ON THIS DAY IN BLACK MUSIC HISTORY: JANUARY 28

#1 R&B Song 1978:   “Our Love,” Natalie Cole

 

Born:   Blues vocalist Drink Small, 1933; blues guitarist Cash McCall (Morris Dollison, Jr.), 1941

 

******************************************************************************************

1950   Larry Darnell, an early pioneer of the New Orleans sound, hit #1 on the R&B charts with “For You My Love.”

 

1950   The Robins charted with “If It’s So Baby” which was their second release, reaching #10 R&B. The group formed in Los Angeles in 1947 and would go on to issue thirty-seven singles through 1961, most of which were produced by Leiber & Stoller.

 

1955   Fats Domino, the Moonglows, Joe Turner, the Clovers, and Faye Adams began a forty-two-performance tour in New York called the Top Ten R&B Show.

 

1970   Richie Havens, Jimi Hendrix, Harry Belafonte, and a cross section of stars from the Rascals to the cast of Hair performed in a seven-hour anti-Vietnam War benefit concert in New York’s Madison Square Garden. When Hendrix’s drummer Buddy Miles stated to the audience, “I’m sorry, we just can’t get it together,” a furious Hendrix retorted: “That’s what happens when Earth fucks with space. Never forget that,” and walked to the wings in the middle of the second song, “Earth Blues.”

 

1985   The sign on the wall said “Check Your Egos at the Door,” and with that realization from Quincy Jones, forty-five major stars entered A&M Studios in Hollywood to record the song Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie had written (in only two hours) called “We Are The World.” The recording was to act as a fundraiser for the USA For Africa fund. Among the icons at the mike were Ray Charles, Stevie Wonder, Michael Jackson, Tina Turner, Diana Ross, Lionel Richie, James Ingram, Dionne Warwick, Bruce Springsteen, Paul Simon, Bob Dylan, Steve Perry, and Willie Nelson. It took more than ten hours to do the single recording. Prince was invited but didn’t come.

 

 

1990   Aaron Neville sang the National Anthem at the Superdome in New Orleans at Superbowl XXIV, between the San Francisco 49rs and the Denver Broncos.

 

1991   MC Hammer received the Soul R&B Single for “U Can’t Touch This,” Soul R&B Album and Rap Album for Please Hammer Don’t Hurt ‘Em, Soul R&B Artist, and Rap Male Artist awards at the American Music Awards eighteenth annual ceremonies.