On This Day in 1974, a Radio Station Put a Doobie Brothers B-Side in Heavy Rotation and Helped Them Score Their First No. 1

On this day (September 11) in 1974, WROV-AM in Roanoke, Virginia, began playing the Doobie Brothers’ “Black Water” in honor of the Blackwater, a tributary of the Roanoke River. The song became a regional smash hit and soon began to spread. Later, it became the Doobies’ first No. 1 single. Before it grew organically, no one in the band’s camp believed it could be a hit.

The Doobie Brothers released “Another Park, Another Sunday” as the lead single from What Were Once Vices Are Now Habits in March 1974. “Black Water” was the B-side. The A-side peaked at No. 32, and the band kept pushing forward. They released “Eyes of Silver” as the album’s next single. Then, they reissued “Nobody” from their self-titled album.

How “Black Water” Became the Doobie Brothers’ First No. 1

The top-40 station WROV-AM started playing “Black Water” on September 11, 1974. It was an immediate hit with locals, who began calling to request it. Before long, nearby WQRK started playing the song, too. It continued to spread from there.

“That’s a story that could have happened back then, but never would ever, ever happen now,” Doobie Brothers frontman Tom Johnston told Songfacts. “Roanoke, Virginia, picked that tune up and started playing it in heavy rotation. Somebody in Minneapolis, who I guess knew somebody in Roanoke, heard the song and decided to follow suit,” he explained. “It ended up being our first No. 1 single.”

Soon, news of the track’s regional popularity got to Warner Bros. Records. They issued “Black Water” as a single, backed with “Song to See You Through,” in October 1974. It reached the top of the Hot 100 in March 1975.

“I remember when I first heard it was No. 1. We were in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and we were just getting ready to go on stage,” Johnston recalled. Their manager, Bruce Cohn, delivered the news. “I think we were already aware of the fact that it was getting airplay, but nobody was really paying a lot of attention. Then, all of a sudden, it became No. 1, and we were paying attention,” he added.

[RELATED: On This Day in 1975, the Doobie Brothers Hit No. 1 for the First Time With a Song Later Covered by Garth Brooks]

Guitarist Patrick Simmons wrote and sang lead on “Black Water.” When the band learned that the song had topped the Hot 100, they rushed to congratulate him. It was their first single on which Simmons sang lead, making the moment even bigger for him.

Featured Image by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

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