History Highlight:

On this day in 2019, Texas blues-rock singer and guitarist Gary Clark Jr. released his third album, This Land. The album won a Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Blues Album, and the song “This Land” won Best Rock Performance and Best Rock Song. Clark has said the title track is inspired by Woody Guthrie’s “This Land Is Your Land.” Its lyrics address racism in the United States. "That's what came out as a result of you know, life being Black in this country, in this world, unfortunately," he said in an interview with NPR. Clark is expected to release a follow-up to This Land called JPEG RAW on March 22.

Also, Today In:

1936 - Ernest Kador Jr. was born on this day in 1933, and he passed away in 2001. Better-known by his stage name Ernie K-Doe, he had a 1961 U.S. No. 1 single "Mother-in-Law". The song was written and produced by Allen Toussaint, who also played the piano solo. The songs almost didn't get finished because during the recording session, Toussaint balled up the composition and threw it away as he was leaving the room. One of the backup singers convinced K-Doe to do one more take, and the rest was history. In the 1990s, K-Doe began billing himself as "The Emperor of the Universe" and, wearing a cape and crown, became a famous local eccentric in New Orleans.

1962 - Elvis Presley was at No. 1 on the U.K. singles chart with "Rock-A- Hula Baby / Can't Help Falling In Love." The tracks were from his latest film "Blue Hawaii" and became the singer's tenth U.K. No. 1.

1963 - The Beatles formed their Northern Songs Ltd. publishing company. The company would later be purchased by Michael Jackson in 1985 for $47 million.

1968 - Genesis released their debut single, "The Silent Sun". The song was a fusion of folk & pop, a far cry from the progressive rock they would later be known for.

1969 - T. Rex kicked off their tour of the U.K. at the Free Trade Hall in Manchester. Their opening act on this night was David Bowie performing a one-man mime act. According to Mental Floss, Marc Bolan "invited Bowie to open for T. Rex on the band's 1969 tour. At Bolan's insistence, Bowie performed his one-man mime routine depicting China's invasion of Tibet. Bowie was an experienced mime, having trained under choreographer (and Marcel Marceau protege) Lindsay Kemp." Concert goers were apparently not fans of the act, and Bowie was often met with boos and heckles. But Bowie would be fine, as Space Oddity was released that summer and the rest was history.

1969 - The Beatles recorded the basic track and John Lennon's vocal of "I Want You (She's So Heavy)" at Trident Studios in London. The song closes side one on the Beatles' 1969 album Abbey Road. It's an unusual Beatles composition because of its length (nearly eight minutes), few lyrics (the title makes up most of the lyrics, aside from two more phrases; only 14 different words are sung), a three-minute descent through repeated guitar chords, and abrupt ending. It is one of the last songs that the Beatles mixed as a group.

1975 - Grand Funk Railroad peaked at number three on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles Chart with their cover of "Some Kind of Wonderful" which was their third top ten single in the U.S.

1977 - Natalie Cole released her third studio album, Unpredictable. It features the singles "I've Got Love on My Mind" and "Party Lights."

1980 - Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark released their self-titled debut album. It features “Electricity,” “Red Frame/White Light,” and “Messages.”

1986 - MTV dedicated a full 22 hours broadcast to The Monkees, showing all 45 episodes of the original The Monkees TV series.

1987 - Andy Warhol, the artist who painted the album cover of The Velvet Underground's debut album and designed the cover of The Rolling Stones' Sticky Fingers died after a gallbladder operation in New York City. He was 58 years old.

1989 - At the 31st Grammy Awards held at Radio City Music Hall in New York City, Jethro Tull won the Grammy Award for Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance Vocal or Instrumental for their album Crest of a Knave, beating Metallica who were widely expected to win.

1993 - Radiohead released Pablo Honey. The band's debut album was released by Parlophone Records in the U.K. and by Capitol Records in the U.S. (on April 20). Three charting singles came off the record - "Anyone Can Play Guitar," "Stop Whispering," and "Creep." The album is named after a Jerky Boys prank call skit in which the prank caller says, "Pablo, honey? Please come to Florida!" which is sampled on the song "How Do You?"

1993 - Saint Etienne released their second studio album, So Tough. It features the singles "You’re in a Bad Way," "Avenue," and "Hobart Paving."

1997 - The Spice Girls started a four week run at No. 1 on the U.S. singles chart with "Wannabe", the first U.K. act to score a No. 1 for over 18 months.

1998 - Madonna released her seventh studio album, Ray of Light. It features the singles "Frozen," "Ray of Light," "Drowned World/Substitute for Love," "The Power of Good-Bye," and "Nothing Really Matters."

2000 - Yo La Tengo released their ninth studio album, And Then Nothing Turned Itself Inside-Out. It features “You Can Have It All” and “Saturday.”

2002 - Little Richard gets the NAACP Image Award. The flamboyant singer put his efforts into preaching in his later years.

2005 - Ben Lee released his fifth studio album, Awake Is the New Sleep. It features "Gamble Everything for Love" and "Catch My Disease."

2005 - Crooked Fingers released their fourth studio album, Dignity and Shame.

2005 - M. Ward released his fourth studio album, Transistor Radio.

2008 - Goldfrapp released their fourth studio album, Seventh Tree. It features the singles "A&E," "Happiness," "Caravan Girl," and "Clowns."

2008 - Los Campesinos! released their debut studio album, Hold on Now, Youngster.... It features the singles "You! Me! Dancing!," "Death to Los Campesinos!," and "My Year in Lists."

2008 - Janet Jackson released her tenth studio album, Discipline. It features the singles "Feedback," "Rock with U," "Luv," and "Can't B Good."

2010 - Johnny Marr was said to be "ecstatic" after getting back one of his guitars which had been stolen in 2000 after a gig at the Scala nightclub in Kings Cross, London. Smiths fan Stephen White told a London court he was "disgusted" with himself for taking the p30,000 cherry red 1964 Gibson SG when he went backstage after the gig at The Scala.

2011 - Adele releases her second album, 21, in the U.S. The record becomes the best-selling album of 2011, shifting a total of 5.82 million copies.

2016 - Country music singer and songwriter Sonny James, best known for his 1957 hit, "Young Love" died in Nashville, Tennessee, at the age of 87. Dubbed the Southern Gentleman, James had 72 country and pop chart hits from 1953 to 1983, including 23 No.1 Country hits.

2019 - Julia Jacklyn released her second album, Crushing.

Birthdays:

Texas Johnny Brown (“Two Steps from the Blues”) was born today in 1928.

Genesis P-Orridge, of Throbbing Gristle, was born today in 1950.

Jon Brant, bassist for Cheap Trick, is 70.

Bradley Nowell of Sublime was born today in 1968.

James Blunt is 51.

Tom Higgenson of Plain White T's is 46.

Highlights for Today in Music History are gathered from This Day in Music, Paul Shaffer's Day in Rock, Song Facts and Wikipedia.