer & Pianist)

1950: Carl Palmer (Drummer for Emerson, Lake and Palmer & Asia)

1951: Jimmie Vaughan (Guitar & Vocals for Fabulous Thunderbirds)

1953: Poison Ivy (Kristy Wallace) (guitar for The Cramps)

1956: Fonso Martin (Percussion for Steel Pulse)

1957: Spike Lee

1972: Alex Kapranos (Vocals & Guitar for Franz Ferdinand)

1976: Chester Bennington (Vocals for Linkin Park)

1982: Nick Wheeler (Guitarist for All-American Rejects)

Events

1959: Dick Clark protege and teen idol Bobby Rydell makes his first television appearance, naturally enough, on ABC-TV's American Bandstand.

1960: Elvis Presley started his first recordings since being discharged from the US Army. A 12 hour session in a Nashville recording studio produced his next No.1 single, ‘Stuck On You’. Scotty Moore and Bill Black, who had quit Presley's touring band in 1957, were in the studio with him for the last time.

1964: The Beatles make their first appearance on the British television show Ready Steady Go!, miming along, as was the custom, to "Can't Buy Me Love," "It Won't Be Long," and "You Can't Do That." They were also presented with a special award from US magazine Billboard, in recognition of The Beatles having the top three singles on the chart simultaneously.

1965: After a celebratory formal street parade, Motown's first UK package tour begins at Finsbury Park Astoria, in London, featuring The Supremes, The Temptations, Stevie Wonder, Smokey Robinson and the Miracles, and Martha & the Vandellas.

1968: In Los Angeles, Eric Clapton and three members of Buffalo Springfield -- Neil Young, Jim Messina, and Richie Furay -- are arrested for suspicion of marijuana use. The band members are eventually found guilty and fined, while Clapton beats the charges.

1969: After days of looking for a suitable and legal place, John Lennon finally gets to marry Yoko Ono at the Rock of Gibraltar in Spain, a piece of land still owned by the English and described by Lennon as being necessarily "quiet, friendly, and British." Later, in the Beatles song "The Ballad Of John And Yoko," he describes the site as "Gibraltar, near Spain," unintentionally setting off an international furor, as England and Spain were currently at odds over ownership of the area.

1971: Janis Joplin started a two week run at No.1 on the singles chart with the Kris Kristofferson's 'Me And Bobby McGee'. Joplin died the year before on 4th October aged 27.

1971:  At their own expense, The Rolling Stones placed full page advertisements in all the UK's music papers disclaiming any connection with the release of the Decca album 'Stone Age' saying 'in our opinion the content is below the standard we try to keep.'

1976: Alice Cooper marries his first and only wife, Sheryl Goddard, a 19-year-old dancer on his Welcome To My Nightmare tour.

1977: T. Rex plays what is to be their last concert before the untimely death of leader Marc Bolan in a car accident, a gig at Portsmouth, England club The Locarno.

1980: Joseph Riviera, 28, a truck driver from New York, breaks into the offices of record label Asylum, takes the office manager hostage, and demands to see label artists Jackson Browne and/or The Eagles so that they can help finance his trucking business. After he realizes the artists in question aren't actually in the building, he surrenders to police.

1982: Joan Jett And The Blackhearts started a seven week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with 'I Love Rock 'n' Roll'.

1984: Slim Jim Phantom (Drummer for The Stray Cats) married actress Britt Ekland.

1989: After 37 years on the air, Dick Clark announces he will discontinue hosting his creation, ABC-TV's highly influential American Bandstand. The show continues with another host, but folds for good soon after.

1990: Gloria Estefan’s tour bus was rammed by a tractor-trailer on the way to a concert.  Emilio Estefan and their son Nayib were injured; Gloria suffered a serious back injury, which required an operation two days later.

1991: Eric Clapton's son Conor, all of four years old, dies after falling from the 53rd story window of his mother's apartment in New York. (The guitarist was staying at a hotel not far away, having taken Conor to the circus the night before.) A shaken Clapton later writes the hit song "Tears In Heaven" as a way to help him through the grief.

2004: The University of Washington presents Quincy Jones with an honorary doctorate in Music.

March 19

Births

1946: Paul Atkinson (Guitar for The Zombies)

1953: Ricky Wilson (Guitarist for The B-52's)

1953: Billy Sheehan (Bass guitarist for Mr. Big)

1955: Bruce Willis (Singer, yes he had a hit album)

1959: Terry Hall (Vocals for The Specials & Fun Boy Three)

1976: Zach Lind (Drummer for Jimmy Eat World)

Events

1958: "Our Song" was released by Tom and Jerry. Later they used their real names, which were Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel.

1962:  Bob Dylan released his self-titled debut album.

1964: British PM Harold Wilson, who would later be satirized in the band's song "Taxman," presents the Beatles with the award for being "Show Business Personalities of 1963" at the Variety Club of Great Britain Annual Show Business Awards.

1965: Britain's Tailor and Cutter magazine runs an article by tie makers asking the Rolling Stones to start wearing ties with their suits, a fashion which had recently gone out of style among the youth. Mick Jagger responds, diplomatically, that ties would only give screaming female fans something else to grab onto in a crowd.

1966: Lesley Gore guest stars as herself on the final "By Line -- Jeffrey Stone" episode of ABC-TV's The Donna Reed Show.

1970: David Bowie marries model Mary Angela Barnett, his first wife and the eventual subject of the Rolling Stones' 1974 hit, "Angie," in Kent, England.

1974: Jefferson Airplane reform with the core of their original members, rechristening themselves Jefferson Starship. The new line-up included Paul Kantner, Grace Slick, drummer Johnny Barbata, David Freiberg, Peter Kaukonen, Cragi Chaquico and Papa John Creach.

1976: Guitarist Paul Kossoff of Free dies from drug-related heart problems on a flight from Los Angeles to New York.

1978: Billy Joel plays his first live gig in the UK, performing at London's Drury Lane Theatre.

1980: Elvis Presley's autopsy is entered into proceedings held by the Tennessee Board of Medical Examiners against Dr. George Nichopoulos, better known to his clients -- including Elvis -- as "Dr. Nick." The doctor will eventually be found guilty of overprescribing the drugs that led to The King's death and will have his license revoked, even though he repeatedly took measures to cure Presley of his addiction.

1982: Ozzy Osbourne's rhythm guitarist and former Quiet Riot member Randy Rhoads was killed when the plane he was riding in crashed.

1985:  "Spin Magazine" began publishing.

1988: Michael Jackson begins construction on his 2,800-acre ranch and private amusement park in Santa Barbara, CA, which he will name "Neverland" after a fantasy location in his favorite book, Peter Pan, a place where children never grow up.

1993 - Drummer Jeff Ward (Nine Inch Nails) was found dead in his home in Chicago. It was believed he had committed suicide.

1999:  George Jones left the hospital after being severely injured in a car accident on March 6, 1999.

2001: Former Spice Girl Geri Halliwell's London home was broken into. The intruder left obscene notes on the walls, stole the singer's computer and stereo and had thrown milk and Ribena fruit drink on the walls. They also stole a necklace that used to belong to actress Liz Taylor.

2004: After she has an allergic reaction to antibiotics, Aretha Franklin is admitted to Detroit's Sinai-Grace Hospital.

2005: 50 Cent became the first solo artist to have three singles in the US Top 5. ‘Candy Shop’ was at No.1 with ‘How We Do’ by The Game, (a member of his G-Unit group) at No.4 and ‘Disco Inferno’ at No.5.

2007: R&B Singer Luther Ingram dies of heart failure.

March 18

Births

1938: Charlie Pride (Country Singer)

1941: Wilson Pickett  (R&B Singer)

1947: Barry J Wilson (Drums for Procol Harum)

1950: John Hartman (Original Drummer for The Doobie Brothers)

1953: Jamie West-Oram (Guitar for The Fixx)

1959:  Irene Cara (Singer)

1961: Grant Hart (Drummer for Husker Du)

1963: Vanessa Williams (Pop Singer)

1963: Jeff LaBar (Guitar for Cinderella)

1964: Courtney Pine (Jazz Musician)

1966: Jerry Cantrell (Lead Singer & Guitar for Alice In Chains)

1970: Queen Latifah (Rapper & Jazz Singer)

1974: Stuart Zender (Bass for Jamiroquai)

1979: Adam Levine (Guitar & Vocals for Maroon 5)

Events

1939:  Frank Sinatra made his first recording, a song called ‘Our Love’, with the Frank Mane band.

1958: Jerry Lee Lewis becomes the first musician to appear on American Bandstand actually singing and not lip-synching his performance. Singing "Great Balls Of Fire," "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On," and "Breathless" live, he also becomes the first guest to perform three songs on the program.

1959:  EMI Records in the UK announced that it had now stopped all production of 78 rpm discs.

1965: The Rolling Stones were each fined $8.50 for urinating in a public place. The incident took place at a petrol station after a gig in Romford, Essex, England.

1965, John Lennon gave his friend and ex-Quarry Man Pete Shotton $35,000 to open Hayling Supermarkets. Lennon, George Harrison and Shotton became joint directors of Hayling Supermarkets Ltd.

1967:  The UK music magazine New Musical Express announced that former Spence Davis Group member Steve Winwood was planning to form a new group with Jim Capaldi, Chris Wood and Dave Mason. The ensemble would choose the name Traffic.

1967:  Pink Floyd signed to EMI Records in the UK.

1972:  Neil Young started a three week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with 'Heart Of Gold'. His only Top 20 hit as a solo artist reached No.10 on the UK chart.

1973: At Earl's Court in London, Pink Floyd perform their just-released album Dark Side Of The Moon in its entirety for the first time.

1975: Ken Russell's bizarre and controversial film of the Who's rock opera Tommy premieres in New York.

1976:  The Film 'The Man Who Fell To Earth' featuring David Bowie premiered in London.

1977:  The Clash released their debut single 'White Riot.' It peaked at No.38 on the UK charts.

1978:  The Bee Gees had the Top 3 on the US singles charts, 'Night Fever' at No.1, '(Love is) Thicker Than Water', by brother Andy at No.2, co-written by Barry Gibb and 'Emotion' by Samantha Song written and produced by The Bee Gees at No.3.

1982:  Driving home from a basketball game in Philadelphia, soul singer Teddy Pendergrass crashed his Rolls Royce severely injuring his spinal cord.

1991:  After attending an in-store promo appearance U2 were fined $850 after being found guilty of selling condoms illegally at the Virgin Megastore, Dublin.

1992:  Donna Summer received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

1994:  Four guns and 25 boxes of ammo were confiscated from Kurt Cobain after his wife, Courtney Love, called police fearing he was going to commit suicide. He did commit suicide about 3 weeks later.

1994: Darryl Jones replaces longtime bassist Bill Wyman in the Rolling Stones.

1996:  The Sex Pistols announced their comeback at the 100 Club in London, 20 years after they had split.

1997:  Joni Mitchell announced that she had reunited with a daughter she had given up for adoption many years earlier.

1997: Taylor Hawkins replaced William Goldsmith as the drummer for the Foo Fighters.

2001:  John Phillips of Mamas and The Papas died of heart failure aged 65. .

2002:  The Ramones were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame by Eddie Vedder, lead singer of Pearl Jam and close friend of the Ramones. The ceremony took place at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York City.

2002:  In Concord, CA, about 1,500 teenagers swarmed a music store to get autographs from the R&B band B2K. The Sun Valley Mall was temporarily shut down due to the unexpectedly large crowd.

2002: In New York, Isaac Hayes, Brenda Lee, and Gene Pitney (among others) are inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

2004:  Courtney Love exposed her breasts during an appearance on David Letterman's TV talk show. The singer who had her back to the audience flashed at the presenter while singing the song Danny Boy. After the show, she went on to perform a surprise gig at the Plaid night-club in Manhattan where she was alleged to have injured a man by throwing a microphone stand into the crowd.  Ms. Love was charged with assault and reckless endangerment.

2011:  Country Singer Ferlin Husky Died at 85.

2011:  Hip-hop artist Petey Pablo plead guilty to possession of a stolen firearm.  He was arrested in 2010 while attempting to clear security at Raleigh-Durham International Airport. Authorities found a loaded gun in a bag that had passed through an X-ray machine.  He faced up to 10 years in prison.