ON THIS DAY IN BLACK MUSIC HISTORY: FEBRUARY 3

#1 R&B Song 1958:   “Get A Job,” the Silhouettes

 

Born:   Lil Harding Armstrong, 1898; Mabel Mercer, 1900; Varetta Dillard, 1933; Johnny “Guitar” Watson, 1935; David Lershey (the Dell-Vikings), 1937; Johnny Bristol, 1939; Charlie James (the Cleftones), 1940; Dennis Edwards (the Temptations), 1943

 

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1928   Chicago’s legendary Regal Theater opened. A showcase for the top Black acts in blues, gospel, jazz, and R&B, the Regal often had seven shows a day including a feature film. The venue seated 3,500 and cost adults fifty cents and children fifteen cents admission.

 

Regal Theatre

 

LINK:  http://chicago.urban-history.org/ven/ths/regal.shtml

1937   The Mills Brothers recorded the hit “Pennies From Heaven.”

 

 

1958   The Blossoms, a girl group of professional backup singers who had worked with literally hundreds of artists—including Elvis Presley, Paul Anka, Dionne Warwick, Bobby Darin, the Beach Boys, the Mamas & the Papas—finally released their own single, “Have Faith In Me.” When it didn’t chart, they went back to the lucrative world of session singing.

 

 

1958   Known as “the day the music died,” the Big Bopper, Buddy Holly, and Ritchie Valens crashed in a light plane while leaving Mason City, IA, for a performance. The Big Bopper (J.P. Richardson), known for his hit “Chantilly Lace,” convinced musician Waylon Jennings to give up his seat on the aircraft, since he wanted to quickly see a doctor about his bad cold rather than remain on the drafty tour bus that kept breaking down.

 

1968   Otis Redding’s “(Sitting on) The Dock of the Bay” charted, rising to #1 R&B (three weeks) and #1 pop (four weeks). The posthumously-issued 45 would sell more than a million copies and even reach #3 in England.

 

1968   Sam & Dave charted with “I Thank You,” reaching #4 R&B and #9 pop. It was their seventh Top 10 R&B hit in two years.

 

 

1968   The Supremes were so big in England that a performance they made in a London club the month before was recorded and aired tonight as a British TV special called The Supremes Live at the Talk of the Town.

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