On This Day, August 7 in Music History
EVENTS ON AUGUST 7 IN MUSIC HISTORY
On this day August 7 in 1954 – The Crew-Cuts started a seven-week run at No.1 in the US with their version of The Chord‘s song ‘Sh-Boom’ also known as ‘Life Could Be a Dream’.
1965 – Herman’s Hermits scored their second number one single on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart with ‘I’m Henery the Eighth, I Am’.
1967 – Frank Zappa released his debut solo studio album ‘Lumpy Gravy’ through Capitol Records. It wasn’t a big hit and it peaked at No.159 on the Billboard 200.
1969 – Creedence Clearwater Revival released their third studio album ‘Green River’ through Fantasy Records. The LP went on to sell over 3 million copies and it became their first chart-topper in the US.
1971 – With ‘How Can You Mend a Broken Heart’, the Bee Gees started a four-week run at No.1 on the US Singles chart on this day August 7 in music history. It was the group’s first chart-topper in the country.
1971 – The compilation album ‘Hot Hits 6’ by various anonymous artists went to number one in the UK. It features twelve cover-versions of popular songs.
1976 – Elton John and Kiki Dee hit No.1 on in the US with ‘Don’t Go Breaking My Heart’. The song was an international hit and it topped the singles charts in nine countries worldwide, including the UK, Australia, and Canada.
1982 – Fleetwood Mac started a five-week stint at No.1 on the US Billboard 200 chart with their thirteenth studio album ‘Mirage’ on this day August 7. The album reached the Top 5 in the UK, Australia, Canada, and Norway as well.
1982 – The cast of the American TV series ‘Fame’ topped the UK Albums chart with ‘The Kids from ‘Fame’. In the US the album wasn’t as popular and it peaked at No.146.
1982 – Dexys Midnight Runners and the Emerald Express topped the UK Singles chart with ‘Come On Eileen’. The song also reached No.1 n Australia, Belgium, Ireland, New Zealand, South Africa, Switzerland, and the US.
1984 – American multi-genre singer Esther Phillips died on this day August 7 in music history at the age of 48 from liver and kidney failure.
1993 – Hip hop group Cypress Hill reached number one on the US Albums chart with their second studio release ‘Black Sunday’. The album features the group’s signature song ‘Insane in the Brain’.
Cypress Hill – Insane In The Brain
1999 – With his rendition of ‘When You Say Nothing at All’, Irish singer Ronan Keating went to No.1 on the UK Singles chart. Also a chart-topper in Ireland and New Zealand.
2004 – With her debut studio album ‘Autobiography’, singer-songwriter Ashlee Simpson topped the US Billboard 200 chart on this day August 7.
2004 – American rappers Juvenile and Soulja Slim topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart with ‘Slow Motion’.
2004 – Pop punk band Busted started a two-week run at number one on the UK singles chart with ‘Thunderbirds / 3AM’.
2004 – Red Hot Chili Peppers topped the UK Albums chart with their first live album ‘Live in Hyde Park’ on this day August 7. The album also reached No.1 in Austria, Belgium, and Switzerland.
2010 – Boy band The Wanted went to No.1 in the UK with ‘All Time Low’, the lead single from the self-titled debut studio album.
2011 – American bassist Marshall Grant died on this day August 7 in music history at the age of 83. Best remembered as a member of Johnny Cash’s backing band the Tennessee Three.
2021 – Australian rapper and singer Kid Laroi went to number one in the US with his debut commercial mixtape ‘F*ck Love’. He also topped the charts in Australia, Canada, the Netherlands, and Norway.
2021 – Co-founder of the RYB/soul/funk band Kool & the Gang, Dennis “Dee Tee” Thomas died on this day August 7, aged 70.
BORN ON AUGUST 7 IN MUSIC HISTORY
1921 – Session musician, arranger, and bandleader Warren Covington was born on this day August 7 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
1925 – One half of the husband-and-wife songwriting duo, Felice Bryant was born Matilda Genevieve Scaduto in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
1928 – Founding member of the vocal group The Platters, Herbert “Herb” Reed was born in Kansas City, Missouri on this day August 7 in music history.
1931 – American songwriter, singer, and record producer Luther Dixon was born on this day in Brooklyn, New York. His songs have been recorded by heavyweights like Elvis Presley, The Beatles, BB King, Dusty Springfield, etc.
1939 – American R&B and pop music singer Rolan Webster Holden was born on this day in Seattle, Washington.
1942 – Country and pop music singer Billy Joe “B.J.” Thomas was born in Hugo, Oklahoma on this day August 7 in music history. Best known for hit singles such as ‘Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head’, ‘Don’t Worry Baby’, and ‘Hooked on a Feeling’.
1945 – Canadian musician Kerry Chater was born in Vancouver. He rose to fame as a member of the pop rock group Gary Puckett & The Union Gap.
1950 – Country music singer-songwriter, guitar player, and producer Rodney Crowell was born in Jacinto City, Texas. Best known for scoring five No.1 singles and for winning two Grammy Awards.
1950 – Founding member and bassist of the hard rock band UFO, Pete Way was born on this day August 7 in Enfield, England.
1958 – English singer and songwriter Bruce Dickinson was born in Worksop on this day August 7 in music history. Best known as the frontman of the heavy metal band Iron Maiden.
1960 – Singer and songwriter Jacquie O’Sullivan was born on this day in London, England. Best known as a member of Bananarama from 1988 until 1991.
1964 – English musician and songwiter Ian Dench was born in Cheltenham. He rose to fame as a member of the alternative rock band EMF.
1965 – American singer Johnny Solinger was born on this day August 7 in Dallas, Texas. Best known as the frontman of the heavy metal band Skid Row from 1999 until 2015.
1965 – Singer-songwriter, guitarist, and producer Raul Francisco Martinez-Malo was born in Miami, Florida.
1966 – American singer-songwriter and guitarist Kristin Hersh was born in Atlanta, Georgia on this day August 7 in music history.