On This Day, March 28 in Music History
EVENTS ON MARCH 28 IN MUSIC HISTORY
On this day March 28 in 1943 – Russian composer, pianist and conductor Sergei Rachmaninoff died at the age of 69.
1958 – American trumpeter, composer, and bandleader William C. Handy nicknamed the “Father of the Blues” died at the age of 84 from bronchial pneumonia.
1967 – Northern Irish singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Van Morrison recorded ‘Brown Eyed Girl’ at A & R Records studio. It was released as a single in June and it became one of his signature songs.
1970 – With ‘Bridge Over Troubled Water’, Simon and Garfunkel hit number one on the UK Singles chart for the first of three consecutive weeks.
1973 – Rock band Led Zeppelin released their fifth studio album ‘Houses of the Holy’ through Atlantic Records on this day March 28 in music history. The album became a chart-topper in the UK, Canada, the UK, and Australia, and it went on to sell over 12 million copies worldwide.
1974 – American Delta blues singer-songwriter and guitarist Arthur Crudup also known as ‘Big Boy’ died at the age of 69 from a heart attack. Best remembered for the hit songs ‘My Baby Left Me’ and ‘That’s All Right’.
1976 – Progressive rock band Genesis played the third show of their ‘A Trick of the Tail Tour’ at the Century Theatre in Buffalo. This was the group’s first concert tour with Phil Collins on lead vocals after Peter Gabriel left the band.
1981 – New wave band Blondie scored their second number one single of the year in the US with ‘Rapture’. They previously topped the Billboard Hot 100 on January 31 with ‘The Tide Is High’.
1981 – Welsh singer Shakin’ Stevens reached the top spot on the UK Singles chart with his rendition of ‘This Ole House’. The song also became a chart-topper in Australia, Ireland, South Africa, and Switzerland that year.
1985 – Over 6,000 radio stations in North American played ‘We Are the World’ simultaneously. The charity song raised raise more than $38 million for the African famine relief.
1987 – Pop music duo Mel & Kim scored their first and only number one single in the United Kingdom with ‘Respectable’.
2003 – American country and pop music singer-songwriter Farrell Holiday ‘Rusty’ Draper died at the age of 80 from pneumonia. Best remembered for songs such as ‘Gambler’s Guitar’, ‘Freight Train’, ‘Are You Satisfied’, and ‘The Shifting Whispering Sands’.
2009 – Irish singer and songwriter Ronan Keating started a two-week run at No.1 in the UK with his fifth solo studio album ‘Songs for My Mother’.
2009 – Lady Gaga scored her second number one single of the year in the UK with ‘Poker Face’ which held the top spot for three weeks straight. She previously topped the Singles chart on January 17 with ‘Just Dance’.
2012 – American electric blues harmonica player, guitarist, and vocalist Jerry ‘Boogie’ McCain died on this day March 28 at the age of 70.
2013 – American multi-instrumentalist, session musician, arranger, and producer Hugh McCracken died at the age of 70 from leukemia.
2014 – American singer Joe Frazier died at the age of 77. Best remembered as a member of the vocal group The Chad Mitchell Trio
2015 – American rapper Kendrick Lamar topped the UK Albums chart for the first time with his third studio release ‘To Pimp a Butterfly’.
2019 – With this sixth studio album ‘Singing to Strangers’, singer-songwriter Jack Savoretti went to number one in the UK.
BORN ON MARCH 28 IN MUSIC HISTORY
1915 – Composer and songwriter Jay Livingtston was born Jacob Harold Levison in McDonald, Pennsylvania. Best known for his collaboration with Ray Evans with whom he wrote composed numerous film scores.
1923 – American jazz trumpeter, composer, arranger, and bandleader Thad Jones was born on this day in Pontiac, Michigan.
1941 – American multi-instrumentalist Charles “Charlie” McCoy was born in Oak Hill, West Virginia. As a session musician he has collaborated with artists such as Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Bob Dyan, Chet Atkins, Loretta Lynn, and many others.
1945 – Scottish singer, percussionist and tambourine player Sally Carr was born in Muirhead, Scotland. She came to prominence as a founding member and lead vocalist of the pop group Middle of the Road.
1948 – Keyboardist, songwriter, and composer John Evan was born in Blackpool, England. He rose to fame as a member of the rock band Jethro Tull.
1948 – American keyboardist and founding member of the funk/soul band The Commodores, Milan Williams was born in Okolona, Mississippi.
1955 – Country music singer and actress Reba McEntire dubbed the “Queen of Country” was born in McAlester, Oklahoma. She has scored 25 No.1 singles on the country charts.
1962 – Bass guitarist, vocalist, producer and composer Ged Grimes was born in Dundee, Scotland. Best known as a member of the bands Danny Wilson and Simple Minds.
1965 – American guitarist Steven Neil Turner was born in Houston, Texas. Best known for his work with the rock bands Mudhoney and Green River.
1969 – American Rapper and songwriter Cheryl James was born in Brooklyn, New York. Best known as Salt from the hip hop group Salt-N-Pepa.
1976 – American guitarist, singer and songwriter David Keuning was born in Pella, Iowa. Best known as a founding member of the rock band The Killers.
1981 – American singer Michael Sarver was born in Sulphur, Louisiana. He came to prominence as a contestant on the singing competition TV series American Idol.
1986 – Singer, songwriter, pianist, and actress Stefani Germanotta better known professionally as Lady Gaga was born in New York City.