Music History - March 28

In 1939, Hal Kemp & His Orchestra recorded their future Top 5 hit "Three Little Fishies."

In 1950, in Nashville, Hank Snow and His Rainbow Ranch Boys recorded the Snow composition "I'm Movin' On." The record went to #1 on the Billboard country singles chart and stayed there for 21 weeks. It peaked at #27 on the pop singles chart.

In 1956, the Five Satins released the single "In The Still Of The Night" on the Standard Records label. It did not become a national hit until later that year after the master was sold to and released by Ember Records.

In 1957, Elvis Presley performed at Chicago's International Amphitheatre wearing his famous gold lamé suit for the first time. Ticket prices were $2.00, $2.75, and $3.50 (tax included). Chicagoan Ral Donner, who recorded four successful Elvis soundalike singles in 1961 and later narrated as Presley's voice in the 1981 documentary film, "This Is Elvis," was in the audience.

In 1958, Eddie Cochran recorded "Summertime Blues." The song is ranked #73 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.

Also in 1958, blues musician/bandleader/composer W.C. Handy, "The Father of the Blues," died of bronchial pneumonia at 84.

In 1958, Buddy Holly started a 43 date tour in Brooklyn, NY at the Alan Freed Big Beat Show. Also on the bill were Jerry Lee Lewis, Chuck Berry, Frankie Lymon, The Diamonds, Billy Ford, Danny & The Juniors, The Chantels, Larry Williams, Screaming Jay Hawkins, The Pastels, Jo-Ann Campbell and Ed Townsend.

In 1960, at Owen Bradley's Quonset Hut studio in Nashville, Brenda Lee recorded "I'm Sorry." It peaked at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart in July 1960.

In 1964, the Beatles became the first pop stars to have figures in Madame Tussauds in London.

Also in 1964, Radio Caroline, the first of the pirate radio stations, began broadcasting from a Danish Ferry in the North Sea off of England.

In 1965, Little Anthony and the Imperials performed "Hurts So Bad" and Bobby Vinton sang "Long Lonely Nights" plus a medley of his hits on CBS-TV's "The Ed Sullivan Show."

In 1966, Gary Lewis & the Playboys recorded "Green Grass."

On March 28, 1967, Van Morrison recorded "Brown Eyed Girl."The seminal cut has remained a popular classic pop song that continues to be played regularly on many radio stations and is featured on the top ten list as one of the most played songs by DJs.  It has been covered by hundreds of bands over the years and has earned many awards for Morrison, most prominently when it was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2007 and in 2003, when it was listed as one of the The 365 Top Selling Songs of the 20th Century by RIAA.

Also in 1967, working on a session for the new Beatles album 'Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band' at Abbey Road studios in London, John Lennon recorded his lead vocal for “Good Morning Good Morning,” and Paul McCartney added a lead guitar solo to the track. Lennon had decided he wanted to end the song with animal sound effects, and asked that they be sequenced in such a way that each successive animal was capable of scaring or eating the preceding one.

In 1968, Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell released the single "Ain't Nothing Like The Real Thing."

In 1969, Joe Cocker played his first US concert.

In 1970, "Woodstock" by Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young was released.

In 1971, "The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour" on CBS-TV welcomed guests Bobby Goldsboro, the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band and Paul Lynde.

On March 28, 1973, Led Zeppelin released their 'Houses Of The Holy' album. The cover art was inspired by the ending of Arthur C. Clarke's novel Childhood's End. (The ending involves several hundred million naked children, only slightly and physically resembling the human race in basic forms.) It is a collage of several photographs which were taken at the Giant's Causeway, Northern Ireland, by Aubrey Powell of Hipgnosis. This location was chosen ahead of an alternative one in Peru which was being considered.

The two children who modelled for the cover were siblings Stefan and Samanatha Gates. The photoshoot was a frustrating affair over the course of ten days. Shooting was done first thing in the morning and at sunset in order to capture the light at dawn and dusk, but the desired effect was never achieved due to constant rain and clouds. The photos of the two children were taken in black and white and were multi-printed to create the effect of 11 individuals that can be seen on the album cover. The results of the shoot were less than satisfactory, but some accidental tinting effects in post-production created an unexpectedly striking album cover. The inner sleeve photograph was taken at Dunluce Castle near to the Causeway.  In 2003, Houses of the Holy was ranked #149 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time

The Raspberries broke up in 1974.

In 1974, delta blues singer and guitarist Arthur “Big Boy” Crudup died of a stroke at the age of 69. He wrote “That’s All Right (Mama),” covered by Elvis Presley, and “My Baby Left Me.”

In 1975, Barbra Streisand attended Elvis Presley's show in Las Vegas and offered him the male lead role in her latest movie project, a remake of "A Star Is Born," co-starring Streisand. Despite his interest – Presley was said to have been ecstatic about the idea – the role went to Kris Kristofferson.

In 1976, in Buffalo, New York, Genesis began their first North American tour since Peter Gabriel's departure. Phil Collins was the new lead singer.

In 1982, in San Diego, David Crosby was arrested for driving under the influence and possession of Quaaludes, cocaine, drug paraphernalia, and an unlicensed .45 pistol. When the police asked Crosby why he was carrying the gun, he replied, "John Lennon."

In 1984, conductor/film score composer/arranger Carmen Dragon, leader of the Hollywood Bowl Symphony Orchestra and father of the Captain & Tennille's Daryl Dragon, died at the age of 69.

In 1985, more than 6,000 radio stations played "We are the World" simultaneously at 10:15 a.m., ET.

In 1987, the racially-integrated Doobie Brothers moved their upcoming concert from Phoenix to Las Vegas after learning that Arizona Governor Evan Mecham refused to let his state honor the new national holiday, Martin Luther King Day.

On this day in 1991, "Coming Out Of The Dark" by Gloria Estefan was the #1 song.

In 1992, Ozzy Osbourne caused over $100,000 in damage to the Irvine Meadows Amphitheater in California when he invited the first two rows on stage and many more join them.

In 1996, Phil Collins announced he was leaving Genesis for his solo career.

In 2000, Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin won his libel lawsuit against Ministry, a UK magazine that had claimed Page watched bandmate John Bonham choke to death while trying to revive him with Satanic spells. The magazine also apologized and offered to pay Page's legal bills. The money awarded to Page was donated to the Action for Brazil's Children Trust.

In 2001, jazz flutist/saxophonist/Canadian Music Hall of Famer Moe Koffman died of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma at the age of 72.

In 2001, Sean Combs/Puffy/Puff Daddy announced he was changing his name to P. Diddy.

In 2003, singer Rusty Draper died at the age of 80.

In 2005, at San Diego's iPay One Center, U2 began their four continent, 131-date Vertigo world tour.

In 2006, Whitney Houston's sister-in-law, Tina Brown, sold photos to the National Enquirer of Houston's bathroom that reportedly showed drugs and drug paraphanalia.

In 2006, the Pixies documentary loudQuietloud premiered at SXSW.

In 2010, jazz guitarist Herb Ellis died of Alzheimer's disease at age 88.

In 2013, country star Charlie Daniels was recovering after having a pacemaker implanted to regulate his heart rate. The 76-year-old "Devil Went Down To Georgia" singer was slated to resume his current tour on April 11th.

In 2013, guitarist/studio musician/producer/arranger Hugh McCracken, who played on sessions behind John Lennon, Paul McCartney, Billy Joel, Paul Simon, Steely Dan, B.B. Kind, Kenny Loggins, Roberrta Flack, James Taylor, Bob Dylan, Aretha Franklin, the 4 Seasons, Van Morrison, Phoebe Snow, Gordon Lightfoot, Neil Diamond, Carly Simon, Gary Wright, and Eric Carmen, among others, died of leukemia at the age of 70.

birthdays today include (among others):  John Evan (Jethro Tull) (66), Reba McEntire (59), Steve Turner (Mudhoney) (49), David Keuning (Killers) (38) and Lady Gaga (28)