March 3rd

Musical birthdays today include former Searchers lead singer Mike Pender (79), Jennifer Warnes (74), Roger Waters sideman and former Thin Lizzy guitarist Terry 'Snowy' White (73), Robyn Hitchcock (68), Hooters guitarist John Lilley (67), Ronan Keating (44), and rapper Wesley 'Lil' Flip' Weston, Jr. (40). 

Shoutout to the Great Beyond for bluegrass legend Doc Watson, born today in 1923... for double bassist and John Coltrane sideman Jimmy Garrison, who would have been 87... for ex-Henry Cow woodwinds player Lindsay Cooper, who would have been 70... for composer Johann Pachelbel, who died on this date in 1706... for classical pianist Paul Wittgenstein, who died in 1961... for Danny Kaye, who passed away in 1987... for flamenco guitarist Carlos Montoya, who died in 1993... for Beatles recording engineer Norman Smith, who passed away in 2008... for Ronnie Montrose, who lost a long battle with cancer today in 2012... and for former Miracles vocalist Bobby Rogers, who left us in 2013. 

Also on March 3rd: Bizet's Carmen receives its premiere at the Opéra Comique in Paris (1875)... Cab Calloway records 'Minnie the Moocher', which will become the first million-selling jazz single (1930)... President Herbert Hoover signs the bill making The Star-Spangled Banner the official US national anthem (1931)... Jackie Brenston, backed by Ike Turner and his band, records 'Rocket 88' [often cited as the first ever rock 'n' roll record] at Sam Phillips' studio in Memphis, TN (1951)... In Los Angeles, Neil Young, Stephen Stills and Richie Furay form Buffalo Springfield (1966)... Led Zeppelin record their first BBC Radio 1 'Top Gear' session at the Playhouse Theatre in London (1969)... The South African Broadcasting Corporation lifts its ban on The Beatles (1971)... Slade debut on the UK single chart at № 1 with 'Com on Feel the Noize', mking them the first act since the Beatles to achieve the feat... Robert Flack takes home the Grammy for Song of the Year for 'The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face (1973)... Patti Smith's album Easter is released (1978)... The Bee Gees have the № 1 album in the US with Spirits Having Flown (1979)... Michael Jackson personally unveils his waxwork lookalike at Madame Tussaud's (1985)... The Smashing Pumpkins are banned from performing their new single 'Disarm' on the BBC's Top of the Pops because of the song's lyrical content (1994)... Foo Fighters make their live debut during a benefit show at the Satyricon in Portland, OR (1995)... Ray Jackson files suit against Rod Stewart over the latter's 1971 hit 'Maggie May'. Jackson claims that he came up with the tune's classic mandolin 'hook', and may have lost as much as £1 million because he did not receive credit for it. The musician, who later found fame with Lindisfarne, was payed just £15 for the session in 1971 (2003)... Elton John announces that he intends to marry his longtime partner David Furnish if a change in UK law will allow it (2004)... To celebrate the release of their new album No Line on the Horizon and their appearance every night for a week on the Late Show with David Letterman, NYC mayor Michael Bloomberg announces that part of 53rd street in Midtown Manhattan will temporarily be renamed U2 Way (2009).