What Happened Today In Music

March 11th

1956 - The Dream Weavers

The Dream Weavers were at No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'Its Almost Tomorrow'. The Miami based studio band's only chart hit in the UK, thus condemning The Dream Weavers to the One Hit Wonder tag.

1964 - The Beatles

The Beatles spent the day filming at Twickenham Studios for A Hard Day's Night. Filming on a stage set made to look like a train guard's cage, where the Beatles played cards and mimed to 'I Should Have Known Better'.

1965 - Tom Jones

Tom Jones was at No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'It's Not Unusual.' The Welsh singer's first of 16 UK Top 40 hits during the 60s. Written by Les Reed and Gordon Mills, the song was first offered to Sandie Shaw. Jones recorded a demo for Shaw, and when she heard it she was so impressed with Jones's delivery that she declined the song and recommended that Jones release it himself.

1966 - James Brown

This week's ITV music show 'Ready Steady Go', shown in the UK was entirely devoted to the music of 'The Godfather Of Soul - James Brown. 

1967 - Paul McCartney

Music publisher, Dick James, announced that 446 different versions of the Paul McCartney song 'Yesterday' had been recorded so far.

1968 - Otis Redding

The Otis Redding single '(Sittin' On) The Dock Of The Bay' went gold in the US three months after the singer was killed in a plane crash. Recorded just days before his death, it became the first posthumous single to top the charts in the US. 

1970 - Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young

Deja Vu, the first album by Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, (and the second by the trio configuration of Crosby, Stills, and Nash), was released. It topped the pop album chart for one week and spawned three US Top 40 singles: 'Teach Your Children', 'Our House', and 'Woodstock'.

1971 - Jim Morrison

Jim Morrison of The Doors arrived in Paris booking into The Hotel George's. The following week he moved into an apartment at 17 Rue Beautreillis in Paris. Morrison lived in Paris until his death on July 3rd 1971, (two years to the day after the death of the Rolling Stones guitarist Brian Jones, and approximately nine months after the deaths of Jimi Hendrix and Janis Joplin). 

1972 - Neil Young

Neil Young went to No.1 on the US & UK album chart with his fourth studio album 'Harvest.' The album featured the US No.1 hit single 'Heart Of Gold.'

1972 - Harry Nilsson

Harry Nilsson was at No.1 on the UK singles chart with his version of The Peter Ham and Tom Evans song 'Without You'. First recorded by Badfinger in 1970, the song was also a No.1 for Mariah Carey in 1994.

1975 - 10cc

The Original Soundtrack, the third album by 10cc was released. It featured the world wide, multi million selling single 'I'm Not in Love' notable for its innovative and distinctive backing track, composed mostly of the band's multitracked vocals. The song was the band's breakthrough hit worldwide, reaching No.1 in Ireland and Canada and No.2 in the US, as well as reaching the top ten in Australia, New Zealand and several European countries.

1978 - Claude Francois

French singer Claude Francois was electrocuted changing a light bulb while standing in his bathtub. He had the 1976 UK hit, 'Tears On The Telephone'.

1978 - Meat Loaf

Meat Loaf's Bat Out Of Hell album began a 416-week run on the UK chart. The album went on to become one of the most influential and iconic albums of all time and its songs have remained classic rock staples.

1978 - Kate Bush

The debut single from Kate Bush, 'Wuthering Heights' a song inspired by the Emily Bronte novel, started a four-week run at No.1 on the UK singles chart. Record company, EMI had originally chosen another track, 'James and the Cold Gun' as the lead single, but Bush was determined that 'Wuthering Heights' would be the first release from the album.

1989 - Jason Donovan

Australian actor turned singer Jason Donovan scored his first UK No.1 single with 'Too Many Broken Hearts' which was written and produced by Stock, Aitken and Waterman.

1993 - Oasis

Oasis recorded their first demos at The Real People's studio in Liverpool. The set included 'Rock 'n' Roll Star', 'Columbia' and 'Fade Away.'

1996 - Jarvis Cocker

Pulp singer Jarvis Cocker walked free from Kensington police station after police failed to charge him with any criminal offence following his 'stage invasion', during Michael Jackson's performance at the Brit Awards on 19th February 1996.

2005 - Ozzy Osbourne

The front door of Ozzy Osbourne's childhood home in Birmingham went up for sale because the current owner was fed up with fans defacing it. Ali Mubarrat, who now owned the house in Lodge Road, Aston, said over the years it had become a pilgrimage destination. He was now auctioning the door on eBay and giving the money to charity.

2008 - Madonna

Madonna was inducted into the US Rock and Roll Hall of Fame at a star-studded ceremony in New York City, she received her honour at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel from singer Justin Timberlake. The 49-year-old thanked her detractors in an acceptance speech, including those who 'said I couldn't sing, that I was a One Hit Wonder'. Rock star John Mellencamp, Leonard Cohen, The Ventures and The Dave Clark Five were also among the inductees.

2009 - Iron Maiden

Iron Maiden's tour manager criticised people who were arrested for trying to gatecrash a concert in Bogota. Colombian police arrested more than 100 people after stones were thrown hours before the group were due to perform. In a statement posted on the band's website, Rod Smallwood said: 'We abhor the inane behaviour of a small minority of people outside.' Riot police fired tear gas canisters at those who tried to enter the concert without tickets.

2010 - Pete Doherty

Pete Doherty was banned from driving for 12 months after admitting allowing his manager to use his Daimler car without insurance. Doherty's manager Andrew Boyd, admitted dangerous driving and failing to stop at the scene of an accident and was jailed for 12 months. The court was told how the victim Chris Corder suffered 'catastrophic' brain injuries and was left in a coma after the crash.

2011 - Iron Maiden

The former singer with Iron Maiden was jailed for nine months for fraudulently claiming benefits. Paul Andrews, fronted the band between 1978 and 1981, under the stage name Paul Di'Anno. Andrews, 52, was jailed at the city's crown court after earlier admitting falsely claiming more than £45,000. Fraud investigators had viewed online videos and read about gigs on the performer's website.

2013 - Tony Hadley

The Gig in the Sky, an acoustic show for 128 passengers on board a Boeing 767 aeroplane set a new world record for the highest ever gig. Tony Hadley, Kim Wilde, Bananarama and Go West all performed at 43,000ft (13,000m) beating the previous record of 42,080ft (12,825m) set by James Blunt in 2010. The event was held to raise money for Comic Relief.

2015 - Robin Thicke

A jury in the United States ruled that the writers of 'Blurred Lines', copied a Marvin Gaye track. Jurors in Los Angeles decided that the 2013 single by Pharrell Williams and Robin Thicke breached the copyright of Gaye's 1977 hit 'Got To Give It Up'. The family of the late soul singer were awarded $7.3m (£4.8m) in damages. Thicke and Williams denied copying the hit, and their lawyer said the ruling set a 'horrible precedent'.

2015 - Jimmy Greenspoon

Jimmy Greenspoon, keyboardist with Three Dog Night died after a long battle with cancer at the age of 67. During the course of their career, Three Dog Knight had 21 top 40 hits, including three No.1 singles.

2016 - Keith Emerson

English musician Keith Emerson died in Santa Monica, California, of a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head after he had become 'depressed, nervous and anxious' because nerve damage in his hands had hampered his playing. Emerson found his first commercial success with the Nice, in the late 1960s and was a founding member of Emerson, Lake & Palmer (ELP), one of the early progressive rock supergroups.

2019 - Hal Blaine

Drummer Hal Blaine, one of the most recorded musicians in pop music history died of natural causes at his home in Palm Desert, California age 90. As a member of the The Wrecking Crew his drumming can be heard on songs such as Presley’s 'Return to Sender,' the Byrds’ 'Mr. Tambourine Man,' The Beach Boys 'Good Vibrations,' Simon & Garfunkel’s 'Bridge Over Troubled Water' and dozens of hits produced by Phil Spector, and the theme songs to 'Batman,' 'The Partridge Family' and dozens of other shows.

2019 - Danny Kustow

Danny Kustow, best known for his work with the Tom Robinson Band, died. He was mentored by the blues legend Alexis Korner and joined the early Tom Robinson Band in December 1976. ‘2-4-6-8 Motorway’ was their first single, released in late 1977, which climbed into the top five of the UK singles charts. Kustow later played with The Planets and also alongside Sex Pistols’ Glen Matlock in The Spectres and recorded with Gen X.

Born Today In Music

March 11th

1944 - Ric Rothwell

Ric Rothwell, drummer with The Mindbenders, (1965 US No.1 single with ‘Game Of Love’ and a 1966 UK No.2 single with ‘Groovy Kind Of Love’).

1945 - Harvey Mandel

American guitarist, Harvey Mandel who played with Charlie Musselwhite, Canned Heat, The Rolling Stones and John Mayall as well as having a solo career. Mandel is one of the first rock guitarists to use two-handed fretboard tapping.

1947 - Mark Stein

Mark Stein, lead vocalist, keyboardist, composer, and arranger with Vanilla Fudge, (1968 US No.6 single 'You Keep Me Hangin' On'). 

1948 - George Kooymans

Dutch guitarist and vocalist George Kooymans from Golden Earring. They achieved worldwide fame with their international hit 'Radar Love' in 1973. 

1950 - Bobby McFerrin

Bobby McFerrin, American jazz vocalist and conductor known for his 1988 US No.1 & UK No.2 single 'Don't Worry Be Happy'. The track won Song of the Year and Record of the Year at the 1989 Grammy Awards.

1951 - Katie Kissoon

Katie Kissoon, Mac & Katie Kissoon, (1971 US No.20 single 'Chirpy Chirpy Cheep Cheep', 1975 UK No.3 single 'Sugar Candy Kisses'). Katie Kissoon's career has continued working as a backing singer for Van Morrison, Eric Clapton, Roger Waters, Elton John, George Harrison, George Michael and Robbie Williams.

1955 - Flinto

Flinto Chandia, bassist with English group Jimmy The Hoover who had the 1983 UK No.18 single 'Tantalise, (Wo Wo Ee Yeh Yeh').

1955 - Nina Hagen

Nina Hagen, German singer, songwriter, The Nina Hagen Band. She rose to prominence during the punk and new wave movements in the late 1970s and early 1980s.

1961 - Bruce Watson

Bruce Watson, guitarist with Scottish rock band Big Country, who had the 1983 UK No.10 single 'Fields Of Fire' plus 14 other UK Top 40 singles.

1961 - Mike Percy

Mike Percy, from English pop band, Dead Or Alive, who scored the 1985 UK No.1 single 'You Spin Me Round, Like A Record'.

1964 - Vinnie Paul

Vinnie Paul, heavy metal drummer and producer and co-founder of Pantera. He co-founded the heavy metal band Damageplan in 2003 with his late brother, Dimebag Darrell.

1968 - Lisa Loeb

Lisa Loeb, US singer who had the 1994 US No.1 & UK No.6 single 'Stay, I Missed You', from the film 'Reality Bites'. She became the first artist to have a No.1 single without a recording contract.

1968 - Paul Taylor

Paul Taylor, English bassist with Annie Lennox since 2002 and from Jamiroquai since 2005. Taylor has also worked with the likes of Tina Turner, Bryan Ferry, Tom Jones, George Michael, Take That and Gary Barlow.

1969 - Rami Jaffee

Rami Jaffee, American musician who is the keyboardist for Foo Fighters and the Wallflowers. He has worked for many artists including Pete Yorn, Soul Asylum, Stone Sour, Joseph Arthur and Coheed and Cambria.

1979 - Joel Madden

Twins Joel Madden and Benji Madden from American rock band Good Charlotte, who had the 2002 US No.7 album, The Young And The Hopeless, and the 2003 UK No.6 single 'Girls and Boys'.

1981 - Paul Wall

Paul Wall, US rapper, features on the US No.1 single ‘Grillz’ by Nelly with Ali & Gipp.

1981 - LeToya

LeToya Nicole Luckett, American singer, Destiny's Child (2000 US No.1 and worldwide hit single 'Independent Woman Part 1'). Quit the group in 2000, had the 2006 US No.1 self-titled debut solo album.