EVENTS THAT HAPPENED ON THIS DAY JULY 29 IN MUSIC HISTORY
On this day July 29 in 1955 – Country singer Slim Whitman topped the UK Singles chart with his rendition of ‘Rose Marie’. He set a record for most consecutive weeks (11) at No.1 that stood still until 1991 when Bryan Adams dethroned him with ‘(Everything I Do ) I Do It for You’ which held the top spot for 16 weeks straight.
1966 – The world’s first rock supergroup Cream consisting of Eric Clapton, Ginger Baker and Jack Bruce made their live debut at a show in Manchester, England.
1967 – The Doors scored their first number one single in the US on this day July 29 in music history with ‘Light My Fire’ which topped the Hot 100 chart for three weeks straight. Also a hit in Canada where it peaked at No.2.
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1972 – Gilbert O’Sullivan started a four-week run at No.1 on the US Singles chart with ‘Alone Again (Naturally)’. The song topped the charts in Canada and France as well, and reached No.3 in the UK.
1974 – American singer and actress Ellen Naomi Cohen also known as Cass Elliot or Mama Cass, died on this day July 29, aged 32 in her sleep from heart failure. Best remembered for her work with The Mamas & the Papas.
1978 – The soundtrack album to the musical romantic comedy film ‘Grease’ starring John Travolta, and Olivia Newton-John started a seven-week run at No.1 on the US Billboard 200 chart. The album topped the charts in eleven other countries, including the UK and Canada.
1978 – Singer and guitarist Glenn Goins died on this day July 29, aged 24 from Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Best remembered for his work with Parliament-Funkadelic.
1988 – American record producer and pedal steel guitar player Roddis Franklin “Pete” Drake died on this day at the age of 55.
1991 – Heavy metal band Metallica released ‘Enter Sandman’ as a single through Elektra Records on this day July 29 in music history. The single went to No.1 in Finland and was a Top 5 hit in several countries, including the UK.
1995 – With their debut studio album ‘I Should Coco’, alternative rock band Supergrass hit number one in the UK for the first of three consecutive weeks.
1999 – American singer and multi-instrumentalist Anita Carter died on this day July 29 at the age of 66. Best remembered for her Top 10 hit songs ‘I Got You’, ‘Down The Trail of Achin’ Hearts’, and ‘Blue Bird Island’.
2000 – Pop rock band The Corrs topped the UK Albums chart with ‘In Blue’. The album was an international hit that year and it went to No.1 in twelve countries around the world and it features the chart-topping single ‘Breathless’.
2000 – Boy band Five and Queen reached number one in the UK on this day July 29 with a new version of ‘We Will Rock You’.
2000 – Boy band NSYNC scored their first and only No.1 single on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart with It’s Gonna Be Me’.
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2006 – The 22nd edition of the US ‘Now! (Now That’s What I Call Music!)’ series topped the Billboard 200 chart on this day July 29 in music history. It features songs by various artists such as Rihanna, Sean Paul, Kelly Clarkson, Keith Urban, Nickelback, etc.
2006 – Indie rock band Razorlight went to number one in the UK with their eponymous second studio album. The album features their chart-topping single ‘America’.
2006 – With their version of Queen‘s song ‘Don’t Stop Me Now’, pop rock band McFly hit No.1 in the UK on this day July 29.
2011 – American singer, songwriter, and producer Eugene “Gene” McDaniels died at the age of 76. Best remembered for his two Top 5 US singles ‘A Hundred Pounds of Clay’ and ‘Tower of Strength’.
2017 – With his thirteenth studio album ‘4:44’, rapper Jay-Z reached number one in the US on this day July 29. The album also topped the charts in Canada and Switzerland while in the UK it peaked at No.3.
2021 – English YouTuber and rapper KSI topped the UK Albums chart with ‘All Over the Place’. In the US the album peaked at No.94.
BORN ON THIS DAY JULY 29 IN MUSIC HISTORY
1933 – Singer-songwriter, guitar and banjo player Randy Sparks was born in Leavenworth, Kansas on this day July 29 in music history. Best known as the founder ofThe Back Porch Majority and The New Christy Minstrels.
1946 – American keyboardist Neal Doughty was born in Evansville, Indiana. He rose to fame as the co-founder of the rock band REO Spedwagon and is the only member that appears on all of the group’s albums.
1953 – Singer-songwriter and guitarist Patricia Scialfa was born on this day July 29 in Deal, New Jersey. Best known as a member of the E Street Band. She’s also the wife of fellow rockstar Bruce Springsteen.
1953 – Singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Gary Weinrib better known as Geddy Lee was born in North York, Canada. He came to prominence as the frontman of the progressive rock band Rush.
1957 – Bass guitarist and songwriter Paul Denman was born on this day July 29 in Hull, England. He gained international fame as a member of the band Sade.
1959 – English guitarist, singer songwriter and producer John Sykes was born in Reading. Best known for his work with bands such as Whitesnake, Thin Lizzy, Tygers of Pan Tang, and Blue Murder.
1966 – Frontman of the alt-rock band The Wonder Stuff, Miles Hunt was born in Birmingham, England on this day July 29 in music history.
1966 – Country music singer-songwriter, instrumentalist and record producer Martina McBride was born on this day in Sharon, Kansas.
1972 – Bass guitarist and founding member of the rock band The Verve, Simon Jones was born on this day July 29 in Liverpool, England.
1973 – American singer Wanya Morris was born on this day in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He rose to fame as a member of the vocal harmony group Boyz II Men
1977 – Multi-instrumentalist, songwriter and producer Brian Joseph Burton better known professionally as Danger Mouse was born in White Plains, New York on this day July 29 in music history.