EVENTS THAT HAPPENED ON THIS DAY MARCH 15 IN MUSIC HISTORY
On this day March 15 in 1955 – Fats Domino recorded ‘Ain’t It A Shame‘. The song was released on April 14 and it reached No.1 on the Billboard R&B chart. Pat Boone also recorded his version of the song later that year which topped the Billboard Pop chart
1966 – The 8th Annual Grammy Awards were held at the Radio City Music Hall in New York City. Roger Miller, Tom Jones, Frank Sinatra, Herb Alpert, Tony Bennet, Petula Clark, and Barbra Streisand among the winners that night.
1968 – The Beatles released the single ‘Lady Madonna’ on this day March 15 in music history. The song became a chart-topper in eight countries worldwide that year.
1969 – Singer-songwriter Tommy Roe started a four-week stint at No.1 on the US Billboard Hot 100 with ‘Dizzy’. The song also became a chart-topper in the UK and Canada that year.
1969 – Rock supergroup Cream went to No.1 in the UK on this day March 15 with their fourth and final studio album ‘Goodbye’ also known as ‘Goodbye Cream’.
1975 – With her fifth studio album ‘Have You Never Been Mellow’, Olivia Newton-John topped the US Billboard 200 chart.
1975 – The Doobie Brothers scored their first number one single on the US Billboard Hot 100 with ‘Black Water‘ on this day March 15.
1975 – Led Zeppelin reached the top spot on the UK Albums chart with ‘Physical Graffiti’. The album also peaked at No.1 in Canada and the US that year.
1976 – Hard rock pioneers Deep Purple finished their tour with a show at the Empire Theater in Liverpool on this day March 15 in music history. This was the group’s last concert before the breakup which lasted until 1984 when Ian Gillan and Ritchie Blackmore rejoined.
10 Fun Facts about Deep Purple
1980 – R&B and disco music singer Fern Kinney went to number one on the UK Singles chart with ‘Together We Are Beautiful’.
1982 – Bob Dylan and Paul Simon were inducted into the Songwriters Hall of fame at the annual induction ceremony held at the Hilton Hotel in New York on this day March 15.
1986 – The number one single in the United States on this day March 15 was ‘Sara’ by the pop rock band Starship which also reached No.1 in Canada.
1989 – The Rolling Stones signed the biggest contract ($70 million) in music history at the time to play 50 shows in North America.
1997 – With their double A-side single ‘Mama’ / ‘Who Do You Think You Are’, the Spice Girls started a three-week run at No.1 in the UK on this day March 15.
1997 – Irish rock band U2 scored their sixth number one album in the UK with ‘Pop’. The album was a hit worldwide that year and it reached No.1 in 35 countries in total.
1999 – Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on this day March 15 in music history: Bruce Springsteen, Del Shannon, Billy Joel, Dusty Springfield, Curtis Mayfield, Paul McCartney, and George Martin.
2002 – American singer and founding member of The Teddy Bears, Marshall Leib died at the age of 63 from a heart attack.
2004 – Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on this day March 15: The Dells, ZZ Top, Jackson Browne, Prince, Traffic, Bob Seger and George Harrison.
2008 – R&B singer Usher featuring rapper Young Jeezy started a three-week stint at No.1 on the US Billboard Hot 100 with ‘Love in This Club’.
Usher ft. Young Jeezy – Love in This Club
2008 – With her debut studio album ‘Rockferry’, Welsh singer Duffy hit number one in the UK on this day March 15 for the first of four weeks straight.
2010 – Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame: Jimmy Cliff, Genesis, The Hollies, The Stooges and ABBA.
May interest you: Metal Bands in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
2013 – American singer, songwriter, and guitarist Sidney Louie Gunter Jr also known as Hardrock Gunter died on this day March 15 in music history, aged 88.
2014 – American drummer Scott Asheton died on this day at the age of 64. Best remembered for co-founding the punk-rock band The Stooges.
2014 – With his second studio album ‘Girl’, musician and record producer Pharrell Williams hit No.1 in the UK on this day March 15.
2014 – British DJ and record producer Route 94 featuring singer Jess Glynne topped the UK Singles chart with ‘My Love’.
2014 – With his third studio album ‘Oxymoron’, rapper Schoolboy Q topped the US Billboard 200 on this day March 15.
2015 – American bassist Michael “Mike” Porcaro died at the age of 59 after a long battle with ALS. Best known for his work with the pop rock band Toto.
BORN ON THIS DAY MARCH 15 IN MUSIC HISTORY
1912 – Country blues singer-songwriter, guitarist and pianist Samuel “Lightnin” Hopkins was born in Centerville, Texas on this day March 15 in music history.
1919 – American record producer George Avakian was born in Armavir, Russia. Best known for his collaboration with artists such as Louis Armstrong, Miles Davi, Duke Ellington, Ravi Shankar, Benny Goodman, and others.
1922 – British trumpeter Eddie Calvert was born on this day March 15 in Preston, England. Best known for his chart topping singles ‘Oh, Mein Papa’ and ‘Cherry Pink (and Apple Blossom White)’.
1932 – Grammy Award-winning Turkish-American record producer Arif Mardin was born in Istanbul. Best known for his work with the likes of Queen, Phil Collins, Bee Gees, Norah Jones, Aretha Franklin, Ringo Starr, and so on.
1940 – Bass guitarist and founding member of the rock band Grateful Dead, Philip Lesh was born on this day March 15 in Berkeley, California.
1941 – Singer-songwriter and founding member of The Beach Boys, Michael “Mike” Love was born in Los Angeles, California.
1943 – Singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and producer Sly Stone was born Sylvester Stewart in Denton, Texas on this day March 15 in music history. Best known as the frontman and leader of Sly & the Family Stone.
1946 – American guitarist, songwriter and founding member of the funk rock band War, Howard E. Scott was born in Los Angeles, California.
1947 – American multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, producer and score composer Ryland “Ry” Cooder was born on this day March 15 in Los Angeles, California.
1948 – Reggae drummer Steve “Grizzly” Nisbett was born in Nevis. He came to prominence as a member of the band Steel Pulse.
1955 – American singer and songwriter Daniel “Dee” Snider was born on this day March 15 in New York City. Best known as the frontman of the heavy metal band Twisted Sister.
1962 – Singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Terence Trent D’Arby was born on this day in Manhattan, New York City.
1963 – Co-founder and frontman of the glam metal band Poison, Bret Michaels was born in Butler, Pennsylvania on this day March 15 in music history.
1964 – American singer Rockwell was born Kennedy William Gordy in Detroit, Michigan. Best known for his 1984 hit song ‘Somebody’s Watching Me’.
1968 – American singer Mark McGrath was born on this day March 15 in Hartford, Connecticut. He rose to fame as the frontman of the rock band Sugar Ray.
1968 – Guitarist and only constant member of the heavy metal band Iced Earth, Jon Schaffer was born in Franklin, Indiana.
1972 – Bassist, singer, songwriter, and record producer Mark Hoppus was born on this day March 15 in Ridgecrest, California. Best known as a founding member of the pop rock band Blink-182.
1975 – Rapper and producer William Adams better known by his stage name will.i.am was born in Los Angeles, California. Best known as the founder and leader of the group Black Eyed Peas.
1977 – Multi-instrumentalist and DJ Joseph “Joe” Hahn was born in Dallas, Texas on this day March 15 in music history. He came to prominence as a member of the rock band Linkin Park.