Today in Music History for March 3:
In 1875, one of the most popular operas ever written, Georges Bizet's "Carmen," premiered in Paris. It unfolds a story of love, hate, jealousy and murder set in the world of Spanish gypsies and bullfighters. The composer was booed out of the theatre.
In 1927, bluesman Herman (Junior) Parker was born in West Memphis, Ark. Influenced and aided early in his career by Sonny Boy Williamson, Parker cut his first records for the Sun label in 1952. His "Feelin' Good" hit the R&B top-10 the following year. And, Elvis Presley recorded Parker's "Mystery Train" for Sun in 1955. Parker later took his modern country blues to Duke Records, where he had his biggest hit in 1962 -- "Annie Get Your Yo-Yo." Junior Parker died in 1971 following eye surgery.
In 1931, "The Star Spangled Banner" was made the official anthem of the United States.
In 1931, singer and bandleader Cab Calloway recorded his theme song, "Minnie the Moocher," said to be one of the first million-selling jazz records. At the time, Calloway was a headliner at the Cotton Club in Harlem, where his "Hi-De-Ho" scat singing and hot band were all the rage.
In 1966, Canadian Neil Young, Stephen Stills, Richie Furay, Dewey Martin and Bruce Palmer formed "Buffalo Springfield" in Los Angeles. The group laid the groundwork for country rock, and several members later found success in "Poco" and "Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young." When "Buffalo Springfield" started, it was the house band for the Whiskey-a-Go-Go. Stephen Stills' composition, "For What It's Worth," gave the band its biggest hit in 1967. Before "Buffalo Springfield's" third album was released in 1968, the group had broken up, partly because of disagreements between Stills and Neil Young.
In 1967, the "Jeff Beck Group,” featuring Rod Stewart and Ron Wood, made what press reports termed a disastrous debut in London.
In 1967, "Eric Burdon and the Animals" refused to do a show in Ottawa unless they were paid in advance; 3,000 members of the audience went on a rampage, causing $5,000 damage.
In 1973, "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" by Roberta Flack was named Song and Record of the Year at the Grammys. "The Concert for Bangladesh" won Album of the Year.
In 1977, Bruce Springsteen dropped into a "KISS" recording session, where he contributed some guitar licks to the song "Love Gun."
In 1982, the re-formed "The Mamas and Papas," with Spanky McFarlane replacing the late Mama Cass Elliot and MacKenzie Phillips replacing step-mom Michelle Phillips, made their debut in New York City.
In 1983, a Cleveland member of the Hell's Angels told a U.S. Senate panel that the California branch of the biker gang had had a contract out on Mick Jagger ever since "The Rolling Stones" put in a disastrous appearance at Altamont in 1969.
In 1984, "Woke Up In Love" by "Exile" reached the top of the country charts. It was the group's first No. 1 hit.
In 1993, guitarist Carlos Montoya, who helped transform flamenco from Spanish folk music into an internationally popular style, died in Wainscott, N.Y. He was 89. His solo flamenco recitals, beginning in the 1940s, made him one of the first guitarists to break away from the traditional role as an accompanist in dance and vocal performances. His arrangements also were ground-breaking, including elements from jazz and pop music.
In 1993, "Van Halen" paid the city of West Hollywood, Calif., $10,000 after 3,000 fans turned up at the Whisky nightclub where 200 tickets were being sold for a surprise concert. The city demanded payment for police used to control the crowd.
In 1994, Barbra Streisand auctioned off part of her art collection for US$5.7 million.
In 1994, "Motley Crue" drummer Tommy Lee was put on probation for a year after pleading no contest to carrying a gun at Los Angeles International Airport.
In 1995, "R.E.M." drummer Bill Berry underwent surgery for a brain hemorrhage two days after falling ill during a concert in Lausanne, Switzerland.
In 1998, tenor Luciano Pavarotti was honoured by the United Nations as a "messenger of peace." He had organized an all-star charity show the previous year to raise money for a children's musical centre in Mostar, a Bosnian city bitterly divided between Muslims and Croats.
In 1999, a judge in London approved an US$880,000 payment to former "Oasis" drummer Tony McCarroll. He had sued the band after he was fired in 1996. McCarroll was sacked after a fight with singer Liam Gallagher in a Paris bar. He played on the band's 1995 debut album "Definitely Maybe" and on the single "Some Might Say" from its second album, "(What's the Story) Morning Glory?"
In 2002, country songwriter Harlan Howard, whose hits included "I Fall to Pieces" and "Busted," died in Nashville at age 74.
In 2009, Britney Spears kicked off her first concert tour in five years. The "Circus Tour" opened in her home state of Louisiana at the New Orleans Arena. She was dressed as a sexy ringmaster and directed a colourful cast that included jugglers, acrobats and martial arts dancers. In the previous five years, Spears' life had publicly spiraled out of control: she married and divorced, had two kids, went to rehab, went through a custody battle, found herself briefly committed, and was so out of control that her father, Jamie Spears, was appointed by a court to oversee her personal and professional affairs indefinitely.
In 2010, pop star Shakira received a medal from the UN labour agency for her work to help impoverished children. She has worked as a UNICEF goodwill ambassador and her Barefoot foundation provides nutrition to more than 6,000 children in her native Colombia.
In 2010, Canadian fans of the late Frank Zappa's music lost their chance to hear members of his original band play his tunes when two members of "Grande Mothers Re:Invented" were stopped at Vancouver International Airport and refused entry into Canada. The band was forced to cancel shows in Vancouver and Whitehorse.
In 2010, the throne speech in Ottawa proposed reviewing the national anthem to consider using the original words "thou dost in us command" instead of "in all thy sons command." A public backlash ensued and the government backed down two days later.
In 2011, 10-year-old Winnipeg singing sensation Maria tweeted a YouTube link of her performing Gaga's outsider anthem "Born This Way" and the video went viral drawing more than 17 million views.
In 2011, "Hole" frontwoman Courtney Love's Twitter rants against fashion designer Dawn Simorangkir cost her more than US$430,000 after a defamation lawsuit was settled.
In 2013, Bobby Rogers, a founding member of Motown group "The Miracles" and a collaborator with Smokey Robinson, died at age 73. He formed the group in 1956 with cousin Claudette Rogers, Pete Moore, Ronnie White and Robinson. Their hits included "I Second That Emotion" and "The Tears of a Clown." Rogers and "The Miracles" were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2012. Rogers and Robinson co-wrote "The Way You Do The Things You Do" for The Temptations and "First I Look at the Purse" for The Contours. He's also the voice on Marvin Gaye's "What's Going On" who says, "It's just a groovy party, man, I can dig it."
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The Canadian Press
