#1 R&B Song 1973: “The Love I Lost,” Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes
Born: Billy Paul (the Blue Notes), 1934; Lou Rawls (the Pilgrim Travelers), 1935
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1954 Johnny Ace was named Most Programmed Artist of 1954 by Cash Box magazine while on tour with Willie Mae “Big Mama” Thornton of “Hound Dog” fame.
1957 Sam Cooke perfomed “You Send Me” on The Ed Sullivan Show on CBS-TV.
1962 Marvin Gaye’s solo artist debut, “Stubborn Kind of Fellow,” reached #8 R&B (#46 pop). The backup vocals on “Stubborn” were done by Martha & the Vandellas. Before his vocal success, Gaye was a studio drummer for acts like Stevie Wonder and the Miracles.
1973 The Love Unlimited Orchestra charted with an eight-minute instrumental, “Love’s Theme,” which reached #1 R&B and #10 pop. The forty-piece psuedo symphony was formed and led by Barry White as backing for his girl group, Love unlimited, and, in fact, the recording was on the Love Unlimited album as an introduction to their song “I’m Under the Influence of Love.” When disco deejays proved fond of playing only the instrumental track, White had it released as a single. (Wise decision.)
1982 Micheal Jackson’s unprecedented album Thriller was issued. It would go on to be the best-selling album of all time with more than 40 million sales worldwide and more than one million in Los Angeles alone. Seven hit singles would be released off of Thriller , setting a record. It would garner twelve Grammy nominations, also a record.
1984 Diana Ross moved onto the Hot 100 with “Missing You,” a #10 hit that was written and produced by Lionel Richie as a dedication to slain singer Marvin Gaye.
1989 For driving under the influence of drugs (cocaine in this case), Sly Stone received a sentence of fifty-five days in jail. Thirteen days later he pled guilty to additional counts of drug possession and was sentenced to up to fourteen months in a drug rehab.
From the book, “On This Day In Black Music History”, by Jay Warner.
