The week in music history brought to you by MusicGoldmine.com.
Just a couple of highlights from this week in music history!
MAR 18: Happy birthday to Jerry Cantrell! The guitarist, singer, and songwriter is best known as the co-founder and primary creative force behind the influential rock band Alice in Chains. Born on March 18, 1966, in Tacoma, Washington, Cantrell played a key role in shaping the dark, heavy sound of the early 1990s grunge movement alongside contemporaries like Nirvana and Soundgarden.
Cantrell’s guitar style blends sludgy, down-tuned riffs with melodic phrasing, while his songwriting often explores themes of addiction, loss, and personal struggle. He shared vocal duties with the late Layne Staley, creating the band’s signature haunting harmonies. Classic albums like Facelift (1990), Dirt (1992), and Jar of Flies (1994) cemented their legacy.
Beyond his work with Alice in Chains, Cantrell has released solo albums including Boggy Depot (1998), Degradation Trip (2002), and Brighten (2021), showcasing a broader, more introspective side of his artistry. Widely respected for his influence on modern rock and metal, Cantrell remains an active performer and recording artist, continuing to tour and record with Alice in Chains decades after their breakthrough.
Photo: Stefan Brending [https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.en]
MAR 22: Happy birthday to Stephanie Mills! The powerhouse vocalist whose career spans stage, soul, and disco was born on March 22, 1957, in Brooklyn. She first gained national attention as a child performer, winning amateur contests at the famed Apollo Theater. Mills rose to prominence in the 1970s when she starred as Dorothy in the original Broadway production of The Wiz, earning critical acclaim for her performance.
Transitioning into music stardom, she became a major R&B force in the late 1970s and 1980s with hits like “Never Knew Love Like This Before,” which won her a Grammy Award, and “Home,” a signature ballad from The Wiz. Known for her rich, emotive voice and dynamic stage presence, Mills became a staple on the R&B charts and a favorite in live performance circuits.
Her influence endures through decades of touring and recording, securing her legacy as one of soul music’s most beloved voices.
Photo: Kdrayf01 [https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.en]
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