This Week In Classic Rock History

Historic events this week from CCR, Eagles, Derek and the Dominos, The Rolling Stones and Huey Lewis & the News

AUGUST 20, 1970: CCR’s COSMO’S FACTORY #1

Creedence Clearwater Revival‘s second #1 album, Cosmo’s Factory, remains their biggest seller.

The album contains such classics as “Travelin’ Band”, “Lookin’ Out My Back Door”, “Run Through the Jungle”, “Who’ll Stop the Rain” and “I Heard It Through the Grapevine.” Cosmo’s Factory spent nine straight weeks at #1 on the Billboard 200 charts.

• • •
AUGUST 20, 2018: A MILESTONE FOR THEIR GREATEST HITS (1971-1975)

It’s no secret that Their Greatest Hits (1971-1975) from the Eagles is one of the biggest selling albums of all-time. But in 2018, the collection became the biggest seller of all-time in the US with 38 million in sales.

However, Michael Jackson‘s Thriller remains the biggest selling album worldwide with over 66 million copies sold.

• • •
AUGUST 22, 1970: DEREK AND THE DOMINOS BEGIN RECORDING LAYLA ALBUM

Derek and the Dominos, the collaboration between Eric Clapton, Bobby Whitlock and Duane Allman stands as one of the greatest one-off supergroups of all time. Duane Allman would contribute lead guitar to 11 of the album’s 14 tracks.

Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2000, and the reissue won the Grammy for Best Surround Sound Album in 2012.

• • •
AUGUST 23, 1969: “HONKY TONK WOMEN” IS #1
Less than two months after its release, The Rolling Stones‘ “Honky Tonk Women” went to #1 for four straight weeks.

One of the biggest Stones hits to not appear on a studio album, it was included on the Through the Past, Darkly (Big Hits Vol. 2) compilation. A country version called “Country Honk” would be released on Let It Bleed.

• • •
AUGUST 24, 1985: “POWER OF LOVE” IS #1
Huey Lewis and the News‘ first #1 Billboard Hot 100 single, “The Power of Love”, spent back-to-back weeks at the top.

The Grammy-nominated hit single appears in the 1985 blockbuster film Back to the Future. The single helped the film’s soundtrack (featuring tracks from Eric Clapton and Lindsey Buckingham) sell over 500,000 copies.

• • •
AUGUST 24, 2021: CHARLIE WATTS DIES
Charlie Watts, legendary drummer for The Rolling Stones, passed away 3 years ago this week.

“It is with immense sadness that we announce the death of our beloved Charlie Watts. He passed away peacefully in a London hospital earlier today surrounded by his family. Charlie was a cherished husband, father and grandfather and also a member of the Rolling Stones one of the greatest drummers of his generation.” – The Rolling Stones

He was 80.

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