On this day in 1986: Whitney Houston started a three week run at #1 on the US singles chart with ‘The Greatest Love Of All’, the singer’s third US #1, a #8 hit in the UK.

‘The Greatest Love of All’ was written by Michael Masser , who composed the music, and Linda Creed who wrote the lyrics. It was originally recorded in 1977 by George Benson who made the song a substantial hit, peaking at #2 on the US Hot R&B/Hip Hop chart that year, the first R&B chart top-ten hit for Arista Records . The song was written and recorded to be the main theme of the 1977 film ‘The Greatest’  a biopic of the boxer Muhammad Ali  and is performed during the opening credits.

On this day in 1987: A fire destroyed Tom Petty’s house in Los Angeles, California. The cost was estimated at $800,000.