1963: The Essex, a five piece group made up of US Marines, release their first single, "Easier Said Than Done". The song will climb to #1 on both the US Pop and R&B charts, #41 in the UK, and receive a Gold Record from the R.I.A.A. for selling over one million copies. The band's follow-up tune, "A Walkin' Miracle", would reach #12 the following September.
Courtesy of classicbands.com, YouTube, and SoR Radio!
1971: Carole King's album "Tapestry" is awarded a Gold record. The album was number one in the US for fifteen straight weeks and would remain on the charts for three years, producing her biggest selling single, "It's Too Late". On July 17, 1995 the LP was certified Diamond in the United States by the RIAA for 10 million copies sold in the US and has sold over 25 million copies worldwide
Courtesy of classicbands.com, YouTube, and SoR Radio!
1987: Kim Wilde took the Holland-Dozier-Holland classic "You Keep Me Hangin' On" to the top of the Billboard Pop chart. It was the third time that the song made it into the Top Ten, following the original version by The Supremes, (#1 in 1966) and a remake by Vanilla Fudge, (#6 in 1968).
Courtesy of classicbands.com, YouTube, and SoR Radio!
1961: Roy Orbison had his first US number 1 hit with "Running Scared". Earlier, he had placed "Only the Lonely" and "Blue Angel" into the Top 10. Orbison had to be coaxed into the soaring vocal climax at the end of the song because he was being drowned out by the instrumental build-up. Roy and his songwriting partner Joe Melson would later say that they wrote the song in about five minutes.
Courtesy of classicbands.com, YouTube, and SoR Radio!
1984: Bruce Springsteen releases the album "Born In The USA", which will top the Billboard Hot 200 chart for seven weeks and spawn seven Top-10 singles. The LP went on to sell over 15 million copies in the US alone.
Courtesy of classicbands.com, YouTube, and SoR Radio!