On This Day, March 19 in Music History
EVENTS ON MARCH 19 IN MUSIC HISTORY
On this day March 19 in 1919 – The Axeman of New Orleans (unidentified serial killer) published a letter on March 13 in which he claimed he would kill anyone who did not listen to jazz music on March 19. Thankfully, no one was harmed, but the whole city of New Orleans was either listening to or playing jazz that day.
1962 – Singer-songwriter Bob Dylan released his self-titled debut studio album through Columbia Records. The album failed to chart at first and it only gained traction three years later when it reached No.13 in the UK.
1964 – The number one single in the United Kingdom on this day March 19 in music history was ‘Little Children’ by Billy J. Kramer with the Dakotas.
1968 – The Recording Industry Association of America awarded Dean Martin a Gold Plaque for his seventeenth studio album ‘Houston’ which sold more than 1 million copies.
1974 – Reformed and renamed Jefferson Airplane kicked off their first tour billed as Jefferson Starship with a show in Chicago.
1976 – English blues rock guitarist Paul Kossoff died at the age of 25 from a pulmonary embolism during a flight from Los Angeles to New York. Best remembered as the co-founder of the rock band Free.
1982 – Heavy metal guitarist Randall William Rhoads also known as Randy Rhoads died in a plane crash on this day March 19, aged 25. Best remembered as the co-founder of the band Quiet Riot and for his work with Ozzy Osbourne.
1990 – American singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Andrew Wood died on this day, aged 24 from a heroin overdose. Best remembered as the frontman of the alternative rock bands Malfunkshun and Mother Love Bone.
1993 – American drummer Jeff Ward committed suicide by carbon monoxide poisoning on this day March 19 in music history, aged 30. Best known for his work with bands such as Nine Inch Nails, Skafish, Revolting Cocks, Lard, Low Pop Suicide and others.
1994 – Dutch Eurodance group Doop went to number one on the Scottish and UK Singles charts with their self-titled song.
2001 – The 16th Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony was held on this day March 19 at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York City. Inductees: Ritchie Valens, Solomon Burke, Steely Dan, The Flamingos, Michael Jackson, Paul Simon, Queen, and Aerosmith.
2002 – American multi-genre pianist and organist “Big” John Patton died at the age of 66 from complications of diabetes.
2005 – Pop rock band McFly went to number one in the UK with their double A-side single ‘All About You’ / ‘You’ve Got a Friend’.
2005 – With his second studio album ‘The Massacre’, rapper 50 Cent hit No.1 on both the US Billboard 200 and UK Albums chart.
2007 – American R&B and soul singer-songwriter Luther Ingram died on this day March 19 in music history, aged 69. Best known for the chart-topping single ‘(If Loving You Is Wrong) I Don’t Want to Be Right’.
2011 – American singer and instrumentalist Archie Patrick Himons also known by his stage names Little Archie and Ashid Himons died at the age of 68.
2015 – American keyboardist and songwriter Michael Brown died on this day March 19 at the age of 65 from heart failure. Best remembered as a member of the baroque pop band The Left Banke.
2016 – Rock band The 1975 hit number one in the United States with their second studio album ‘I Like It When You Sleep, for You Are So Beautiful yet So Unaware of It’.
2020 – With their fourth studio album ‘Manchester Calling’, Paul Heaton and Jackqui Abbott reached No.1 in the UK.
BORN ON MARCH 19 IN MUSIC HISTORY
1937 – R&B singer and pianist Clarence ‘Frogman’ Henry II was born in New Orleans, Louisiana. Best known for his hit singles ‘Ain’t Got No Home’ and ‘(I Don’t Know Why) But I Do’.
1944 – American keyboardist and organist Tom Constanten was born in Long Beach, New Jersey. Best know for his work with the rock band Grateful Dead.
1946 – Guitarist and record executive Paul Atkinson was born in Cuffley, England. He rose to fame as a founding member of the pop rock band The Zombies.
1946 – American R&B and soul singer-songwriter Ruth Pointer was born in Oakland, California. Best known as a member of the family vocal group The Pointer Sisters.
1951 – Scottish drummer Derek Longmuir was born in Edinburgh. Best known as a founding member of the pop rock band Bay City Rollers.
1953 – American multi-instrumentalist, singer, and songwriter Ricky Wilson was born in Athens, Georgia. He rose to fame as the guitarist and founding member of the new wave band The B-52’s.
1953 – American bassist William “Billy” Sheehan was born in Buffalo, New York. Best known for his work music acts such as Steve Vai, Mr. Big, David Lee Roth, The Winery Dogs, and others.
1955 – American actor and singer Bruce Willis was born in Idar-Oberstein, West Germany. Although he is primarily known for his acting career, Bruce has also released three solo albums and has performed on Broadway.
1959 – American multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, producer, composer and conductor Anthony Marinelli was born in Burbank, California.
1959 – British singer and songwriter Terence “Terry” Hall was born in Coventry, England. Best known for his work with the groups The Specials, Vegas, Fun Boy Three, The Colourfield, and Terry, Blair & Anouchka.
1971 – Multi-instrumentalist and founding member of the rock band Reef, Jack Bessant was born in Glastonbury, England.
1998 – Japanese singer and actress Sakura Miyawaki was born in Kagoshima City, Japan. She came to prominence as a member of the South Korean girl group Le Sserafim.