March 17th

Musical birthdays today include '60s pop star Adam Wade (88), John Sebastian (79), former War drummer Adam Brown (77), producer Patrick Adams (73), ex-Thin Lizzy guitarist Scott Gorham (72), former L.A. Guns lead singer Paul Black (64), ex-Altered Images lead singer Claire Grogan (61), VALIS frontman Van Conner (56), Billy Corgan (56), former Hole bassist Melissa Auf der Maur (51), Corrs drummer Caroline Corr (49), The Darkness frontman Justin Hawkins (48), and Last Shadow Puppets guitarist Miles Kane (37). 

Shoutout to the Great Beyond for Sayed Darwish, [often called the Father of modern Egyptian popular music], born on this day in 1892... for Nat King Cole, born in 1919... for  jazz flautist Paul Horn, born in 1930... for former Platters vocalist Zola Taylor, who would have been 84... for Jefferson Airplane guitarist Paul Kantner, who would have been 82... for The Call frontman Michael Been, who would have been 73... for Boyzone vocalist Stephen Gately, who would have been 47... for ex-Traffic and Blind Faith bassist Ric Grech, who died on this date in 1990 at the age of 43... for longtime ABBA drummer Ola Brunkert, who was found dead in his Majorca home with his throat cut today in 2008 ~ he was 62... and for former Box Tops lead singer Alex Chilton, who left us today in 2010. 

Also on March 17th: In Warsaw, 20-year-old Frédéric Chopin makes his concert debut. Among the pieces on the program is the composer's own Piano Concerto in f minor (1830)... Tchaikovsky's opera Eugene Onegin premieres in Moscow (1879)... Elvis buys the Graceland mansion from Mrs. Ruth Brown-Moore for $102,500. The original building was at one time a place of worship, and was given its name by the Graceland Baptist Church (1957)... With Rudy Van Gelder producing, John Coltrane has his final studio session, recording the title track for Expression, the last album he approved for release before his death... Harpist Sheila Bromberg becomes the first woman to play on a Beatles recording when she adds her part to the Sgt. pepper track 'She's Leaving Home'... The Grateful Dead's eponymous debut album is released (1967)... The Bee Gees make their US television debut on The Ed Sullivan Show (1968)... Eric Weissberg & Deliverance go to № 1 on the Billboard singles chart with 'Duellin' Banjos' (1973)... U2 win £500 and a chance to audition for CBS Ireland in a talent contest in Dublin (1978)... Van Halen's 'Jump' hits № 1 in the US. Over the years, David Lee Roth has given various explanations of the lyrics, but has most often said they came to him while watching live TV news coverage of a man threatening to kill himself by leaping off a building (1984)...  Ray Davies receives his CBE medal from the Queen at Buckingham Palace (2004)... The Smiths, who split acrimoniously in 1987, turn down a $5 million offer from the promoters of Coachella  to reunite for a one-off performance at this year's festival (2006)... John Lennon and George Harrison are honoured with a blue Heritage Plaque at the site of the former Apple Boutique at 94 Baker St., London (2013).