This Day in Music
On this day in music, March 26, 1995, 31-year-old rapper Eazy-E, who rose to fame as a member of the genre-defining West Coast group N.W.A., died of complications from AIDS in Los Angeles. Born Eric Wright in Compton, E established the iconic hip-hop label Ruthless Records in 1986 and a year later co-founded N.W.A., a highly influential group whose debut album, 1988’s Straight Outta Compton, established the blueprint for gangster rap. He released two solo albums, including the posthumous Str8 Off Tha Streetz of Muthaphukkin Compton.
In 1983, Duran Duran made their debut at the top of the UK singles chart with “Is There Something I Should Know?.” The Birmingham New Romantic group would top the UK charts again a year later with “The Reflex.”
In 2019, Ranking Roger, a founding member of the British groups The English Beat and General Public, died at the age of 56. Roger was famous for his Jamaican-style “toasting,” a form of rapping, which graced the records of both bands. He also recorded with Special Beats – an offshoot of the ska band The Specials – The Clash, and the Police.
In 1996, Canadian star Shania Twain enjoyed her first US No.1 when her second album, The Woman In Me, rose to the top of the Billboard country chart. The album went on to sell 20 million copies around the world.
In 1977, Hall & Oates scored their first of six US No.1s with “Rich Girl,” taken from their 1976 album, Bigger Than The Both Of Us. It spent three weeks at the top and was ranked the 23rd biggest hit of 1977 by Billboard.
In 2004, Jan Berry, one-half of the famous west coast surf duo Jan and Dean, died at the age of 62. The pair met at high school and recorded as Jan & Arnie in 1958 before becoming Jan & Dean a year later. Between 1959 and 1976, they placed 27 singles on the US charts, including 1963’s “Surf City,” their only No.1.
BORN ON MARCH 26
1917: Rufus Thomas
1944: Diana Ross
1948: Steven Tyler (Aerosmith)
1950: Teddy Pendergrass
1968: James Iha (Smashing Pumpkins)
1968: Kenny Chesney
1981: Jay Sean
