On this day in music history: May 26, 1990 - “Hold On” by En Vogue” hits #1 on the Billboard R&B singles chart for 2 weeks, topping the Club Play chart for 1 week on June 30th, and also peaking at #2 on the Hot 100 on July 21st. Written by En Vogue (Cindy Herron, Dawn Robinson, Terry Ellis, and Maxine Jones), Thomas McElroy and Denzil Foster, it is first single from the Oakland, CA based R&B vocal quartets’ debut album “Born To Sing”. Based around a sample of James Brown’s R&B/Funk classic “The Payback”, it will be the first of three R&B chart toppers from the album. The track also includes an a cappella intro of the song “Who’s Lovin’ You” (originally recorded by The Miracles, though uses The Jackson 5 vocal arrangement). The song will initially be serviced to club DJ’s through Atlantic Records dance music department in late January 1990. San Francisco based radio station KMEL will be instrumental in helping break the record nationally. “Hold On” will also be the first of three singles by the group to peak at #2 on the Hot 100.

On this day in music history: May 26, 1987 - “Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me”, the seventh studio album by The Cure is released (UK release is on May 25th). Produced by Robert Smith and David M. Allen, it is recorded at Studio Miraval in Le Val, France, Compass Point Studios in Nassau, The Bahamas, and ICP Studios in Bruxelles, Belgium from September 6, 1986 - January 1987. The 18-track 2 LP set is the result of a very prolific period for the band, who will record 40 songs for the album before being pared down to the final number used on the finished release. The end result will be The Cure’s most stylistically diverse and most accessible album to date. The album will spin off three singles in the US (four in the UK) including “Why Can’t I Be You” (#21 UK, #54 US Pop) and their first US top 40 single “Just Like Heaven” (#29 UK, #40 US Pop). “Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me” will peak at #6 on the UK album chart, #35 on the Billboard Top 200, and is certified Gold (later going Platinum) by the RIAA.

On this day in music history: May 26, 1984 - “Don’t Waste Your Time” by Yarbrough & Peoples hits #1 on the Billboard R&B singles chart for 1 week, also peaking at #48 on the Hot 100 on June 9th. Written and produced by Jonah Ellis, it is the second R&B chart topper for the Dallas, TX duo who first hit the top with “Don’t Stop The Music” in February of 1981. Originally intended to be a sequel to that hit song, the track will come about when Ellis is having problems getting a drum machine to trigger a synthesizer properly (one of the earliest uses of MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) technology on a hit record) which will lead him to lay down a click track on tape in order to sync up other instruments later. He ends up scrapping his original song idea and building an entirely new song around it. Basing the song around an experience he has in college, Ellis discovers his then girlfriend has been cheating on him, and is told the news by a mutual female friend. The hit single version of the track will be remixed by Nick Martinelli and David Todd (Loose Ends, Five Star) who will utilize various elements from the 24-track tape including the click track (not originally intended to be heard in the final mix) in their remix of the song.

Born on this day: May 26, 1926 - Trumpeter and jazz music icon Miles Davis (Born Miles Dewey Davis III in Alton, IL). Happy Birthday to one of the most innovative musicians of the 20th century on what would have been his 86th birthday. Happy Birthday, Miles!!!

On this day in music history: May 26, 1973 - “I’m Gonna Love You Just A Little More Baby” by Barry White hits #1 on the Billboard R&B singles chart for 2 weeks, also peaking at #3 on the Hot 100 on June 23rd. Written and produced by Barry White, the song is originally written as a demo for another artist, but the reluctant White will end up recording it himself when he finds that no other singer than him is better suited to sing it. Fate will also play a hand in the record being released. Russ Regan, the head of Uni Records (who White knows from having released the first Love Unlimited record on the label) will leave the label for 20th Century Records. In the interim, Regan will play White’s then still unreleased album for Elton John, who loves it so much that he steals a dub copy of the album off of Regan’s desk, taking it back to England with him and playing it for music industry friends. The buzz generated by Elton’s enthusiasm for the record will in turn convince executives at 20th Century to release White’s record (who initially don’t like it) in the US and eventually worldwide. I’m Gonna Love You” will become “The Maestro’s” first solo million seller.

On this day in music history: May 26, 1973 - “Frankenstein” by The Edgar Winter Group hits #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for 1 week. Written by Edgar Winter, the song originates as an extended in studio jam. The rock instrumental derives its title from an in joke between band members, due to the number of splices made in the final master version of the song, and also to describe the songs’ heavy, lumbering beat. It is the last track recorded for Winter’s “They Only Come Out At Night” album, and is initially released as the B-side to “Hangin’ Around”. Only after DJ’s begin playing the flipside, and due to enthusiastic public response does Epic Records re-issue the single with the sides reversed. “Frankenstein” will sell over a million copies and will become the biggest hit for the Texas-born keyboardist.

On this day in music history: May 26, 1967 - “Absolutely Free”, the second album by The Mothers Of Invention is released. Produced by Frank Zappa and Tom Wilson, it is recorded at TTG Studios in Hollywood, CA from November 15 - 18, 1966. Issued as the follow up to their groundbreaking debut “Freak Out”, the album consists of several segments that are constructed into two side long mini-suites. It contains more of Zappa’s unique political and social satire including the classic “Brown Shoes Don’t Make It”. The song is a rambling blues inspired by a piece that Zappa reads in Time Magazine about then President Lyndon B. Johnson, in which the president makes the faux pas of wearing brown shoes with a grey suit. “Free” will peak at #41 on the Billboard Top 200.

On this day in music history: May 25, 1985 - “You Give Good Love” by Whitney Houston hits #1 on the Billboard R&B singles chart for 1 week, also peaking at #3 on the Hot 100 on July 27th. Written by LaLa(aka LaForrest Cope), the song is initially written for and pitched to Roberta Flack. When Flack’s assistant rebuffs the young songwriter, producer Kashif will play the song for Arista A&R man Gerry Griffith. Searching for material for Whitney Houston’s debut album, Griffith will then play the song demo for his boss Clive Davis, who agrees the song is a hit. The track features Kashif on keyboards and bass marimba, Ira Siegal on guitar, J.T. Lewis and Roy Wooten (Bela Fleck & The Flecktones) on drums, LaLa and Yogi Lee on background vocals and Bashiri Johnson on percussion. Quickly mixing the record at Atlantic Studios in New York, Kashif will play the finished track for Davis. It will begin receiving airplay on New York radio stations the following day. Released in February of 1985, it is Houston’s debut solo single which will quickly find favor on black radio. Its success there will help the record to crossover to top 40 pop radio in the US. 

On this day in music history: May 25, 1985 - “Everything She Wants” by Wham! hits #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for 2 weeks, also peaking at #12 on the R&B singles chart on June 8th. Written and produced by George Michael, it is the third single and third consecutive US chart topper for the London based pop duos’ second album “Make It Big”. Originally released in the UK in December of 1984 as a double A-sided single with the seasonal “Last Christmas”, it will peak at #2 on the UK singles chart behind Band Aid’s “Do They Know It’s Christmas” (which Michael also appears on). “Everything” is a significant release in the groups’ career, having been previously derided by critics as a mere “teen pop group”, it will further solidify George Michael’s reputation as a songwriter and producer with its unique production style and lyrical narrative about the pressure faced by a young man trying live up to the material wants and needs of his partner. The single will also receive heavy airplay on US R&B stations, solidifying a base of popularity with African American music fans that will reach its zenith with Michael’s debut solo album “Faith”.

On this day in music history: May 25, 1983 - “Holy Diver”, the debut album by Dio is released. Produced by Ronnie James Dio, it is recorded at Sound City Studios in Van Nuys, CA in Early 1983. The first album for the former Black Sabbath and Rainbow lead singer follows a central theme of the clash between good and evil forces. The album will spin off two singles including “Rainbow In The Dark” (#14 Mainstream Rock) and the title track (#40 Mainstream Rock). Well received upon its release, in time it will be regarded as Dio’s best album and one of the greatest heavy metal albums of all time. The albums’ cover artwork features a painting of a devil slaying a cleric, featuring the first appearance of the bands’ mascot “Murray” who will be featured on several other albums by the band. “Holy Diver” will peak at #56 on the Billboard Top 200, and will be certified Platinum by the RIAA.