On This Day, March 14 in Music History
EVENTS ON MARCH 14 IN MUSIC HISTORY
On this day March 14 in 1958 – Perry Como became the first artist to receive a Gold plaque from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for his hit single ‘Catch A Falling Star’ which sold over one million copies.
1963 – With ‘Summer Holiday’, Cliff Richard & The Shadows scored their second number one single of the year in the UK. They previously topped the Singles chart on January 3 with ‘The Next Time’ / ‘Bachelor Boy’.
1972 – American soul singer Linda Jones died on this day March 14 in music history, aged 27 from complications of diabetes.
1981 – New wave band Adam and the Ants hit No.1 in the UK with their second studio album ‘Kings of the Wild Frontier’ for the first of ten consecutive weeks.
1981 – With their rendition of John Lennon‘s song ‘Jealous Guy’, rock band Roxy Music went to number one in the UK on this day March 14.
1982 – Heavy metal band Metallica played their first live show at Radio City in Anaheim, California after forming the band in late 1981. The first song they played in front of an audience was ‘Hit The Lights’.
1987 – With his version of the Bread song ‘Everything I Own’, Boy George topped the UK Singles chart on this day March 14 for the first time as a solo artist.
1987 – British soul band Hot Chocolate scored their first number one album in the UK with their greatest hits compilation ‘The Very Best of Hot Chocolate’.
1987 – Huey Lewis and the News scored their third US Billboard Hot 100 No.1 single with ‘Jacob’s Ladder’ on this day March 14 in music history.
1991 – Blues singer-songwriter and producer Jerome Solon Felder better known by his stage name Doc Pomus died on this day March 14, aged 65. He was inducted into the Songwriters, Blues, and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
1992 – Pop and ska band Madness started a three-week run at number one on the UK Albums chart with their greatest hits compilation ‘Divine Madness’.
1995 – With ‘Me Against the World’, Tupac Amaru Shakur became the first artist to top the Billboard 200 chart while being in prison.
1998 – Madonna scored her fourth number one album in the UK on this day March 14 with her seventh studio release ‘Ray of Light’.
1998 – Actor and rapper Will Smith scored his first number one single on the US Billboard Hot 100 with ‘Gettin’ Jiggy with It’.
2005 – The 20th Annual Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony was held in New York on this day March 14 in music history. Inductees: The O’Jays, U2, The Pretenders, Buddy Guy, Percy Sledge.
Metal Bands in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
2009 – American rapper Flo Rida featuring singer Kesha reached number one in the UK with ‘Right Round’ on this day March 14.
2009 – Irish rock band U2 scored their ninth number one album in the UK with ‘No Line on the Horizon’. The album was a worldwide hit that year and it became a chart-topper in over twenty countries.
2009 – French singer and songwriter Alain Bashung died on this day March 14 at the age of 61. Best remembered for the hit songs ‘Gaby oh Gaby’ and ‘Vertige de I’amour’.
2011 – American blues music singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist “Big” Jack Johnson died at the age of 71.
2014 – American guitarist and vocalist Gary Burger died at on this day March 14, aged 71. Best remembered for his work with the rock band The Monks.
2015 – Synth-pop trio Years & Years scored their first number one single in the United Kingdom with ‘King’ on this day March 14 in music history.
2015 – With his third studio album ‘Dark Sky Paradise’, rapper Big Sean went to number one on the US Billboard 200.
2015 – Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds topped the UK Albums chart with ‘Chasing Yesterday’ on this day March 14.
2019 – With his debut studio album ‘What a Time to Be Alive’, Scottish singer-songwriter Tom Walker reached No.1 in the UK.
2020 – Rapper Lil Baby reached the top spot on the US Billboard 200 with his second studio album ‘My Turn’ on this day March 14.
BORN ON MARCH 14 IN MUSIC HISTORY
1907 – American lyricist and producer Edward Heyman was born in New York City. Best known for writing the songs ‘Body and Soul’, ‘For Sentimental Reasons’, and ‘When I Fall in Love’.
1912 – Jazz saxophonist, clarinetist and bandleader Lester Raymond Brown was born in Reinerton, Pennsylvania.
1922 – American musician, arranger and composer Leslie “Les” Baxter was born in Mexia, Texas.
1926 – Singer and songwriter Phil Phillips was born John Philip Baptiste in Crowley, Louisiana. Best known for his 1959 hit song ‘Sea of Love’.
1933 – Record producer, songwriter, arranger, trumpeter, and composer Quincy Jones was born in Chicago, Illinois. He holds the record for most Grammy Award nominations with 80, including 28 wins.
1934 – American jazz organist and music educator Shirley Scott nicknamed the ‘Queen of the Organ” was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
1943 – Bass guitarist and singer Jim Pons was born in Santa Monica, California. Best known for his work with bands such as The Leaves, The Turtles, and The Mothers of Invention.
1945 – Woodwind instrumentalist and founding member of the rock band Chicago, Walter Parazaider was born in Maywood, Illinois.
1947 – Singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist John Lewis also known professionally as Jona Lewie was born Southampton, England.
1947 – Singer-songwriter and pianist Peter Skellern was born in Bury, England. Best known for hit songs such as ‘You’re Lady’ and ‘Hold On to Love’.
1963 – American singer Michael “Mike” Muir was born in Los Angeles, California. Best known as the founder and frontman of the bands Suicidal Tendencies, Los Cycos, and Infectious Grooves.
1969 – Multi-instrumentalist and producer Michael Bland was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Best known for his work with Prince.
1970 – American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and record producer Kristian Bush was born in Knoxville, Tennessee.
1983 – Singer, multi-instrumentalist, and one third of the family pop band Hanson, Jordan Taylor Hanson was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma.