On This Day, October 8 in Music History
EVENTS ON OCTOBER 8 IN MUSIC HISTORY
On this day October 8 in 1955 – Pop music quarter The Four Aces topped the US Singles chart with ‘Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing’, a song from the eponymous movies. Besides being a chart topper in the US and a No.2 hit in the UK, it also won the Academy Award for Best Original Song.
1964 – The Beatles recorded the Lennon-McCartney penned song – ‘She’s a Woman’. It was released a month later in November as a single and it became a Top 10 hit in multiple countries worldwide.
1964 – With ‘Oh, Pretty Woman’, Roy Orbison scored his third No.1 single in the United Kingdom. While in the United States, the song entered the second week as a chart topping hit where it stayed for three weeks in total. Also a massive hit worldwide and a chart topper in dozen more countries.
1966 – Ginger Baker collapsed on stage during a Cream concert after a legendary drum solo lasting more than 20 minutes. He was then rushed to a local hospital and made a quick recovery.
1969 – Rising star David Bowie kicked off a 10-date tour around England as the supporting act for the newly formed hard rock supergroup Humble Pie.
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1977 – Actor and singer David Soul topped the UK and Irish Singles chart with ‘Silver Lady’. But despite his musical talent, David is best known for his portrayal of Hutch in the popular 1970s TV series ‘Starsky & Hutch’.
1980 – American rock band Talking Heads released their fourth studio album ‘Remain in Light’. The album went on to sell over 1 million copies worldwide and it peaked at No.19 on the US Billboard 200 chart.
1980 – Eccentric singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Prince released his third studio album ‘Dirty Mind’. The LP sold over 2 million copies and it features hit singles such as ‘Uptown’, ‘Do It All Night’ and the title-track.
1987 – Chuck Berry received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame before the premiere of his documentary film ‘Hail! Hail! Rock ‘n’ Roll’.
1988 – The number one single in the United States on this day was ‘Love Bites’ by the glam metal band Def Leppard.
1988 – With ‘Desire’, Irish rock band U2 scored their first number one single in the UK and Australia. The song was also a No.1 hit in five other countries and peaked at No.3 in the US.
1990 – English rock drummer Barrie James “B.J” Wilson died at age 43. Best known as a member of the rock band Procol Harum.
1991 – Rock band Soundgarden released their third studio album ‘Badmotorfinger’. The album sold over 3 million copies and it features the singles ‘Jesus Christ Pose’, ‘Outshined’, and ‘Rusty Cage’.
2000 – With their fourth studio album ‘Kid A’, Radiohead went to number one on the UK Albums chart. Later became a chart topper in the US, New Zealand, Ireland, Canada and France as well.
2002 – Rock band Bon Jovi released their eighth studio album ‘Bounce’ through Island Records. The record was a Top 10 hit in a dozen countries worldwide, peaking at No.2 on the UK and US Album charts and sold over 2 million units.
2005 – The number one album in the US on this day was ‘Ten Thousand Fists’ by the heavy metal band Disturbed.
2006 – With their second studio album ‘Sam’s Town’, pop rock band The Killers topped the albums chart in the United Kingdom. The LP was an international hit with over 5 million units sold worldwide and also hit No.1 in Canada, Ireland, and New Zealand.
2011 – Aged 85, Tony Bennett became the oldest living musician to top the US Billboard 200 when his album ‘Duets II’ debuted at No.1 on the chart.
2011 – American musician and artist Michael “Mikey” Welsh died at the age of 40 of a drug overdose. Best known for his work as a bassist with the rock band Weezer.
2011 – Popular music pianist Roger Williams died from pancreatic cancer at the age of 87.
2019 – Founding member and tenor saxophonist for the Average White Band, Malcom “Molly” Duncan died at the age of 74.
BORN ON OCTOBER 8 IN MUSIC HISTORY
1932 – American record producer and pedal steel guitar player Roddis “Pete” Drake was born in Augusta, Georgia. He was inducted in the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2021.
1940 – American soul singer Fred Cash was born in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Best known as a member of The Impressions with whom he was inducted in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1991.
1941 – American pop singer and songwriter Reese Francis Clifford III also known as Buzz Clifford was born in Berwyn, Illinois. Most famous for his 1961 hit single ‘Baby Sittin’ Boogie’ that peaked at No.6 in the US.
1944 – American country music singer Susan Raye was born in Eugene, Oregon. She had multiple Top 10 hits with the most notable one being ‘L.A. International Airport’.
1947 – Trinidadian vocalist, songwriter and bass guitarist Anthony “Tony” Wilson was born in Trinidad. Best known for his work with soul and funk band Hot Chocolate. He also co-wrote the hit songs ;Love Is Life’, ‘Emma’ and ‘Brother Louie’.
1948 – John William Cummings also known as Johnny Ramone was born in New York City. Best known as a founding member, guitarist and songwriter for the punk rock band the Ramones.
1949 – Scottish singer, multi-instrumentalist and record producer James Hamish Stuart was born in Glasgow. Best known as a founding member of the funk and R&B group the Average White Band.
1963 – American singer-songwriter and guitarist Stephen “Steve” Perry was born in Syracuse, New York. Best known as a founding member of the ska-swing band Cherry Poppin’ Daddies.
1965 – American musician Christopher Joseph Ward also known as C.J. Ramone was born in Queens, New York. He sang and played bass for the punk rock group the Ramones between 1989 and 1996.
1967 – American musician and record producer Edward Theodore “Teddy” Riley was born in New York City. Best known as one of the founders of the new jacks wing genre which is a fusion of hip-hop, R&B and dance-pop.
1985 – American singer-songwriter and record producer Peter Gene Hernandez better known by his stage name Bruno Mars was born in Honolulu, Hawaii.