Music History Today: January 22, 2021

January 22, 1931: Sam Cooke is born in Clarksdale, Mississippi. 

The son of Reverend Charles Cook, Sr, a Baptist minister and Annie May Cook, Sam Cooke was born on January 22, 1931, in Clarksdale, Mississippi; 

Sam Cooke

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Two years later the family moved to Chicago, Illinois. At 15, he became the lead singer of the famous “teenage” gospel group the “Highway QC’s”. But at the height of his fame in the gospel world, with the blessing of his father, Sam moved over to popular music – Sam didn’t “cross-over” he “combined” – blending sensuality and spirituality, sophistication and soul.  

Read more: Abkco

January 22, 1973: Roberta Flack released the single "Killing Me Softly With His Song." It would hit Number 1 on February 24.

In 1971 Don McLean’s performance of  “Empty Chairs” at the Troubadour sparked an intense emotional experience that would quickly change the path of Lori Lieberman’s life.  

Roberta Flack

Lieberman connected so deeply with that performance that she began to write her feelings down on a tear-stained napkin.  After the show, Lieberman called her lover and lyricist/manager, Norman Gimbel to share her inspiration and the bud that was “Killing Me Softly with His Song” began to blossom.  

Read more: American Songwriter

January 22, 1977: Wings' album Wings Over America hits Number 1 in the US.

Wings Over America arrived on Dec. 10, 1976 feeling like a triumphant musical summation for Paul McCartney and Wings. In stark contrast to his modern-day globe-trotting ways, McCartney hadn’t at this point toured the U.S. in 10 years — and those concerts dated to his time in the Beatles. 

Paul McCartney

Highlights of this tour included not just the American concert debuts of a number of '70s hits with Wings but also – and this was of particular interest at the time – Beatles favorites like “Blackbird,” “The Long and Winding Road” and “Lady Madonna,”   

Read more: Ultimate Classic Rock

January 22, 1994: The Number 1 song on Billboard's Hot 100 was "All For Love" by Bryan Adams, Sting and Rod Stewart. 

"All for Love" is a song written by Bryan Adams, Robert John "Mutt" Lange, and Michael Kamen for the soundtrack The Three Musketeers: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack. It was performed by Bryan Adams, Rod Stewart, and Sting.

The power ballad was released as a CD single in the United States on November 16, 1993. It was a worldwide hit, reaching number one across Europe, Australia and North America. The title was inspired by The Three Musketeers' motto: "All for one, and one for all.". 

Read more: Wikipedia

January 22, 2000: Robbie Williams reaches Number 53 on the Hot 100 with "Angels," the highest the British superstar will ever place on the American chart.

The classic 1997 ballad has become not only Robbie's signature song, but it's easily one of the greatest love songs ever made. Robbie claimed he wrote the song with Guy Chambers in 25 minutes. 

However, it was later revealed that a demo version of 'Angels' was written and recorded by Robbie and Irish musician Ray Heffernan during a drunken evening in Dublin in 1996. Robbie later bought out Heffernan's rights to the song for £7,500. He later re-wrote it in London with Chambers. 

Read more: Smooth Radio

 

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