March 1st

Musical birthdays today include Cuban composer & guitarist Leo Brouwer (85), ex-Blood, Sweat & Tears lead singer Jerry Fisher (82), former Manfred Mann lead singer Mike d'Abo (80), Roger Daltrey (80), Winston Rodney, AKA Burning Spear (79), Nik Kershaw (66), Gin Blossoms bassist Bill Leen (62), Soulsystem drummer Rob Affuso (61), singer-songwriter Mary-Lou Lord (59), Super Furry Animals drummer Dafydd Ieuan (54), Ke$ha (37), and Justin Bieber (30).  

Shoutout to the Great Beyond for Glenn Miller, born on this day in 1904... for Harry Belafonte, born in 1927... for record producer and manager Gerry Bron, born in 1933... for Québécois rocker Gerry Boulet, who would have been 78... for choral composer and poet Thomas Campion, who died on this date in 1621... for pianist and long-time Art Blakey sideman Bobby Timmons, who passed away today in 1974... and for original Jackson 5 drummer Johnny Jackson, who left us today in 2006. 

Also on March 1st: Buddy Holly kicks off what will be his only UK tour with a show at the Trocadero in London (1958)... Cellist Jacqueline du Pré makes her concert debut at London's Wigmore Hall... Elvis Presley signs a 5-year movie deal with Hal Wallis (1961)... At Abbey Road, the Beatles begin recording 'Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds' (1967)... Elton John's first single 'I've Been Loving You Too Long' is released in Britain on the Phillips label... Johnny Cash and June Carter are married (1968)... Jim Morrison is charged with lewd and lascivious behaviour after allegedly exposing himself to the crowd during a gig in Miami (1969)... Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon is released (1973)... Chris Difford places a handwritten advert in a shop window saying 'Lyricist seeks musician for co-writing. Glen Tillbrook is the first to answer the ad, and the two will go on to form Squeeze (1974)... The Eagles have their first US № 1 with 'Best of My Love' (1975)... Fred 'Sonic' Smith and Patti Smith are married (1980)... Janet Jackson opens her Rhythm Nation 1814 World Tour at the Miami Arena. As part of the show, Jackson has a live panther on stage, but after a widespread expression of concern for public safety, and several incidents of the panther urinating on the stage, the big cat is banished from the act after five shows (1990)... Nirvana play their final concert at the Terminal Eins in Munich. The venue, with a capacity of 3,000, is a disused airport hangar. When the power goes off halfway through the show, the band play an impromptu acoustic set, including a version of 'My Best Friend's Girl' by The Cars (1994)... Bruce Springsteen's 'Streets of Philadelphia' wins Song of the Year at the Grammys (1995)... Steely Dan release Two against Nature, their first studio album in 20 years (2000)... Kelly Clarkson becomes the only American Idol winner to date to have a UK № 1, when 'My Life Would Suck without You' tops the British chart (2009)