This Day in Music
On this day in music, April 16, 1994, Prince topped the UK singles charts for the first time with “The Most Beautiful Girl In The World,” a romantic ballad he issued after he changed his name to an unpronounceable symbol. Although Prince was still signed to Warner Bros at the time, the label, with whom he had a dispute, allowed him to release the song independently as a one-off project via his own NPG imprint. It was the Minneapolis star’s last US Top 10 hit during his lifetime.
In 1972, the Electric Light Orchestra made their live debut in a London pub called The Fox and Greyhound. The Birmingham-based band, which was co-founded by ex-Move members Roy Wood and Jeff Lynne, sought to create classical-influenced rock using orchestral instruments. After Wood quit to form Wizzard, the band shortened its name to ELO and went on to become one of the biggest acts of the 70s.
In 1969, Desmond Dekker and the Aces became the first Jamaican act to reach the top of the UK charts with their single, “The Israelites.” Dekker, who was born Desmond Adolphus Dacres in Kingston, was also the first reggae performer to put a record on the US charts.
In 2021, Mike Mitchell, guitarist with the US garage band The Kingsmen, died on his 77th birthday. The Oregon quintet is best remembered for their US hit, “Louie Louie,” which spent six weeks at No. 2 in 1963. It came from the album The Kingsmen In Person, which remained on the Billboard albums chart for 131 consecutive weeks.
In 1964, The Rolling Stones topped the UK albums chart for the first time with their self-titled debut, which stayed at the No.1 spot for 12 weeks. In the US, it was issued under the title England’s Newest Hit Makers with a different track listing.
In 1970, Led Zeppelin’s “Whole Lotta Love” single reached a million sales in the US and was awarded a gold record. Though it was scheduled as a UK single, the band’s manager persuaded the record label to cancel its release to preserve the group’s no-singles marketing policy in their home country.
In 1977, David Soul topped the US singles chart with “Don’t Give Up On Us.” Best known for his role as Hutch in the 70s cop show Starsky & Hutch, the singer/actor was a one-hit wonder in the US but in Britain racked up five hits, including two No.1s: “Don’t Give Up On Us” and “Silver Lady.”
BORN ON APRIL 16
1924: Henry Mancini
1939: Dusty Springfield
1947: Gerry Rafferty (Stealers Wheel)
1962: Jason Scheff (Chicago)
1964: Dave Pirner (Soul Asylum)
1970: Gabrielle
1971: Selena
1973: Akon
1993: Chance the Rapper
