Legend: BTD – Born Today OTD – On This Day
| Date | Artist/Group | Description | Image |
|---|---|---|---|
| BTD May8,1911 | Robert Johnson | #BTD May8,1911 #RobertJohnson RIP blues singer, guitarist, influenced later generations of musicians. 1986 inducted into the @rockhall of fame, a big influence on rock and roll | |
| BTD May8,1916 | Frank Inn | #BTD May8,1916 #FrankInn (Elias Franklin Freeman) RIP animal trainer over 50yrs for movies & TV such as Orangey the cat (many shows); Higgins the dog in Benji and Petticoat Junction; Arnold Ziffel the pig in Green Acres; & Elly May Clampett's critters on The Beverly Hillbillies | |
| BTD May8,1926 | Don Rickles | #BTD May8,1926 #DonRickles (Donald Jay Rickles) RIP actor, stand up routine, comedian on The #TonightShow many times, in movies such as 1958 Run Silent, Run Deep, 1970 Kelly's Heroes, 1976 TV series C.P.O. Sharkey. Saw him live twice (20 years apart) he was hilarious | |
| BTD May8,1935 | Jerry Moss | #BTD May8,1935 #JerryMoss (Jerome S. Moss) recording executive, co-founder of A&M Records along with trumpeter & bandleader #HerbAlpert. In 2006 Moss was inducted into the @rockhall of Fame in the Lifetime Achievement in the Non-Performer Category | |
| BTD May8,1940 | Ricky Nelson | #BTD May8,1940 #RickyNelson (Eric Nelson) RIP actor, singer, songwriter 1958 US #1 "Poor Little Fool" the 1st #1 on @billboard Hot100 chart, 1961 US #1 "Travelin' Man", +30 US & 17 UK Top40 singles. TV series The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet 1952–66, 1959 film "Rio Bravo" | |
| BTD May8,1940 | Toni Tennille | #BTD May8,1940 #ToniTennille singer #CaptainandTennille 1975 US #1 & UK #32 "Love Will Keep Us Together", 1979 US #1 & UK #7 "Do That to Me One More Time", +7 US Top40 singles and 1980 Tennille hosted her own syndicated TV talk show, The Toni Tennille Show #HBday @ToniTennille | |
| BTD May8,1941 | John red | #BTD May8,1941 #JohnFred (John Fred Gourrier) RIP singer, songwriter John Fred & His Playboy Band 1958 US #82 "Shirley", 1968 US #1 & UK #3 single "Judy in Disguise (With Glasses)", 1968 #57 "Hey, Hey Bunny" | |
| BTD May8,1943 | Danny Whitten | #BTD May8,1943 #DannyWhitten RIP guitarist, singer, songwriter worked with Neil Young's backing band #CrazyHorse @Neilyoung | |
| BTD May8,1943 | Paul Samwell-Smith | #BTD May8,1943 #PaulSamwellSmith (Paul Smith) bass guitarist, founding member The #Yardbirds 1965 UK #3 & US #6 "For Your Love" Left June 1966 to produce. Produced records for artists such as #CatStevens, #JethroTull, #CarlySimon, #ChrisdeBurgh. 1992 inducted in @rockhall of Fame | |
| BTD May8,1944 | Bill Legend | #BTD May8,1944 #BillLegend (William Fifield) drummer for #TRex (Tyrannosaurus Rex; 1969 #MarcBolan shortened name to T. Rex) 1971 UK #1 "Hot Love", +20 UK Top40 singles. Last surviving member of the classic 1970-1973 T. Rex lineup. 2020 inducted in @rockhall of Fame with T. Rex | |
| BTD May8,1951 | Chris Frantz | #BTD May8,1951 #ChrisFrantz (Charton Christopher Frantz) drummer with #TalkingHeads 1983 US #9 Burning Down The House, 1985 UK #6 Road To Nowhere and played with the #TomTomClub 1981 US #31 & US Dance #1 "Genius of Love" 2002 Inducted into @rockhall of fame with Talking Heads | |
| BTD May8,1951 | Philip Bailey | #BTD May8,1951 #PhilipBailey singer, songwriter, percussionist #EarthWindFire 1975 US #1 "Shining Star" and solo 1985 UK #1 "Easy Lover" duet. 2000 inducted in @rockhall of Fame with Earth, Wind & Fire @EarthWindFire #HBday @PhilipBaileyEWF | |
| BTD May8,1955 | Alex Van Halen | #BTD May8,1955 #AlexVanHalen (Alexander van Halen) drummer, co-founder #VanHalen 1984 US & US Rock #1 and UK #7 "Jump", +15 US and 45 US Rock Top40s with 12 more US Rock #1 singles. 2007 Inducted into @rockhall of fame as a member of Van Halen @VanHalen #HBday @alexvanhalen | |
| OTD May8,1954 | Johnny Ray, BBC | #OTD May8,1954 #BBC radio in the UK bans #JohnnyRay's song "Such a Night" after listeners complain about its sexual suggestiveness | |
| OTD May8,1957 | Elvis Presley | #OTD May8,1957 #ElvisPresley is still at #1 on the US Top40 Singles chart with "All Shook Up" for the 5th week of an 8wks run @ElvisPresley | |
| OTD May8,1960 | Elvis Presley | #OTD May8,1960 #ElvisPresley is still at #1 on the @billboard Hot100 Singles chart with "Stuck on You" for the 2nd week of a 4wk run at #1 @ElvisPresley | |
| OTD May8,1962 | Brian Epstein, Beatles | #OTD May8,1962 p1 of 2 #BrianEpstein meets #KenBoast at #HMV, to transfer #Beatles tapes. Engineer #TedHuntley thought the tapes were good and tells #SidColeman of #EMI publishing which offers to publish "Love Of The Loved" & "Hello Little Girl" Epstein is reluctant, he wants ... | |
| OTD May8,1962 | Brian Epstein, Beatles | #OTD May8,1962 p2 of 2 #BrianEpstein is reluctant, he wants a record deal. #SidColeman of #EMI publishing contacts #Parlophone's office asking #JudyLockhartSmith (#GeorgeMartin's secretary and girl friend at the time) to arrange a meeting with Brian to discuss The #Beatles | |
| OTD May8,1964 | Beatles, Louis Armstrong | #OTD May8,1964 The last day before #LouisArmstrong knocks the #Beatles from the #1 spot. The Fab Four held #1 @billboard Hot100 Singles chart for 14wks straight. #Beatles had 3 #1's in a row with songs; I Want To Hold Your Hand 7wks, She Loves You 2wks & Can't Buy Me Love 5wks | |
| OTD May8,1965 | Gary Lewis | #OTD May8,1965 #GaryLewis & the Playboys peak at #2 on the @billboard Hot100 Singles Chart with "Count Me In" written by #GlenHardin. The only song and group from the US in the Top10 of #Billboard Hot100 chart this week during the #BritishInvasion | |
| OTD May8,1965 | Herman Hermits | #OTD May8,1965 #HermanHermits are still at #1 on the @billboard Hot100 Singles Chart with "Mrs. Brown You've Got A Lovely Daughter" for the 2nd week of a 2wk run at #1 | |
| OTD May8,1965 | British Invasion | #OTD May8,1965 The #BritishInvasion reaches its peak as 9 of the @billboard Hot100 Top10 singles are British artists. The #Seekers are at #5 out of the UK but are #Australian and at #2 are #GaryLewis & the Playboys from the US. #HermanHermits are at #1 and #7 | |
| OTD May8,1968 | John Lennon | #OTD May8,1968 #JohnLennon and #PaulMcCartney are interviewed by #LarryKane promoting Apple Corps Ltd (informally known as #Apple) | |
| OTD May8,1968 | Beatles | #OTD May8,1968 It is reported that the #Beatles have been warned to remove the psychedelic painting on their #Apple Boutique's wall | |
| OTD May8,1969 | Alistair Taylor, Apple Corps | #OTD May8,1969 #AlistairTaylor is fired as #Apple Corps Ltd director. Soon after #AllenKlein arrives to run The #Beatles holdings | |
| OTD May8,1969 | Allen Klein, Apple Corps | #OTD May8,1969 #Johnlennon, #GeorgeHarrison and #RingoStarr sign a business management contract with #AllenKlein but #PaulMcCartney refuses to sign. Subsequently, Paul is out-voted and Klein is given a three-year contract as the business manager of the #Beatles | |
| OTD May8,1970 | Jackson 5 | #OTD May8,1970 The #Jackson5 release their 2nd album “ABC” The Jacksons release is on #Motown Records The LP will peak at #4 on the US @billboard 200 Albums Chart @motown @Jacksons | |
| OTD May8,1970 | Beatles | #OTD May8,1970 The UK release of The #Beatles "Let It Be" Deluxe box edition with the Get Back book. The Beatles 12th & final album | |
| OTD May8,1971 | Three Dog Night | #OTD May8,1971 #ThreeDogNight is still at #1 on the @billboard Hot100 Singles Chart with "Joy To The World" for the 4th week of a 6wk run at #1 @threedognight | |
| OTD May8,1972 | Bobby Orr, Phil Esposito | #OTD May8,1972 #BobbyOrr and #PhilEsposito are featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated after the Boston Bruins 3-2 win over the New Rangers May 7th. Boston would go on to take the Stanley Cup on May11 in 6 games @SInow @NHLBruins @NYRangers @StanleyCup | |
| OTD May8,1976 | John Sebastian | #OTD May8,1976 #JohnSebastian is at #1 on the @billboard Hot100 Singles Chart with "Welcome Back" the theme of the TV series "Welcome Back Kotter" originally "Kotter" until songwriter, former Lovin' Spoonful frontman John Sebastian created the song; so producers change the title | |
| OTD May8,1982 | Vangelis | #OTD May8,1982 #Vangelis is at #1 on the @billboard Hot100 Singles chart with "Chariots Of Fire" an instrumental theme written by Vangelis for the soundtrack of the 1981 film "Chariots Of Fire" Vangelis only US #1 single | |
| OTD May8,1982 | Beatles | #OTD May8,1982 The #Beatles peak for 3wks at #12 on the @billboard Hot100 Singles Chart with "The Beatles' Movie Medley" The medley is snippets from various Beatles songs. It remains the only Beatles single not released on compact disc or music download | |
| OTD May8,1983 | Spandau Ballet | #OTD May8,1983 #SpandauBallet score their 1st UK #1 LP with "True" The single spent 4wks at #1 on UK charts & reached #2 in US. Spandau Ballet: Tony Hadley lead vocals; Gary Kemp guitars, pianos; Martin Kemp bass; John Keeble drums; Steve Norman percussion, sax @SpandauBallet | |
| OTD May8,1988 | Fairground Attraction | #OTD May8,1988 #FairgroundAttraction is at #1 on the UK singles with "Perfect" written by Mark Nevin. The song won the award for Best Single at the 1989 BRIT Awards |