On This Day, August 19 in Music History
EVENTS ON AUGUST 19 IN MUSIC HISTORY
On this day August 19 in 1967 – The Beatles went to No.1 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart with ‘All You Need Is Love’. The song was a worldwide hit that year and it topped the charts in eleven countries.
1972 – Rock band Chicago started a nine-week run at No.1 on the US Billboard 200 chart with their fourth studio album ‘Chicago V’.
1978 – With ‘Three Times a Lady’, soul group the Commodores started a five-week run at No.1 on the UK singles chart. Also a chart-topper in Ireland and Australia.
1979 – American rockabilly singer Dorsey Burnette died on this day August 19 in music history, aged 46 of a heart attack. Best remembered as a co-founder of the group The Rock and Roll Trio. He’s also the father of musician Billy Burnette.
1980 – Kurtis Blow became the first hip hop artist to receive a Gold certification by the RIAA when his single ‘The Breaks’ sold over 500,000 copies. The song reached No.4 on the Billboard R&B chart.
1995 – Rock band Black Grape went to No.1 in the UK with their debut studio album ‘It’s Great When You’re Straight…Yeah’.
2000 – Melanie C scored her second number one single in the United Kingdom with ‘I Turn to You’. The song topped the singles charts in Austria, Denmark, the Netherlands, Sweden, and the US (Dance Club Songs).
2001 – American soul singer and pianist Betty Everett died on this day August 19 at the age of 61. Best remembered for her hit singles ‘Shoop Shoop Song (It’s In His Kiss)’ and ‘Let It Be Me’.
Betty Everett – Shoop Shoop Song
2006 – The 22nd edition of the US Now! series ‘Now That’s What I Call Music! 7’ topped the US albums chart. It’s a compilation album released by Sony BMG and it features various artists such as Rihanna, Sean Paul, Nickelback, Keith Urban, Beyonce, etc.
2006 – Singer and rapper Fergie went to No.1 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart with her debut solo single ‘London Bridge’ on this day August 19.
2008 – American saxophonist LeRoi Holloway Moore died at the age of 46 from pneumonia after puncturing a lung the month prior in an ATV accident. Best remembered as a founding member of the Dave Matthews Band.
2017 – With their fifth studio album ‘Everything Now’, indie rock band Arcade Fire went to No.1 on the US Billboard 200 on this day August 19 in music history.
2019 – American bass guitarist Lawrence “Larry” Taylor died on this day August 19 at the age of 77. Best remembered for his work with Canned Heat and The Monkees.
2021 – British rapper Dave topped the UK Albums chart with his second studio release ‘We’re Alone in This Together’.
BORN ON AUGUST 19 IN MUSIC HISTORY
1939 – English drummer, vocalist, songwriter, and composer Peter Edward “Ginger” Baker was born in Lewisham, South London. He came to prominence as the co-founder of the rock band Cream.
1940 – Singer-songwriter, guitar player, and record producer Roger Cook was born on this day August 19 in Bristol, England. Best known for his work with Roger Greenaway wit whom he composed hit songs such as ‘You’ve Got Your Troubles’, ‘Long Cool Woman in a Black Dress’, and ‘I’d Like to Teach the World to Sing’.
1940 – American singer-songwriter and composer Johnny Nash was born in Houston, Texas. Best known for his hit single ‘I Can See Clearly Now’.
1943 – English pop singer William Howard Ashton also known professionally as Billy J. Kramer was born in Bootle. He rose to fame as the lead singer of The Dakotas with whom he had the hit singles ‘Bad to Me’ and ‘Little Children’.
1943 – Gospel music singer-songwriter, pianist, composer, producer, arranger, and choir master Edwin Hawkins was born in Oakland, California on this day August 19 in music history.
1940 – English pop singer Donald “Don” Fardon was born in Coventry. Best known for his rendition of the song ‘Indian Reservation’.
1945 – Singer and songwriter Ian Gillan was born on this day August 19 in London, England. Best known as the lead singer of Deep Purple and Black Sabbath.
1948 – American guitarist, singer, and songwriter Elliot Lurie was born in New York City. Best known for his work with the pop rock band Looking Glass from 1969 until 1974.
1951 – English musician and songwriter John Deacon was born on this day August 19 in Leicester. He came to prominence as the bassist of the rock band Queen.
1963 – Co-founder and frontman of the rock band Europe, Rolf Magnus Joakim Larsson also known professionally as Joey Tempest was born in Stockholm, Sweden.
1966 – Country music singer and songwriter Lee Ann Womack was born in Jacksonville, Texas on this day August 19 in music history.
1969 – American rapper and singer Nathaniel Dwayne Hale also known professionally as Nate Dogg was born in Long Beach, California.
1970 – Welsh-born Jamaican rapper, singer, songwriter, and producer Eric Martin also known as Me One or MC Eric was born in Cardiff. He rose to fame for his work Technotronic.
1976 – Singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Regine Chassagne was born in Montreal, Canada. She came to prominence as a co-founder of the indie rock band Arcade Fire.
1989 – American rapper Percy Romeo Miller also known by his stage name Lil’ Romeo was born in New Orleans, Louisiana. He’s the son of rapper and record label founder Master P.