This Day in Music
On this day in music, June 29, 2003, Beyoncé entered both the UK and US album charts at No.1 with her debut Dangerously in Love. Released while Destiny’s Child was on hiatus, the album found the singer breaking out as an international mega-star, thanks to such chart-topping singles as “Crazy in Love” and “Baby Boy.” Widely acclaimed, Dangerously in Love would go on to win numerous awards, including a Grammy for Best Contemporary R&B Album, and was later included on the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s 200 Definitive Albums that Shaped Rock and Roll list.
In 1985, Mick Jagger and David Bowie arrived at London’s Westside Studios to record a spirited rendition of the Motown classic, “Dancing in the Street” (first made famous by Martha and the Vandellas). The frequently covered song (which was also recorded by the likes of Van Halen and the Grateful Dead) was recorded by the duo to raise funds for Live Aid’s famine relief fund. Released that August, the single was an instant hit, topping the UK pop chart and hitting No.7 on the Billboard Hot 100.
In 1968, Tammy Wynnette topped the Billboard Country chart with one of her signature hits, “D-I-V-O-R-C-E.” The song – which is sung from a wife and mother’s point of view, as she contemplates the end of her marriage – finds her spelling out the dreaded “D” word, to protect her children.
In 2002, singer and actress Rosemary Clooney passed away at the age of 74. Clooney scored multiple hit singles throughout the 50s, including “Come On-a My House,” “Half As Much,” and “Mambo Italiano,” and appeared in the enduring holiday classic, White Christmas. In the late 70s, the jazz singer enjoyed a career revival and continued to record and perform until her death. Her nephew, actor George Clooney, served as a pallbearer during her funeral.
In 1984, Bruce Springsteen kicked off his Born in the U.S.A. tour in Saint Paul, MN. The 157-date run, which included stops in Asia, Europe, and Australia, was the first to feature Nils Lofgren and Springsteen’s future wife, Patti Scialfa.
In 1975, 28-year-old singer-songwriter Tim Buckley died from an overdose. The versatile artist, whose work ranged from folk and avant-garde to funk and psychedelia, released nine studio albums during his life. His son, Jeff Buckley, would follow in his father’s footsteps as a singer-songwriter, though his life would also be cut tragically short.
In 1994, Oasis made their first of several appearances on Top of the Pops, performing “Shakermaker,” the second single off their debut album, Definitely Maybe.
BORN ON JUNE 29
1945: Little Eva
1947: Eric Wrixon (Them, Thin Lizzy)
1948: Ian Paice (Deep Purple)
1953: Colin Hay (Men at Work)
1978: Nicole Scherzinger (The Pussycat Dolls)
1979: Richard Breen (Five)
