Today in Music History - March 4

Today in Music History for March 4:

In 1678, composer Antonio Vivaldi was born.

In 1948, Chris Squire, bass player with the group "Yes," was born in London. One of the most successful progressive rock bands of the 1970s, the group was hated by the critics and loved by the audiences. "The Yes Album," "Fragile" and "Close to the Edge" were all certified gold. "Yes" broke up in 1980 but reformed again in 1983. Chris Squire recorded a solo album, "Fish Out of Water," in 1975.

In 1966, musician John Lennon touched off an international protest when he was quoted in the London Evening Standard as saying "The Beatles" were "more popular than Jesus Christ." When the quote was widely reported in North America several months later, some protesters burned their "Beatles" records. Lennon later apologized for the remark. In April, 2010 the Vatican forgave Lennon, saying it was a thing of the past.

In 1966, "The Who" released the single "Substitute" on producer Robert Stigwood's Reaction Records in violation of their current deal with Brunswick Records in Britain.

In 1967, a British newspaper reported that brothers Steve and Muff Winwood were leaving "The Spencer Davis Group." Steve Winwood went on to form "Traffic."

In 1971, "The Rolling Stones" announced they were moving to France to avoid British income taxes.

In 1973, "Pink Floyd" began a U.S. tour in Wisconsin. The band was supporting the album, "Dark Side of the Moon."

In 1977, "The Rolling Stones" made a rare nightclub appearance at the El Mocambo in Toronto. The concert was advertised only as a performance by the opening act, the Canadian group "April Wine." The Stones' appearance was kept secret until the last minute. Recordings were made of both bands' performances, but only that of "April Wine" has been released.

In 1977, "Santana" played the Roseland Ballroom in New York City. What made the concert unique was the fact that it was advertised only in the Spanish-language media.

In 1980, "Coal Miner's Daughter," the film biography of country singer Loretta Lynn, premiered in Nashville. Lynn was played on screen by Sissy Spacek, who also did all the singing in the movie and won the best actress Oscar.

In 1986, a judge in New Jersey appointed a legal guardian for singer Connie Francis, who was in a psychiatric clinic for treatment of manic-depressive psychosis.

In 1986, Howard Greenfield, Neil Sedaka's longtime songwriting partner, died of AIDS at 49.

In 1986, Richard Manuel, pianist for the rock group "The Band," was found hanged in the bathroom of his motel room in Winter Park, Fla. The 42-year-old Manuel, originally from Stratford, Ont., had performed with other members of "The Band" in Winter Park the previous night. "The Band" evolved from a group taken to Ontario in 1958 by Ronnie Hawkins. As "The Hawks," they worked with Hawkins during the early '60s. In 1965, the group moved to the U.S., where they became Bob Dylan's backing band. "The Band" released its first LP, "Music From the Big Pink," in 1968. They had a number of hit singles over the next eight years -- among them, "The Weight," "Up on Cripple Creek" and "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down." "The Band's" farewell concert took place in November, 1976 at the Winterland Ballroom in San Francisco, with a host of rock stars in attendance. The event was captured on film as "The Last Waltz."

In 1987, the world's first long-distance recording session took place as Stevie Wonder and Quincy Jones in Los Angeles teamed with a chorus in New York to overdub an anti-drug song, "Stop, Don't Pass Go."

In 1990, David Bowie kicked off his "Sound and Vision" world tour in Quebec City.

In 1992, rock 'n' roll recording pioneer Al Silver died in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., at 78.

In 1993, a girl was born to singers Whitney Houston and Bobby Brown. Bobbi Kristina was Houston's first child and Brown's fourth.

In 1993, country star Clint Black played four shows for U.S. troops serving in Somalia.

In 1993, singer Patti LaBelle got a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

In 1994, producers Chris and Bob Herbert placed an ad in a British magazine for female singers who can dance. Nearly 400 auditioned, and five were chosen for a group that became the "Spice Girls."

In 1994, "Nirvana" lead singer Kurt Cobain went into a coma in Rome after an overdose of powerful sedatives combined with alcohol. At the time, the overdose was reported to be accidental. But after Cobain committed suicide at his Seattle home a month later, the Rome incident was revealed to be a suicide attempt, complete with a note.

In 1995, Canadian classical guitarist Liona Boyd played a one-hour concert in Los Angeles for the sequestered jurors and deputy sheriffs in the O.J. Simpson murder trial.

In 1996, Paul McCartney announced that the three surviving members of "The Beatles" had turned down a $225 million offer for a world tour.

In 1996, Minnie Pearl, the first country comedian to become world-famous, died in Nashville of complications from a stroke. She was 83. Pearl, whose real name was Sarah Cannon, spent more than 50 years on the Grand Ole Opry and 20 on the TV show "Hee-Haw."

In 1997, fans lined up at record stores in Canada and the U.S. to buy "U2's" ninth full-length album, "Pop." Some stores opened as early as midnight.

In 1999, Eddie Dean, a singing cowboy in the 1930s and '40s, died in Newhall, Calif., at the age of 91.

In 2001, Nelly Furtado was the big winner at the 30th Juno Awards Show in Hamilton. She won for best single ("I'm Like a Bird"), best new solo artist, best producer and best songwriter. The ceremony also saw Bruce Cockburn inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame.

In 2001, singer Glenn Hughes died of lung cancer at 50. He was the mustachioed, leather-clad biker in the 1970s and '80s disco group "The Village People."

In 2011, singer Johnny Preston died in a hospital in Beaumont, Texas, at the age of 71. He had bypass surgery in 2010 and suffered from lingering health problems. He was discovered by The Big Bopper, who wrote and produced Preston's 1960 No. 1 hit "Running Bear."

In 2013, Fran Warren, whose 1947 recording of "A Sunday Kind of Love" was one of the classic hits of the big band era, died of natural causes at her home in Brookfield, Conn., on her 87th birthday. Her career spanned more than 50 years with hits that included the Tony Martin duet "I Said My Pajamas (and Put On My Prayers)," the Lisa Kirk duet "Dearie" and "It's Anybody's Heart."

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(The Canadian Press)