I’m unable to concoct the correct search terms for this.
Who was the first British male solo artist to have a number one record in the US singles chart? I’m assuming Billboard is the list to go by but I may be wrong.
Thank you.
How about Mr. Acker Bilk? No. 1 for May 26, 1962 with “Stranger on the Shore.”
Wikipedia has a listing of all #1 singles, if you want to look for someone earlier.
Mr. Acker Bilk.
Who could forget him? Anyway thanks for the links, RC. Momentarily ignoring Mr. Bilk, I have ascertained the following from them:
(1) On 12 July 1952, Vera Lynn (Auf Wiedersehn Sweetheart) became the first British singer/act to top the US charts.
(2) On 22 Dec 1962, The Tornados (Telstar) became the first British band to top the US charts.
(3) On 3 September 1966, Donovan (Sunshine Superman) became the first British male solo artist to top the US charts.
Acker obviously supersedes either (2) or (3). His Stranger on the Shore (26 May 1962) is credited to Mr. Acker Bilk & his Paramount Jazz Band (with the Leon Young String Chorale) in my version of The Guinness Book of British Hit Singles.
I’ll have to refer back to my questioner for clarification.
I’ve just had a quick browse through Donovan’s autobiography The Hurdy Gurdy Man and he (or his ghost writer) makes no special claim for Sunshine Superman.
It would therefore seem that Mr. Acker Bilk is considered to be the first British male solo artist to reach No. 1 in the US singles chart.