What Happened Today In Music

March 20th

1960 - Elvis Presley

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.

1961 - Elvis Presley

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

1964 - The Temptations

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'. 

1964 - The Beatles

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 Beatleshaving the top three singles on the chart simultaneously.

1965 - Stevie Wonder

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

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

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

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

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 - The Rolling Stones

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

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

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

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

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

1977 - T Rex

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

1980 - Jackson Browne

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

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 60s bands The Arrows.

1990 - Gloria Estefan

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

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

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

1993 - Shaggy

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 - Mark Morrison

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 - S Club 7

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 - Robbie Williams

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 - A. J. Pero

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.

2017 - Ed Sheeran

Ed Sheeran was at No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'Shape of You'. The song peaked at No.1 on the singles charts of 34 countries, including the US Billboard Hot 100. In December 2018, the song became the first song to hit 2 billion streams and the most streamed song on Spotify. 'Shape of You' also won the Grammy Award for Best Pop Solo Performance at the 60th Annual Grammy Awards. 

2020 - Kenny Rogers

Kenny Rogers, singer-songwriter, record producer, actor, and entrepreneur died age 81. He charted more than 120 hit singles across various music genres, topping the country and pop album charts for more than 200 individual weeks in the US alone. He was voted the "Favorite Singer of All-Time" in a 1986 joint poll by readers of both USA Today and People. 

Born Today In Music

March 20th

1917 - Vera Lynn

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. Lynn died on 18 June 2020 age 103 at her home in East Sussex, England. 

1935 - Sam Lay

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 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 - Lee 'Scratch' Perry

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 - Jerry Reed

Jerry Reed, US country guitarist who worked with Chet Atkins, 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.

1940 - Glenn Schwartz

American guitarist Glenn Schwartz, the original guitar player of the James Gang. He later joined the Los Angeles based blues band Pacific Gas & Electric and in 1970, scored a national top 20 hit with the song ‘Are You Ready?’ Schwartz died on November 2, 2018, at the age of 78.

1951 - Carl Palmer

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').

1951 - Jimmie Vaughan

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.'

1956 - Fonso Martin

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 - Ian Rossiter

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

1959 - Richard Drummie

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'. Go West were named Best British Newcomer at the 1986 Brit Awards. 

1961 - Slim Jim Phantom

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 - David Shuttleworth

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 - Fredrik Schnfeldt

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

1972 - Alex Kapranos

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.

1972 - Shelly Poole

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 60s musician Brian Poole.

1976 - Chester Bennington

Chester Bennington, American singer, songwriter with Linkin Park who had the 2002 US No.2 & UK No.4 single 'In The End', and the 2002 US No.2 & 2001 UK No.4 album Hybrid Theory. He was also lead vocalist for Dead by Sunrise, Grey Daze, and Stone Temple Pilots. Bennington died of an apparent suicide by hanging at his home in Palos Verdes Estates, California on July 20, 2017.