7 MAY
In Music History
1998 Country singer-songwriter Eddie Rabbitt dies of lung cancer at age 56.
1994 Dead Kennedys lead singer Jello Biafra, in the audience for a show by the Fixtures at the 924 Gilman Street club in Berkeley, California, is seriously injured when a mosher lands on his leg and then starts a fight with him. According to Biafra, the mosher and his friends kicked him in the head and called him a "sellout rock star."
1991 EMF launch their debut album, Shubert Dip. It features one of the year's biggest hits, "Unbelievable."
1988 Thanks to constant airplay on MTV, Terence Trent D'Arby hits #1 in America with "Wishing Well." It's his second single - his first, "If You Let Me Stay," topped out at #68.
1984 Roger Waters releases his first solo album, The Pros And Cons Of Hitch Hiking. His band, Pink Floyd, fractured the previous year.
1983 Stevie Wonder makes his only appearance on Saturday Night Live, where he's the host and musical guest. He plays a Stevie Wonder impersonator in a skit with Eddie Murphy and stars in a camera commercial spoof with the tagline, "so simple, even Stevie Wonder can use it."
1982 The first Men at Work album, Business as Usual, already a #1 hit in their native Australia, is finally released in America. In November, it rises to the top in the US.
1973 George Harrison releases "Give Me Love (Give Me Peace On Earth)."
1970 Cold lead singer Scooter Ward is born in Jacksonville, Florida.
1969 The Who release "Pinball Wizard."
1968 Aretha Franklin records a live album in Paris.
1968 Eagle-Eye Cherry (yes, that's his real name) is born in Skane, Sweden. Known for his hit "Save Tonight," he's the son of trumpet player Don Cherry and half-brother of Neneh Cherry.
1967 Jimi Hendrix plays the Saville Theatre in London, with Brian Jones, Ringo Starr and members of The Moody Blues and The Beach Boys in attendance.
1961 Motörhead guitarist Phil Campbell is born in Pontypridd, Wales.
1958 Rock guitarist Marty Willson-Piper (of The Church) is born in Stockport, Greater Manchester, England.
"Hotel California" Checks In At #1
1977Running 6:08 and loaded with metaphor and guitars, "Hotel California" tops the Hot 100.
Read more7 MAY
Featured Events
2016 Following his unexpected death, Prince takes the top two spots on the Billboard albums chart with The Very Best of Prince at #1 and Purple Rain at #2. With his music unavailable on most streaming services and download distributors, physical albums are in many cases the best way to get his music.
1998 Steve Perry officially leaves Journey, honoring an agreement made with Neal Schon and Jonathan Cain that they would reform the band without him if he was not able to tour. He is replaced with the similar-sounding Steve Augeri.
1992 John Frusciante quits the Red Hot Chili Peppers in the middle of their Japanese tour.More
1978 Goaded by an item in the magazine saying they are "more interested in finding a softball team they can beat," the Eagles take on Rolling Stone in a game the rock band wins 15-8 (Don Henley is the winning pitcher). In the crowd cheering on the Eagles are Joni Mitchell and Chevy Chase.
1968 On a plane ride returning home from his last gig with the band Bluesology, keyboard player Reginald Dwight looks for a stage name he can use for his burgeoning solo career. In the cabin, he comes across the band's horn player Elton Dean and lead singer Long John Baldry, and asks them if he can appropriate their names to concoct a new one for himself. They agree, and Elton John is born.
1966 "Monday Monday" by The Mamas & the Papas goes to #1 on the Hot 100, becoming the first song with a day of the week in the title to top the chart.
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