It’s August 6th and these are some of the things that happened on this day in pop music history:
- In 2004, Rick James, whose music career started in Toronto, was found dead at his home in Los Angeles. He was 56. The singer, whose 1981 hit “Super Freak” was sampled in MC Hammer’s 1990 hit “U Can’t Touch This,” fled the U.S. draft in 1965 and settled in Toronto, where he formed the Mynah Birds (Neil Young was once a member of the band).
- In 1986, the body of songwriter and musician Michael Rudetsky was found in the London home of Culture Club singer Boy George. The keyboard player, who wrote “Sexuality” for the band, died of a drug overdose at 27.
- In 1974, Swedish pop group ABBA scored its first Top 10 hit in America with “Waterloo,” which went to No. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100. The song, originally titled “Honey Pie,” was performed by ABBA at the Eurovision Song Contest.
- In 1981, Stevie Nicks of Fleetwood Mac released her first solo album, Bella Donna. It spawned hits like “Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around,” “Leather and Lace,” and “Edge of Seventeen.”
- In 1972, Geraldine Estelle Halliwell was born in England. As Geri Halliwell, she became famous as Ginger Spice in the Spice Girls. She also had some solo success.
- In 1994, Lisa Loeb’s “Stay (I Missed You)” started a three-week run at the top of the Billboard Hot 100. The video for the song was directed by the singer’s friend, actor Ethan Hawke.
- In 1993, Sheryl Crow’s debut album Tuesday Night Music Club was released. The album and its first two singles didn’t get much attention – but the April 1994 release of “All I Wanna Do” proved to be the singer’s breakthrough. She won three Grammys.
And that’s what popped on this day.