#1 R&B Song 1960: “Baby (You’ve Got What It Takes), Dinah Washington & Brook Benton
Born: Ja Rule (Jeffrey Atkins), 1976
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1964 The Temptations hit the pop charts for the first time with “The Way You Do The Things You Do,” reaching #11. They would be regular residents of the Top 100 for twenty-seven years, amassing fifty-five hits during that time.
1964 Betty Everett charted with “The Shoop Shoop Song,” which rose to #6.
1968 The Fifth Dimension’s “Up, Up and Away” demolished the competition at the tenth annual Grammy Awards, grabbing record of the Year, Song of the Year, Best Contemporary Single, Best Performance by a Vocal Duo or Group, and Best Contemporary Group Performance Vocal or Instrumental award categories. Aretha Franklin held her own when she won Best R&B Recording (for “Respect”) and Best R&B Solo Vocal Performance, Female. Sam & Dave’s “Soul Man” won Best R&B Group Performance Vocal.
1996 The Chantels were inducted into the Rhythm & Blues Foundation at its seventh annual awards dinner. One of the highlights of the evening was the pairing of awards presenter Patti Austin with Darlene Love and Staples Singers Mavis Staples belting out “Just One Look.” Also honored was Bo Diddley with a Lifetime Achievement Award. A man who never won a Grammy, he used the occasion to state: “It’s about time I won something.”
