ON THIS DAY IN BLACK MUSIC HISTORY: FEBRUARY 5

#1 R&B Song 1983:   “Outstanding,” the Gap Band

 

Born:   Barrett Strong, 1941; Ann Sexton, 1950; Bobby Brown, 1969

 

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1941:   Barrett Strong was born in  Mississippi. Introduced to Berry Gordy by Jackie Wilson, Strong had Motown’s first hit with “Money” (#2 R&B), #23 pop. Strong later paired with Norman Whitfield to write a  slew of hits for the Temptations, including “Papa Was  A Rolling Stone,” “Just My Imagination,” and “Cloud Nine.”

 

 

1957   The Platters played Ben Maksik’s Town & Country Club over a thirteen-day period after returning from a tour of Australia and the Far East. Despite eleven huge hits, this was the first time they were performing in the New York area.

 

1960   Jesse Blevin, Jackie Wilson, Little Willie John, and Arthur Prysock performed at the Robinson Auditorium in Little Rock, AK. As was the “custom” at the time, there were two shows, the early for Blacks and the second for Whites. After the White band didn’t show, Jackie Wilson refused to perform and stories circulated that the acts had to quickly retreat from Little Rock.

 

1960   The Cadillacs, Bobby Day, Big Maybelle, Bo Diddley, and others performed at Alan Freed’s Revue at the Apollo Theater.

 

1964   Twelve-year-old Stevie Wonder performed on The Ed Sullivan Show. “Little Stevie” (Steveland Judkins)  was inspired by the music of Ray Charles as a child and was proficient on the harmonica, piano, and drums by the age of seven and writing songs at the age of eight. He was signed to Motown Records’ Tamla affiliate when he was only ten.

 

1977   The Bar-Kays charted R&B with “Too Hot To Stop (Part 1)” reaching #8. The funk band out of Memphis amassed thirty-two hits through 1995, starting with “Soul Finger” in 1967.

 

 

1983   The newly-formed New Edition made their New York performance debut at the world famous Copacabana. The group was put together by manager/producer Maurice Starr to be an ’80s version of the Jackson 5.

 

1998   Thirty-four years after his first appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show launched his national recognition, Stevie Wonder performed for President Bill Clinton and Britain’s Prime Minister Tony Blair at the White House.