On this day in music, March 12, 1955, saxophonist Charlie Parker, considered the father of modern jazz, died at the age of 34 in New York City. Nicknamed “Bird,” Parker was born in Kansas City and, in the mid-1940s, became the main instigator of a revolutionary and highly influential new jazz style called bebop. In addition to penning a variety of jazz standards (including “Yardbird Suite,” “Confirmation,” and “Scrapple from the Apple”), Bird was revered for his innovative approach to phrasing and rhythm.
In 2013, Bob Dylan was voted into the American Academy of Arts and Letters. He was the first rock star to be admitted as a member of the elite institution, joining the likes of writer Ezra Pound and jazz musician Duke Ellington. Unsure of whether to acknowledge him for his words or music, the academy elected to recognize him as an honorary member, as they did with earlier inductees Martin Scorsese and Meryl Streep.
In 1967, the Velvet Underground & Nico released their self-titled debut. Though now regarded as a landmark album that launched art-rock, it was initially ignored by the critics, shunned by radio stations, and sold poorly.
In 2022, Stereophonics scored their eighth UK No.1 with their 25th-anniversary album, Oochya!. The feat tied them with Oasis, R.E.M., and Taylor Swift for the most chart-topping albums on the chart.
In 1969, The Temptations became the first Motown act to win a Grammy Award with “Cloud Nine.” An early example of “psychedelic soul,” the song (which won for Best Rhythm & Blues Group Performance) peaked at No. 2 on the US charts and marked the debut of lead singer Dennis Edwards, who replaced David Ruffin.
In 1988, Rick Astley’s “Never Gonna Give You Up” began a two-week run at No.1 on the Billboard Hot 100. The British singer’s debut single also topped the UK pop chart.
In 2001, Judy Garland’s “Over The Rainbow” was voted the Song Of The Century in a US-based poll.
BORN ON MARCH 12
1917: Leonard Chess (Co-founder of Chess Records)
1940: Al Jarreau
1946: Liza Minnelli
1948: James Taylor
1949: Bill Payne (Little Feat)
1969: Graham Coxon (Blur)
1979: Pete Doherty (The Libertines/Babyshambles)
The Litchfield Area Mentorship Program has been busy this winter with gratitude events to recognize some of the partners who help with the program. The organization is also getting ready for the annual Ham Bingo fundraiser.
Judy Hulterstrum says Ham Bingo will be held on Friday, March 27th at the Litchfield Eagles Club at 6 p.m. with doors opening at 5 p.m. She says you can order supper and then play bingo with a chance to win a ham during each of the 20 games and raffle prizes.
Hulterstrum says LAMP handed out mugs to teachers and staff in the Litchfield School District earlier this winter on the 100th day of school to recognize them for their help with LAMP, and they had a similar event Tuesday for Meeker County staff to recognize them for their help. She says they are going to do a similar event this spring at Dassel-Cokato and if anyone has used mugs to donate, they may call 320-699-1616 because the mugs get filled with goodies that they will give to the teachers and staff.
Pie Day is coming up on Saturday at the Litchfield Opera House from 9-to-11 a.m. A variety of pies and crisps will be available for sale.
Connie Lies says if you pre-ordered pies and didn’t receive them in advance, you may pick them up at the Opera House on Saturday, preferably between 9 and 9:30 a.m. She says they will have more pies and crisps available for people who didn’t pre-order and will keep selling until 11 a.m. or until the pies and crisps are gone, and several varieties will be available.
Lies says the pies are $10 each, but since it’s the 250th anniversary of America this year, there’s a special on the apple pies – so if you buy one, you get the second one for just $5. She says the crisps are $7 each, and all of the pies and crisps have natural ingredients – no preservatives, and the crusts are homemade.
Lies says proceeds from the pie sale will go into the endowment fund at the Litchfield Opera House to help with major projects that may come up in the future such as new roofing. She says one of the current projects in the Opera House is installation of railings for the balcony.
On this day in music, March 11, 1978, Meat Loaf‘s debut album Bat Out Of Hell began its record-breaking 416-week run on the UK chart. Despite spending almost nine years on the best-sellers list, it never reached the top spot, peaking at No. 9. In America, the album (which began Meatloaf’s long association with noted songwriter and producer Jim Steinman) plateaued at No.13 during an 83-week chart reign. To date, it has sold in excess of 43 million copies worldwide and has been certified 14x Platinum by the RIAA.
In 2016, 71-year-old prog-rock pioneer Keith Emerson took his own life. The virtuosic, classically trained keyboardist, songwriter, and producer initially rose to fame leading The Nice and in 1970, co-founded Emerson, Lake & Palmer, a supergroup with Greg Lake and Carl Palmer. Together, they made eight albums between 1970 and 1978 and reached No. 2 in the UK charts with their version of Aaron Copland’s “Fanfare For The Common Man.”
In 2015, a Los Angeles jury ruled in the favor of Marvin Gaye’s family, who claimed that Robin Thicke’s 2013 US chart-topper, “Blurred Lines,” copied elements from the soul icon’s 1977 hit, “Got To Give It Up.” Thicke, along with co-writers Pharrell Williams and T. I., strenuously denied copying the Motown song but jurors decided that “Blurred Lines” infringed Gaye’s copyright and awarded his family $7.3m in damages.
In 1967, Lennon and McCartney’s publisher, Dick James, announced that 446 different versions of The Beatles’ “Yesterday” had been recorded since it was first released in 1965. In 1986, the Guinness Book Of Records estimated that 1,600 cover versions existed.
In 1965, Welsh singer Tom Jones reached No.1 on the UK singles chart with “It’s Not Unusual,” the first of sixteen British chart-toppers. The song, co-written by Jones’ manager Gordon Mills, was originally earmarked for Sandi Shaw but when she heard Jones’ demo version, she recommended he cut it instead.
In 1993, Oasis recorded their first demos at The Real People’s studio in Liverpool, which led them to sign with Creation Records. The demo was officially released in 2014 as a limited edition cassette called Live Demonstration, coinciding with the 20th Anniversary of their debut album, Definitely Maybe.
BORN ON MARCH 11
1947: Mark Stein (Vanilla Fudge)
1950: Bobby McFerrin
1961: Bruce Watson (Big Country)
1964: Vinnie Paul (Pantera)
1968: Lisa Loeb
1979: Joel and Benji Madden (Good Charlotte)
1981: LeToya Nicole Luckett (Destiny’s Child)