On This Day, March 27 In Music History

EVENTS THAT HAPPENED ON THIS DAY MARCH 27 IN MUSIC HISTORY

On this day March 27 in 1957 – The 29th annual Academy Awards were held at the Hollywood Pantages Theater. Songwriters Jay Livingston and Ray Evans won an Oscar for Best Original Song with ‘Whatever WIll Be, Will Be (Que Sera)‘ which featured in the Alfred Hitchcock movie ‘The Man Who Knew Too Much’.

1959 – Popular music pianist Russ Conway started a four-week stint at number one on the UK Singles chart with ‘Side Saddle’.

1965 – With ‘Stop! In The Name of Love’The Supremes scored their second number one single of the year in the US. They previously topped the Billboard Hot 100 with ‘Come See About Me’ on January 16.

1965 – Guitarist Jeff Beck joined The Yardbirds as a replacement for Eric Clapton who left the band on March 25 because he didn’t want to make commercial music.

1967 – Rock band The Young Rascals recorded ‘Groovin” on this day March 27 in music history. The song was released on April 10 and it became one of their signature songs. It peaked at No.1 in the US and Canada.

1968 – With ‘Lady Madonna’The Beatles topped the UK Singles chart. The song also became a chart-topper in seven other countries that year

1973 – Under the influence of the Indian spiritual leader Sri Chinmoy, guitarist Carlos Santana changed his name to Devadip which means ‘The lamp, light and eye of God’.

1976 – Pop group Brotherhood of Man started a six-week run at number one in the UK with ‘Save Your Kisses for Me’, a single with which the group won the Eurovision Song Contest that year.

1982 – German disco group Goombay Dance Band hit number one on the UK Singles chart with ‘Seven Tears’ for the first of three weeks straight.

1986 – Hard rock band Van Halen kicked off their first tour with Sammy Hagar on lead vocals with a show at the Hirsch Memorial Coliseum in Shreveport. The tour concluded on November 3, 1986 at Cow Palace in Daly City.

1987 – With their compilation album ‘Their Greatest Hits’, British soul band Hot Chocolate reached number one in the UK.

1993 – American jazz tenor saxophone player Clifford Jordan died today at the age of 61 from lung cancer.

1995 – At the 67th annual Academy Awards, Elton John and Tim Rice won an Oscar for Best Original Song with ‘Can You Feel The Love’. Song from the Disney animated movie ‘The Lion King’.

1996 – American drummer and pianist Howard “Howie” Wyeth died at the age of 51 from cardiac arrest.

1999 – With ‘Blame it on the Weatherman’, Irish girl group B*Witched became the first act to have four singles from their debut album to reach No.1 in the UK.

1999 – Alternative rock band Blur scored their fourth consecutive number one album in the United Kingdom with ’13’.

2000 – British singer-songwriter and actor Ian Dury died at the age of 57 from cancer. Best remembered for his work with the bands Ian Dury and the Blocheads and Kilburn and the High Roads.

2004 – With his fifth and final solo studio album ‘Patience’, singer-songwriter George Michael hit No.1 in the UK.

George Michael – Amazing

YouTube player

2004 – R&B singer Usher featuring rappers Lil Jon and Ludacris reached the top spot on the UK Singles chart with ‘Yeah’.

2005 – Mexican singer Rigoberto Tovar Garcia died on this day March 27, aged 58 from complications of diabetes. He is one of the best-selling artists in Latin America with over 30 million albums sold.

2007 – Cuban trove singer, guitarist and composer Faustino Oramas also known as El Guayabero died at the age of 95.

2010 – With ‘Rude Boy’Rihanna started a five-week stint at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Her sixth chart-topper in the US.

2010 – American singers Lady Gaga and Beyonce started a two-week run at number one on the UK Singles chart with ‘Telephone’Lady Gaga also topped the UK Albums chart on this day with ‘The Fame’.

2010 – Rapper Ludacris topped the US Billboard 200 with his seventh studio album ‘Battle of the Sexes’.

2017 – Trinidadian British singer Clem Curtis died at the age of 76. Best remembered as a founding member of the vocal group The Foundations.

2021 –  Rapper Cardi B scored her fourth number one single in the United States with ‘Up’ which topped the Hot 100 chart.

BORN ON THIS DAY MARCH 27 IN MUSIC HISTORY

1904 – American jazz alto saxophonist, clarinetist, composer, arranger, and bandleader James Hal Kemp was born in Marion, Alabama.

1906 – American jazz clarinetist, saxophonist, and composer Charles Ellsworth “Pee Wee” Russell was born on this day in Maplewood, Missouri.

1924 – Grammy Award-winning jazz singer and pianist Sarah Vaughan was born in Newark, New Jersey..

1932 – Blues music singer, songwriter and harmonica player Herman ‘Junior’ Parker was born in Coahoma County, Mississippi.

1941 – American singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Walter ‘Bunny’ Sigler was born in Philadelphia, Philadelphia.  

1946 – Multi-instrumentalist Andrew “Andy” Bown was born on this day in Beckenham, England. Best known as a member of the rock band Status Quo.

1950 – Multi-instrumentalist, composer, songwriter, and founding member of the rock band GenesisAnthony ‘Tony’ Banks was born in East Hoathly with Halland, England.

1953 – Guitarist Wally Stocker was born in London, England. Best known for his work with bands such as Air Supply, The Babys, Humble Pie, and others.

1956 – Singer-songwriter, composer, producer and multi-instrumentalist Paul ‘Wix’ Wickens was born in Brentwood, England.

1957 – Co-founder and frontman of the post-punk band The Associates, William “Billy” Mackenzie was born on this day in Dundee, Scotland.

1959 – Australian multi-instrumentalist Andrew Farriss was born in Perth. He rose to fame as a a member of the rock band INXS.

1964 – Singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Clark Datchler was born in Sutton, England. Best known as the co-founder and frontman of the band Johnny Hates Jazz.

1969 – American singer, songwriter, and actress Mariah Carey was born in Huntington, New York. She is one of the best-selling artists of all time with over 220 million records sold worldwide.

1970 – American drummer and founding member of the rock band Blues Traveler, Brendan Colin Charles Hill was born on this day London, England.

1975 – Singer and rapper Fergie was born Stacy Ann Ferguson Hacienda Heights, California. She came to prominence as a member of the musical group The Black Eyed Peas.

1988 – English singer-songwriter Jessica Ellen Cornish also known professionally as Jessie J was born in London.

1990 – Singer and songwriter Kimbra Lee Johnson was born in Hamilton, New Zealand on this day March 27 in music history. Best known for featuring on the international hit song ‘Somebody That I Used to Know’.

1997 – Thai singer, rapper and dancer Lalisa Manobal also known as Lisa was born in Buriram, Thailand. She rose to fame as a member of the South Korean girl group Blackpink.

<< March 26

March 28 >>