EVENTS THAT HAPPENED ON THIS DAY FEBRUARY 5 IN MUSIC HISTORY
On this day February 5 in 1960 – With his rendition of ‘Why’, actor and singer Anthony Newley topped the UK Singles chart. He was at No.1 for four weeks straight.
1966 – With ‘My Love’, Petula Clark hit number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 for the first of two consecutive weeks.
1969 – Pop rock band The Move reached the top spot on the UK Singles chart with ‘Blackberry Way’ on this day February 5 in music history.
1972 – Rock band T Rex dominated the music charts in the United Kingdom on this day with their second studio album ‘Electric Warrior’ and the single ‘Telegram Sam’ which reached No.1 on their respective charts.
1976 – American saxophonist and clarinet player Rudolph “Rudy” Pompilli died on this day February 5, aged 51 of lung cancer. Best remembered for his work with Bill Haley and His Comets.
1977 – After a two-week-break from the top spot, rock band the Eagles returned to number one on the US Billboard 200 with their fifth studio album ‘Hotel California’.
1977 – The number one single in the United States on this day February 5 was ‘Torn Between Two Lovers’ by Marry MacGregor. The song was an international hit and it also reached No.1 in Australia, Canada, while in the UK it peaked at No.4.
1983 – Rock band Toto scored their first and only number one single on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart with ‘Africa’.
1998 – American guitarist, singer, and songwriter Timothy “Tim” Kelly died in a car crash on this day February 5 in music history, aged 35. Best remembered for his work with the glam metal band Slaughter.
2000 – British singer and songwriter Gabrielle scored her second domestic number one single with ‘Rise’ on this day February 5.
2005 – Forty-five years since originally topping the UK Singles chart with ‘It’s Now or Never’, Elvis Presley returned at No.1 after the song was re-issued a few days prior.
2005 – Electronic music duo The Chemical Brothers hit number one in the UK on this day February 5 with their fifth studio album ‘Push the Button’.
2005 – With his second studio album ‘The Documentary’, rapper The Game reached the top spot on the US Billboard 200 chart.
2009 – American blues and R&B singer-songwriter Columbus S. Perry also known professionally as Piney Brown died on this day February 5, aged 87.
2011 – After a one week break from the top spot, Bruno Mars returned for the third time at number one in the US with ‘Grenade’.
Bruno Mars – Grenade
2011 – With their sixth studio album ‘The King Is Dead’, indie rock band The Decemberists went to No.1 in the US on this day February 5 in music history.
2011 – Singer-songwriter Adele started an incredible eleven-week stint at No.1 in the UK with her second studio album ’21’. The album was an international hit and it reached the top spot in more than 30 countries.
2011 – American singer Kesha reached the top spot on the UK Singles chart with ‘We R Who We R’ on this day February 5.
2012 – American record producer, arranger, composer, and session musician Alfred “Al” De Lory died at the age of 82. Best remembered for his work with artists such as Glen Campbell, Jimmy Webb, and John Hartford.
2013 – American musician, educator, and inventor Paul Tanner died on this day February 5, aged 95. Best known as a member of the Glenn Miller Orchestra and for developing the Electro-Theremin musical instrument.
2017 – American singer Emmett Peter “Sonny” Geraci died on this day February 5 at the age of 70. Best remembered as the frontman of bands such as Climax and The Outsiders.
2022 – The cast of Disney‘s computer-animated musical film ‘Encanto’ started a five-week run at No.1 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart with ‘We Don’t Talk About Bruno’.
BORN ON THIS DAY FEBRUARY 5 IN MUSIC HISTORY
1923 – Country music singer-songwriter and guitarist Claude King was born in Shreveport, Louisiana on this day February 5 in music history. Best known for his 1962 million-selling hit single ‘Wolverton Mountain’ that peaked at No.6 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
1929 – Drummer and session musician Harold Belsky also known professionally as Hal Blaine was born in Holyoke, Massachusetts. He appeared on over 6,000 singles making him one of the most prolific studio drummers for which he also earned an induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
1935 – Scottish singer, songwriter, and guitarist Alexander Harvey was born on this day February 5 in Glasgow. Best known as the frontman of The Sensational Alex Harvey Band.
1941 – American singer and songwriter Barrett Strong was born on this day in West Point, Mississippi. Best known as the first artist to have a hit single for Motown Records with ‘Money (That’s What I Want)’ which reached No.2 on the US R&B chart.
1941 – Co-founder and lead vocalist of the rock band Three Dog Night, Emil Lewandowski better known by his stage name Cory Wells was born on this day February 5 in Buffalo, New York.
1944 – American multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, and record producer Alan Kuperschmidt also known as Al Kooper was born in Brooklyn, New York.
1944 – Co-founder, songwriter, and guitarist of the rock band Atlanta Rhythm Section, James “J.R.” Cobb was born in Birmingham, Alabama on this day February 5 in music history.
1948 – American rock guitarist David Denny was born on this day in Berkeley, California. Best known as a member of the groups Frumious Bandersnatch and the Steve Miller Band.
1964 – Multi-instrumentalist and singer-songwriter Michael McKagan also known professionally as Duff McKagan was born on this day February 5 in Seattle, Washington. He rose to fame as the bassist of the hard rock band Guns N’ Roses.
1968 – Founding member and frontman of the rock band Spin Doctors, Christopher Gross also known by his stage name Chris Barron was born in Honolulu, Hawaii.
1969 – American singer, songwriter and rapper Robert “Bobby” Brown was born in Boston, Massachusetts on this day February 5 in music history.