On This Day, May 7 in Music History
EVENTS ON MAY 7 IN MUSIC HISTORY
On this day May 7 in 1955 – With ‘I Got A Woman’, Ray Charles reached number one on the Billboard R&B chart.
1964 – Merseybeat group The Searchers scored their second chart-topper of the year in the UK with their rendition of ‘Don’t Throw Your Love Away’. They previously topped the Singles chart with ‘Needles and Pins’ on January 30.
1966 – With ‘Monday, Monday’, The Mamas and Papas started a three-week stint at No.1 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart on this day May 7 in music history. Also a chart-topper in South Africa and Canada that year.
1968 – While returning from a gig with his old band Bluesology, Reginald Dwight came up with a stage name for his upcoming solo career – Elton John. The moniker is a combination of the names of his bandmates – Elton Dean and Long John Baldry.
1973 – George Harrison released ‘Give Me Love (Give Me Peace on Earth)’ on this day May 7 via Apple Records. The single was an international hit and it reached No.1 in the US where it knocked off Paul McCartney and Wings‘ song ‘My Love’ from the top spot on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
1977 – Rock band Eagles scored their second number one single of the year in the US with ‘Hotel California’. They previously topped the Billboard Hot 100 with ‘New Kid in Town’ on February 26.
1977 – Singer and songwriter Deniece Williams started a two-week run at number one on the UK Singles chart with ‘Free’ on this day May 7.
1988 – Singer and songwriter Terence Trent D’Arby went to number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 with ‘Wishing Well’.
1988 – Fleetwood Mac scored their third number one album in the UK on this day May 7 in music history with their 14th studio release ‘Tango in the Night’.
1992 – While on their Japanese tour, Red Hot Chili Peppers’ guitarist and vocalist John Frusciante refused to play at Tokyo’s Club Quattro and informed his bandmates that he was leaving the group. However, he did end up playing that night but left for California in the morning and did not return to the group until 2007.
1994 – English singer and songwriter Tony Di Bart scored his first and only number one single in the UK on this day May 7 with ‘The Real Thing’.
1994 – Britpop band Blur reached the top spot on the UK Albums chart for the first time with their third studio release ‘Parklife’.
1998 – American country-rock singer, songwriter and guitarist Eddie Rabbitt died on this day May 7, aged 56 from lung cancer. Best remembered for scoring a dozen No.1 singles on the Billboard Country chart, including songs such as ‘I Love a Rainy Night’, ‘Every Which Way but Loose’, and ‘You and I’ among others.
2002 – Singer-songwriter Tom Waits released his 14th and 15th studio albums ‘Alice’ and ‘Blood Money’ on the same day through the Anti-record label.
2005 – Singer and songwriter Gwen Stefani scored her first number one single as a solo artist in the US on this day May 7 with ‘Hollaback Girl’.
2005 – Singer-songwriter Bruce Springsteen topped the UK Albums chart with his thirteenth studio release ‘Devils & Dust’. The album also reached No.1 in ten other countries, including the US.
2005 – With his debut solo studio album ‘…Something to Be’, singer-songwriter Rob Thomas topped the Billboard 200 chart on this day May 7 in music history.
2011 – American singer-songwriter and guitarist John Maus also known as John Walker died at the age of 67 from liver cancer. Best remembered as the founder of the pop group the Walker Brothers.
2016 – With his debut single ‘Panda’, rapper Designer went to number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart on this day May 7.
2016 – Guns N’ Roses’ frontman Axl Rose replaced Brian Johnson as the lead singer of AC/DC. Brian had to stop touring with the band because he was at risk of permanent hearing loss due to a punctured left ear drum. However, Johnson eventually rejoined the band in January 2019.
2016 – The number one album in the United States on this day May 7 was ‘The Very Best of Prince’, a greatest hits compilation by singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Prince who died a few weeks earlier on April 21, aged 57.
2022 – American rapper Pusha T scored his first US Billboard 200 number one album with his fourth studio release ‘It’s Almost Dry’.
BORN ON MAY 7 IN MUSIC HISTORY
1923 – American singer-songwriter James “Jim” Lowe was born in Springfield, Missouri. Best known for his 1956 chart-topping single ‘Green Door’.
1931 – Prolific multi-genre singer Teresa Brewer was born Theresa Veronica Breuer in Toledo, Ohio. She recorded nearly 600 songs during her career.
1936 – American soul singer James Lee Ruffin was born in Collinsville, Mississippi. Best known for his 1980 Top 10 hit ‘Hold On (To My Love)’. He’s also the elder brother of fellow singer David Ruffin.
1945 – Irish folk singer, songwriter and guitarist Christopher ‘Christy’ Moore was born in Newbridge, Ireland. Best known for his solo work and as a founding member of the folk-rock bands Planxty and Moving Hearts.
1946 – Drummer Gerard “Jerry” Nolan was born in Brooklyn, New York. Best known for his work the bands New York Dolls and The Heartbreakers.
1946 – American songwriter and singer William ‘Bill’ Danoff was born in Springfield, Massachusetts. He rose to fame as a member of the Starland Vocal Band but is also known for writing John Denver’s hit song ‘Take Me Home, Country Roads’.
1946 – Drummer and founding member of the Grateful Dead, Bill Kreutzmann was born in Palo Alto, California. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994 with the group.
1950 – American drummer and graphic artist, Prairie Prince was born in Charlotte, North Carolina. Best known as a member of the rock bands Jefferson Starship and The Tubes.
1955 – English guitarist and vocalist Steve Diggle was born in Manchester. He rose to fame as a member of the punk band Buzzcocks.
1956 – British pop music composer, keyboardist, and conductor Anne Dudley was born in Beckenham, England.
1958 – Guitarist and singer-songwriter Marty Willson-Piper was born in Stockport, England. Best known as a member of the psychedelic rock band The Church.
1961 РWelsh guitarist Philip Campbell was born in Pontypridd, Wales. He came to prominence as a member of the heavy metal band Moțrhead.
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1963 – Bass guitarist, vocalist and songwriter Johnny Lee Middleton was born in St. Petersburg, Florida. Best known as a member of the bands Trans-Siberian Orchestra and Savatage.