Today in Music History - March 3
The Canadian Press
2021-03-03
Today in Music History for March 3:
In 1875, one of the most popular operas ever written, Georges Bizet's "Carmen," premiered in Paris. It unfolds a story of love, hate, jealousy and murder set in the world of Spanish gypsies and bullfighters. The composer was booed out of the theatre.
In 1927, bluesman Herman (Junior) Parker was born in West Memphis, Ark. Influenced and aided early in his career by Sonny Boy Williamson, Parker cut his first records for the Sun label in 1952. His "Feelin' Good" hit the R&B top-10 the following year. And, Elvis Presley recorded Parker's "Mystery Train" for Sun in 1955. Parker later took his modern country blues to Duke Records, where he had his biggest hit in 1962 -- "Annie Get Your Yo-Yo." Junior Parker died in 1971 following eye surgery.