On This Day, August 5 in Music History
EVENTS ON AUGUST 5 IN MUSIC HISTORY
On this day August 5 in 1964 – The Beach Boys began recording ‘When I Grow Up (To Be a Man)’. The song reached No.9 in the US and topped the Canadian singles chart.
1965 – The Beatles started a three-week run at number one on the UK Singles chart with ‘Help!’. The song topped the charts in eleven countries that year, including the US, Canada, Finland, Sweden, and Germany.
1966 – The Beatles released their seventh studio album ‘Revolver’ through Parlophone Records. It topped the album charts in the US, UK, and Australia.
1968 – Country music guitarist Luther Perkins died at the age of 40 after a fire broke out in his house. Best remembered as a member of Johnny Cash’s backing band the Tennessee Three.
1978 – The Rolling Stones went to number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart with the disco rock song ‘Miss You’ on this day August 5 in music history. It also topped the singles chart in Canada while in the UK it peaked at No.3.
1989 – Prince scored his fourth number one single in the US with ‘Batdance’ on this day August 5. The song featured in the 1989 superhero movie ‘Batman’ which increased its popularity. It also topped the chars in Canada, New Zealand, and Switzerland.
1989 – Jive Bunny & the Mastermixers topped the UK singles chart with the novelty pop song ‘Swing the Mood’ which features samples from multiple songs by various artists
1989 – Gloria Estefan started a six-week run at number one in the UK with her debut solo studio album ‘Cuts Both Ways’ on this day August 5. The album also reached No.1 in Australia, the Netherlands, and New Zealand.
1992 – American drummer, songwriter, and producer Jeffrey Porcaro died at the age of 38 from heart attack. Best remembered for his work with the rock band Toto.
1993 – American musician Randy Jo Hobbs died on this day August 5, aged 45 of heart failure. Best remembered for playing bass with The McCoys from 1965 until 1969.
1995 – The ‘Queen of Tejano music’ Selena topped the US Billboard 200 chart for the first time with her fifth and final studio album ‘Dreaming of You’. It was the first predominately Spanish-language album to reach No.1 on the chart.
1995 – Boy band Take That scored their seventh number one single in the UK with ‘Never Forget’ on this day August 5 in music history.
2000 – Craig David scored his second number one single in a row in the UK with ‘ 7 Days’. The song was nominated for a Grammy Award and it made it into the Top 10 in several countries worldwide.
2000 – The fourth edition of the US ‘Now That’s What I Call Music! 4’ series by various artists went to No.1 in the United States. It features songs by the Backstreet Boys, Jennifer Lopez, Blink-182, Britney Speaks, Lenny Kravitz, etc.
2006 – Shakira and Wyclef Jean started a four-week run at number one on the UK singles chart with ‘Hips Don’t Lie’ on this day August 5. The song was a big international hit and it reached No.1 in 18 countries worldwide.
2008 – American musician Robert Hazard died at the age of 59 from pancreatic cancer. Best remembered for writing and composing ‘Girls Just Want to Have Fun’ which became a best-selling hit for Cyndi Lauper.
2013 – American multi-instrumentalist, singer-songwriter and producer George Duke died on this day August 5 in music history, aged 67.
2021 – British rapper Dave went to number one in the UK with his second studio album ‘We’re All Alone in This Together’ on this day August 5.
BORN ON AUGUST 5 IN MUSIC HISTORY
1926 – American jazz singer and pianist Genevieve Lillian Hering also known professionally as Jeri Southern was born in Royal, Nebraska.
1941 – Brazilian jazz drummer and percussionist Airto Moreira was born on this day August 5 in Itaiopolis, Brazil. He rose to fame as a member of the group Quarteto Novo and is also known for his work with Miles Davis and Return to Forever.
1940 – Founding member and bassist of the band The Dave Clark Five, Richard Huxley was born in Dartford, England.
1943 – Country music singer and songwriter Jewel Faye Smith also known professionally as Sammi Smith was born in Orange County, California on this day August 5 in music history. Best known for her 1971 hit song ‘Help Me Make It Through the Night’.
1947 – Guitarist, singer, songwriter and founding member of the rock group The McCoys, Rick Derringer was born Richard Zehringer on this day in Fort Recovery, Ohio.
1946 – Canadian musician Gregory Leskiw was born on this day August 5 in Brandon, Manitoba. He rose to fame as the guitarist for The Guess Who from 1970 until 1972.
1947 – Bass guitarist and session musician Willie Weeks was born in Salemburg, North Carolina on this day August 5 in music history.
1951 – Australian singer Cheryl Lau Sang also known professionally as Samantha Sang was born in Melbourne, Victoria. Best known for her hit single ‘Emotion’.
1959 – Co-founder and lead guitarist of the punk band The Germs, Georg Albert Ruthenberg also known as Pat Smear was born in Los Angeles, California. He’s also known for playing with Nirvana and Foo Fighters.
1959 – Founder and frontman of the pop band Dead or Alive, Peter Burns was born on this day August 5 in Port Sunlight, England.
1964 – Founding member of the hip hop group Beastie Boys, Adam Yauch also known by his stage name MCA was born in New York City on this day August 5 in music history.
1965 – Three-time Grammy Award-winning saxophonist and composer Jeff Coffin was born in Massachusetts, US.
1966 – American musician and photographer Jennifer Finch was born on this day in Los Angeles, California. She rose to fame as the bassist of the punk rock band L7 from 1986 until 1996.
1975 – Founding member and guitarist of the alternative rock band Toploader, Daniel Hipgrave was born on this day August 5 in Brighton, England.
1983 – American singer Dawn Richard was born in New Orleans, Louisiana. She rose to fame as a member of the girl band Danity Kane from 2005 until 2009.