Born:  Valerie Simpson, 1946

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1957   The Shells’ “Baby Oh Baby” (#20 pop) and the Schoolboys’ “Carol” (#91 pop), were issued.

1060   The Drifters reunited with former lead Clyde McPhatter (for a show) at the Apollo in New York. Also on the bill were the Bobbettes.

1961   The Temptations’ first single, “Oh Mother of Mine,” was released on the Motown-affiliated Miracle label but did not chart. They were signed to Berry Gordy’s company under the name the Elgins but were renamed member Otis Williams.

1964   The Supremes’ “Where Did Our Love Go” was #1 on this day. Before Diana Ross left in 1969, the trio would have eleven more chart-toppers.

1967   Jackie Wilson charted with one of his best records, “(Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher and Higher,” reaching $1 R&B and #6 pop. The record was so popular in England that it charted three times (1969 #11, 1975 #25, and 1987 #15). Backing  Jackie on the hotter-than-hot recording were the Angels on vocals and the Motown musicians known as the Funk Brothers.

1967   The Jimi Hendrix Experience charted with their debut album Are You Experienced?, which rose to #5 on the pop album charts. Jimi would go on to have twenty-eight chart albums through 1995, twenty-two of which charted after his death in 1970. Experienced would stay on the charts for 106 weeks.

1978   Singing and songwriting duo Ashford & Simpson entered the R&B hit list with “It Seems To Hang On,” peaking at #2. Though the duo had thirty-five R&B chart singles through 1997, they are best-known for the songs they’ve written for others, including “Let’s Go Get Stoned” (Ray Charles), “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” (Marvin Gaye), and “Ain’t Nothing Like the Real Thing” (Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell).

1995   Newark, NJ, rapper Redman (Reggie Noble) charted R&B with “How High,” reaching #10 and #13 pop.