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March 26

1917 Radio personality, preacher and R&B legend, Rufus Thomas born in Cayce, MS. The Father of the Memphis Sound, the father of Carla Thomas and "The World's Oldest Teenager," Rufus began with a comedy act (30s), joined The Rabbit Foot Minstrels, recorded for Sun (early 50's), DJ'd at WDIA in Memphis and will forever be associated with the Stax/Volt label. My favorite song, "The Funky Robot."
1936 The Five Satins' ("In the Still of the Night") Fred Parris born.
1944 Vocalist Diana Ross (Diane Earle) born in Detroit, Michigan. Ms. Ross went from Motown cash cow The Supremes (who began as The Primettes) in the 60s to Disco Diva in the 70's. She won an Oscar-nomination when she played Billie Holliday in the film, "Lady Sings The Blues," and the razz for the films, "Mahogany" and "The Wiz."
1950 Vocalist and drummer Teddy Pendergrass born in Philadelphia. Teddy was ready from the very beginning, an accomplished child gospel singer and ordained minister at age 10. As a drummer he backed The Cadillacs and then Harold Melvin & the Bluenotes before joining them as lead vocalist (1970). He went solo in '76 with great success, until a car accident left him in a wheelchair in 1982.
1955 Martin Price of 808 State born.
1963 Susanne Sulley, female vocalist with the UK new wave band Human League born.
1970 Peter Yarrow of Peter, Paul & Mary pleads guilty to taking immoral liberties with a 14-year-old girl.
1971 Sax session musician Harold McNair dies of lung cancer.
1977 Elvis Costello's debut single, "Less Than Zero" is released on Stiff Records in the UK.

Foreigner's debut single "Feels Like the First Time" is released in the US.

1980 The Police play in Bombay, India, becoming the first rock band to perform there in a decade.

Guitarist G.E. Smith marries comedienne/Saturday Night Live regular Gilda Radner.

1983 5,000 overzealous fans mob Duran Duran as they exit a video store in New York City.
1993 Jack Sherman, files a court action claiming that in 1985 he was booted out of the Red Hot Chili Peppers without cause AND humiliated when other band members 'giggled' while the deed was being done.