This Day in Rock History: March 10
Claiming to be the worst singer Black Sabbath ever had, Ian Gillan left the band after only one year on March 10, 1984. He had replaced Ronnie James Dio, who…
Claiming to be the worst singer Black Sabbath ever had, Ian Gillan left the band after only one year on March 10, 1984. He had replaced Ronnie James Dio, who quit in 1982. Gillan only appeared on Black Sabbath's Born Again album. The infamous Black Sabbath isn't the only band with a historic connection to March 10. In fact, on this day in rock history, many interesting and notable occurrences happened, and we're here to share a few of the most intriguing.
Breakthrough Hits and Milestones
These were some of the biggest breakthrough hits and milestones from March 10 that affected the industry:
- 1958: Tom and Jerry, a teenage duo who later went by their real names, Simon & Garfunkel, released "Our Song." This was the second song the 15-year-old duo had released.
- 1962: Bruce Channel made it to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 with his song "Hey! Baby." The song stayed on top for three weeks.
- 1981: Jimmy Page made his first public appearance on stage after Led Zeppelin's dissolution in December 1980. He joined his former Yardbirds bandmate Jeff Beck on stage at the Hammersmith Odeon in London, and they performed three songs together.
Cultural Milestones
The following March 10 cultural milestones ensured the landscape of rock music was never the same:
- 1963: Legendary producer Rick Rubin was born in Long Beach, New York. He produced many albums from legendary rock bands, including Metallica, Slayer, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Rage Against the Machine, Audioslave, AC/DC, Aerosmith, and Linkin Park, among others.
- 1972: The rock band America received a Gold record for their self-titled debut studio album, released in January. The album sold over a million copies and stayed at the top of the Billboard chart for five weeks.
- 2003: Many inspiring rock artists were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, including the Righteous Brothers, AC/DC, Elvis Costello and the Attractions, The Clash, The Police, and Floyd Cramer. The induction ceremony was held at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York City.
Notable Recordings and Performances
Notable recordings and performances in rock music from March 10 that forever changed the genre include:
- 1964: Simon and Garfunkel recorded the original acoustic-only version of their biggest hit, "The Sound of Silence," at Columbia Records in New York City. The song only became a hit later on, when their label added electric guitar, bass, and drums, without the duo's knowledge, and released a new version.
- 1967: Aretha Franklin released her tenth studio album, I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You, via Atlantic Records. It was a commercial success for the first-ever female Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee, and included the timess hit "Respect."
- 1975: Elvis Presley was in the studio recording "Fairytale," "I Can Help," "And I Love You So," and "Green Green Grass of Home." These songs featured on his final studio album titled Today.
- 1998: Eric Clapton released his first new studio album since Journeyman in 1989. It debuted at No. 4 on the chart and was nominated for several music awards.
Industry Changes and Challenges
These changes and challenges in the rock music industry on March 10 ensured you could enjoy your favorite songs today:
- 1988: The youngest brother of the Bee Gees, Andy Gibb, died at age 30. He suffered a heart attack caused by myocarditis, or inflammation of the lining of the heart, which was likely exacerbated by his years of cocaine use.
- 2005: Arriving over an hour late and in his pajamas, Michael Jackson appeared in court for his child abuse hearing. Lawyers told the judge the musician had fallen in the shower and injured his back, and he had to be summoned from the hospital.
These are just some of the memorable moments in rock music history that occurred on March 10. As the genre evolves, you can count on more interesting trivia to unfold and connect you to the music you love.
