THIS DAY IN MUSIC

March 20th: On this Day

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.

1960,

1961, Elvis Presley started a two week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with 'Surrender', his fifth No.1 of the 60's. It also made No.1 in the UK. The song was based on the 1911 Italian song, 'Return To Sorrento.'

1964, The Beatles appeared live on the UK television program Ready Steady Go!, miming to ‘It Won't Be Long’, ‘You Can't Do That’, and ‘Can't Buy Me Love’. 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.

1964, The Temptations released their debut album Meet the Temptations on the Gordy (Motown) label. The lineup on the cover features Eddie Kendricks, Melvin Franklin, Paul Williams, Otis Williams, and newest Temptation Davis (later David) Ruffin. Ruffin had just joined the act three months before this album was released, and actually only appears on 'The Way You Do The Things You Do'.

1965, The first of a twice-nightly UK package tour kicked of at London's Finsbury Park Astoria featuring Stevie Wonder, The Miracles, Martha and the Vandellas, The Supremes and The Temptations.

1968, Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick and Tich were at No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'The Legend Of Xanadu', the group's only UK No.1.

1968, Eric Clapton Neil Young, Richie Furay and Jim Mesina, were arrested in Los Angeles for 'being at a place where it was suspected marijuana was being used.' Clapton was later found innocent, the others paid small fines.

1969, John Lennon married Yoko Ono in Gibraltar. They spent their honeymoon in Amsterdam campaigning for an international "Bed-In" for peace. They planned another "Bed-in" in the United States, but were denied entry. The couple then went to Montreal, and during a "Bed-in" at the Queen Elizabeth Hotel recorded ‘Give Peace a Chance’. Lennon also detailed this period in The Beatles ‘The Ballad of John and Yoko’, recorded by Lennon and McCartney on April 14, 1969.

1970, David Bowie and Angela Bowie were married at Beckenham Registry Office, London. The couple had one child, film director Duncan Jones. They divorced in 1980.

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.'

1971, Janis Joplin started a two week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with her version of the Kris Kristofferson and Fred Foster song “Me And Bobby McGee.” Joplin, who was a lover and a friend of Kristofferson's from the beginning of her career to her death, changed the sex and a few of the lyrics in her cover. Kristofferson states he did not write this song for her, but the song is associated with her - especially, he has said, in the line "Somewhere near Salinas, Lord, I let her slip away." Joplin died of a drug overdose the year before on 4th October aged 27.

1973, Slade were at No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'Com On Feel The Noize', the group's fourth UK No.1.

1976, Status Quo started a three-week run at No.1 on the UK chart with their third No.1 album 'Blue For You'. The bands record label set up a deal with Levi Jeans, advertising in over 6,000 clothes shops to help promote the album.

1977, Lou Reed was banned from appearing The London Palladium in England because of his punk image.

1977, T Rex played their final ever gig when they appeared at The Locarno in Portsmouth, England.

1980, 28 year- old Joseph Riviera held up the Asylum Records office in New York and demanded to see either Jackson Browne or The Eagles. Riviera wanted to talk to them to see if they would finance his trucking operation. He gave him-self up when told that neither act was in the office at the time.

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', a No.4 hit in the UK. The song had been a B-side from 60's bands The Arrows.

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 four year old son, Conor, fell to his death from the 53rd story of a New York City apartment after a housekeeper who was cleaning the room left a window open. The boy was in the custody of his mother, Italian actress, Lori Del Santo and the pair were visiting a friend's apartment. Clapton was staying in a nearby hotel after taking his son to the circus the previous evening. The tragedy inspired his song ‘Tears in Heaven’.

1991, Michael Jackson signed a $1 billion (£0.6 billion) contract with Sony, the richest deal in recording history.

1993, Shaggy was at No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'Oh Carolina', the Jamaican singer's first of four UK No.1's.

1997, UK police were investigating singer Mark Morrison after they discovered he had sent a friend to carry out his community service, a sentence he was given after being involved in a fight.

2001, Jon, Paul and Bradley from pop group S Club 7 were apprehended by police as they walked through Covent Garden, London, openly smoking a marijuana joint. They were taken to Charring Cross police station where they were held for four hours.

2002, The Daily Mail newspaper reported that Robbie Williams had become a priest. He was ordained via the Internet by the non-denominational Universal Ministries and officiated the wedding of Billy Morrison from rock band The Cult and Jennifer Holliday.

2015, American drummer A. J. Pero died from an apparent heart attack. He was a member of Twisted Sister and Adrenaline Mob. Adrenaline Mob's band members attempted but failed to wake Pero on their tour bus traveling from Baltimore to Poughkeepsie.

March 20th: Born on this day

1917, Born on this day, Vera Lynn, English singer, songwriter and actress whose musical recordings and performances were enormously popular during the Second World War. In 2009 she became the oldest living artist to make it to No. 1 on the British album chart, at the age of 92

1935, Born on this day, American drummer and vocalist Sam Lay. He began recording and performing with prominent blues musicians, including Willie Dixon, Howlin' Wolf John Lee Hooker, Junior Wells, Bo Diddley, Earl Hooker and Muddy Waters. In the mid-1960s, Lay later joined the Paul Butterfield Blues Band. Bob Dylan used Lay as his drummer when he introduced electric rock at the Newport Folk Festival in 1965. Lay also recorded with Dylan, notably on the album Highway 61 Revisited.

1936, Born on this day, Lee "Scratch" Perry (born Rainford Hugh Perry), musician and producer who has been influential in the development and acceptance of reggae and dub music in Jamaica and overseas. He employs numerous pseudonyms, including Pipecock Jackxon and The Upsetter.

1937, Born on this day, Jerry Reed, US country guitarist who worked with Chet Atkins, Bobby Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson and Elvis Presley. His signature songs included 'Guitar Man,', 'East Bound and Down' (the theme song for the 1977 blockbuster Smokey and the Bandit, and 'She Got the Goldmine (I Got the Shaft)'. Reed died on 1 Sept 2008.

1951, Born on this day, American blues rock guitarist and singer Jimmie Vaughan who was a member of the Fabulous Thunderbirds. He is the older brother of the late guitarist Stevie Ray Vaughan. The Fabulous Thunderbirds had two hit songs of the 1980s, 'Tuff Enuff' and 'Wrap It Up.'

1951, Born on this day, English drummer and percussionist Carl Palmer who was a member of Atomic Rooster, (1971 UK No.4 single 'The Devil's Answer'). Emerson Lake and Palmer, (1977 UK No.2 single 'Fanfare For The Common Man'). Asia, (1982 US No.4 single 'Heat Of The Moment').

1956, Born on this day, Fonso Martin, from roots reggae group Steel Pulse who had the 1978 UK hit single 'Prodigal Son'. Steel Pulse were the first non-Jamaican act to win the Grammy Award for Best Reggae Album.

1959, Born on this day, Ian Rossiter, drummer with British hip hop/electronic dance group Stereo MCs who had the 1992 UK No.12 single 'Step It Up'.

1959, Born on this day, Richard Drummie from Go West who had the 1985 UK No.5 single 'We Close Our Eyes' and hits with 'Call Me' and King of Wishful Thinking. They were named Best British Newcomer at the 1986 Brit Awards

1961, Born on this day, Slim Jim Phantom, (James McDonnell), drummer with The Stray Cats who spearheaded the neo-rockabilly movement of the early 1980s. They scored the 1980 UK No.9 single 'Runaway Boys', and the 1983 US No.3 single 'Stray Cat Strut'. He has also worked with Dead Men Walking with Kirk Brandon, Mike Peters and Captain Sensible.

1967, Born on this day, David Shuttleworth, drummer with English rock band Terrorvision who had the 1999 UK No.2 single 'Tequila'. Terrorvision were originally known as The Spoilt Bratz.

1968, Born on this day, Fredrik Schnfeldt, with alternative Swedish rock band The Wannadies who had the 1996 UK No. 18 single, 'You And Me Song'.

1972, Born on this day, Shelly Poole, singer, songwriter, Alisha's Attic who had the 1996 UK No.14 'I Am I Feel'. Now a solo artist, who released the 2006 album 'Hard Time For The Dreamer.' Poole is the daughter of 60's musician Brian Poole.

1972, Born on this day, Alex Kapranos, singer with Scottish indie rock band Franz Ferdinand, who were the winners of the 2004 Mercury Music Prize for their self-titled debut album.

1976, Born on this day, Chester Bennington, vocals, Linkin Park, (2002 US No.2 & UK No.4 single 'In The End', 2002 US No.2 & 2001 UK No.4 album 'Hybrid Theory'). Bennington died of an apparent suicide by hanging at his home in Palos Verdes Estates, California on July 20, 2017.