Rock ‘n’ Roll Tidbits from Jan 29 – Feb 4 from 1950-59

1952

B.B. King, with his eighth single release, finally reached the top of the R&B charts with the song “3 O’Clock Blues”.

1954

Big Joe Turner recorded “Shake, Rattle and Roll”. It will become #1 on the R&B chart six months later. “Shake, Rattle and Roll” would appear on the Billboard Hot 100 two times when Arthur Conley and Bill Haley released their versions. Arthur Conley reached #31 in 1967. Bill Haley and His Comets reached #7 in 1954.

1955

The jukebox arrives in Britian. They became popular in coffee bars that were fast becoming the place to meet in London.

RCA demonstrated the first synthesizer that plays musical sounds electronically. The Mark II synthesizer used paper tape to make the sounds.

1956

Elvis Presley recorded his version of “Blue Suede Shoes” in New York. He also recorded seven other songs for his first RCA album.

1957

The Everly Brothers signed a contract with Cadence Records. Three months later Bye Bye Love was released and peaked at #2 on the Billboard Hot 100. Don and Phil were born in Chicago but moved to Shenandoah, Iowa where as children they performed as Little Donnie and Baby Boy Phil on the Earl May Seed Company radio show.

Fats Domino performed “Blue Monday” and “Blueberry Hill” on the Perry Como Show.

1958

Challenge Records released “Tequila”, the first such single to be released by a loose collection of studio musicians going by the name the Champs. The group was named after Gene Autry’s horse, Champ. None of the musicians who actually recorded Tequila became successful artist. The lineup would change frequently as Challenge continued to release songs from 1958 to 1962. Jimmy Seals (sax) and Dash Crofts (drums) eventually became part of the group. In 1960 Glen Campbell spend a little time with the group. Glen is often credited with being with them when Tequila was released. Not true.

Paul Anka tops the bill in Australia for a 12-night gig. “You Are My Destiny” is at the beginning of its rise to #7 on the Hot 100. Also on the bill was Buddy Holly and Jerry Lee Lewis.

Elvis Presley recorded his last four songs before enlisting in the US Army. The recordings included his next single “Wear My Ring Around Your Neck” which would reach #2 on the Hot 100.

1959

THE DAY THE MUSIC DIED

On February 3, 1959, a small-plane crash near Clear Lake, Iowa, killed three American rock and roll pioneers: Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and J. P. “The Big Bopper” Richardson, as well as the pilot, Roger Peterson. The day was later called The Day the Music Died by Don McLean, in his song “American Pie”.

“The Winter Dance Party” was a tour that was set to cover twenty-four Midwestern cities in three weeks. A logistical problem with the tour was the amount of travel, as the distance between venues was not a consideration when scheduling each performance. Adding to the disarray, the tour bus used to carry the musicians was not equipped for the weather; its heating system broke shortly after the tour began. The condition of the bus and the grueling pace of the tour are evidenced by the fact that Holly’s drummer, Carl Bunch, had been hospitalized in Ironwood, Michigan, due to a severe case of frostbitten feet that developed when the bus broke down enroute to Appleton, Wisconsin.

The Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake, Iowa, was never intended to be a stop on the tour, but promoters, hoping to fill an open date, called Surf Ballroom manager Carroll Anderson and offered him the show. He accepted and the show was set for Monday, February 2. By the time Buddy Holly arrived at the Surf Ballroom that Monday evening, he was frustrated with the tour bus. Holly was also upset that the laundromat in Clear Lake was closed that day, and he would need time before the next performance to finally clean some undershirts, socks, and underwear. Holly told his remaining band mates, Waylon Jennings and Tommy Allsup, that they should try to charter a plane to save time and to avoid the cold bus ride of 380 miles to the tour’s next stop – Moorhead, Minnesota.

Flight arrangements were made with Roger Peterson, a 21-year-old local pilot. A fee of $36 per passenger was charged for the single-engined 1947 Beechcraft Bonanza 35. The Bonanza could seat three in addition to the pilot. Richardson had developed a case of flu during the tour and asked Waylon Jennings for his seat on the plane. When Holly learned that Jennings wasn’t going to fly, he said in jest, “Well, I hope your ol’ bus freezes up” and Jennings responded, also in jest, “Well, I hope your ol’ plane crashes”. This exchange of words would haunt Jennings for the rest of his life.

Ritchie Valens had never flown in a small plane before, and, in spite of his own fear of flying, asked Tommy Allsup for his seat on the plane. Tommy said “I’ll flip ya for the remaining seat”. Contrary to what is seen in the movie La Bamba, the coin toss did not happen at the airport shortly before takeoff, nor did Buddy Holly toss it. Bob Hale, a DJ with KRIB-AM, was working the concert that night and flipped the coin in the ballroom’s sidestage room shortly before the musicians departed for the airport. Valens won the coin toss, and with it a seat on the flight. Dion of Dion and the Belmonts had been approached to join the flight, although it is unclear exactly when he was asked. Dion decided that since the $36 cost of the flight was the same as the monthly rent his parents paid for his childhood apartment, he couldn’t justify the paying the $36.

Before the takeoff pilot Roger Peterson tried to persuade fellow pilot Dwayne Mansfield to take the flight because he was too tired. Mansfield declined and pilot Peterson apparently misread the gyroscope, thinking the plane was climbing when in fact, it was descending. On February 3rd the two shows scheduled for Moorhead, Minn were combined into one performance. Promoters auditioned for local talent to fill the bill and a band from Central High School in Fargo, ND was selected to be part of the show. The band included Bobby Velline, later to become a big star as Bobby Vee. Bobby was chosen to sing because he knew more of the Buddy Holly lyrics than anyone in the band. The next day, singers Jimmy Clayton and Frankie Avalon headlined the show in Sioux City, Iowa.

The following is a very well done. It is “American Pie” with many facts and interesting visual slides. I know it is long (just over 8 minutes) but well worth the time. A week from today it will be 53 years since Buddy, Richie and the Big Bopper died.

The high school students vote…The Board of Education ignores their vote!

Only a few high school students are lucky enough to have the perfect timing to be in the first graduating class at a brand new high school. I was one of 267 students who had that exciting pleasure. In addition, we were part of the students who got to vote on the name of our brand-new mascot. We selected Braves and that mascot is still being used to this day. Go Braves!!

With this background and the fond memories from our vote in the early 60′s, it pained me to learn of a situation in Draper, Utah.

The students at soon-to-be Corner Canyon High School were allowed to vote on the mascot of the school, which will open in 2013. The choices included the Bears, Cavaliers, Broncos and Falcons and Cougars. The winner? The Cougars. But the Board of Education decided that victorious mascot is too offensive toward women. The term “cougar” is often informally used to reference an older woman seeking a sexual or romantic relationship with a significantly younger man. They reached this conclusion because of the e-mail messages and phone calls from parents and patrons in Draper asking to reconsider the inclusion of ‘Cougars’. The Board selected the Chargers as the mascot, and it wasn’t even on the original list of five choices.

District officials are standing behind their decision despite growing media attention. (A USA Today piece cheekily notes that the Chargers mascot could stick “unless, of course, someone decides that would be offensive to people who use credit cards.”) District spokeswoman Jennifer Toomer-Cook told KSL-TV that although the Board sought student input, the intent was always for school officials to make the final decision.

Incidentally, BYU, the famous university in Utah, has as it mascot……..the COUGARS.

Rock ‘n’ Roll Tidbits from Jan 22-28 from 1950-59

1951

The Clovers, an R&B vocal group from Washington DC, recorded their first song for Atlantic Records. The debut, “Don’t You Know I Love You” became the groups first #1 R&B hit. They followed with six more top 3 hits on Atlantic through 1953. Other hits from the early 50′s were “Lovey Dovey” and “Devil Or Angel”, which Bobby Vee would release in 1960.

1952

In Corinth, Mississippi, 19-year-old singer Carl Perkins married Valda Crider. She encouraged him to pursue a career in music. Carl was from a poor sharecropping family in Tennessee and had been picking cotton since he was the age of six. He made his first guitar from a broom handle and a cigar box, using baling wire for strings.

1955

Carl Perkins recorded “Movie Magg” and “Turn Around” at his first recording session at Sun Records. The songs were released on the Flip Records, one of Sam Phillips new labels. Perkins said “Turn Around” was always a favorite of his because of how he felt about his wife (see previous post). He indicated if she were ever in trouble or felt lonely, all she’d have to do is turn around and he’d be right there following her.

Fats Domino began a 42-date US tour in New York.

1956

James Brown & the Famous Flames were signed to Federal Records.

Buddy Holly & the Three-Tunes recorded their first sessions for Decca in Nashville.

Irvin Feld’s Super Attractions R&B package trek opened in Pittsburgh. The ten-date-all-star tour featured Bill Haley & His Comets, the Platters, LaVern Baker, Shirley & Lee, the Drifters, Bo Diddley and Joe Turner.

Elvis Presley made his first of four appearances on the Stage Show, hosted by Tommy and Jimmy Dorsey and aired live from CBS Studio 50 in New York. Elvis received $1,250 for each show. Jackie Gleason, whose company produced the show said, “He can’t last. I tell you flatly, he can’t last.” The initial four shows were immediately upped to six by popular demand. So much for Jackie Gleason being much of a predictor.

1958

Buddy Holly recorded at Bell Sound Studios in New York. The next day he and the Crickets performed “Oh Boy!” on their second appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show.

Little Richard embarked on a four-year course in religious studies at the Oakwood Theological College in Huntsville, Alabama. He would receive his BS and be ordained as a Seventh Day Adventist minister like his father and grandfather before him. Little Richard said, “The Lord is on the side of the ballad singers. Rock ‘n’ Roll is strictly Satan’s music. Sure I made a lot of money out of rock ‘n’ Roll. Now I want to make up for my sins for the rest of my life.”

1959

Buddy Holly made what proved to be his last recordings, on a tape recorder, in his New York apartment. The next day he began a 24-date Winter Dance Party tour in Milwaukee. It was set to end on February 15 in Springfield, Ill. Also on the bill is Big Bopper, Richie Valens and Dion & the Belmonts. We all know what happened on February 3, just eleven days after the start of the tour. The day the music died.

Tidbits from Rock ‘n’ Roll for the week of Jan 15-21 from 1950-59

1955

British record company EMI acquired 96% of Capitol Records stock for $8.5 million. Soon afterward, EMI built a new studio at Hollywood and Vine to match its state-of-the-art Abbey Road Studios in London. The new studio became known as the Capitol Records Tower, one of the most distinctive landmarks in Hollywood. The 13-story earthquake-resistant tower, designed by Welton Becket, was the world’s first circular office building, and is home to several recording studios. Although not originally specifically designed as such, the wide curved awnings over windows on each story and the tall spike emerging from the top of the building combine to give it the appearance of a stack of vinyl 45s on a turntable.

Capitol was founded in 1942 by Johnny Mercer with the financial help of fellow songwriter and film producer Buddy DeSylva and the business acumen of Glenn Wallichs, owner of Wallichs Music City, at the time the biggest record store in Los Angeles. The artist at Capitol at the time of this purchase included Nat King Cole, Dean Martin, Peggy Lee, Les Paul & Mary Ford, Jo Stafford and the newly signed Frank Sinatra.

1957

Elvis Presley’s second movie began production at Paramount Studios. The film was “Loving You” which thankfully beat out the original titles, “The Lonesome Cowboy” and “Running Wild”. The biggest hit from the movie was Let Me Be Your Teddy Bear which spent 7 weeks at #1.

Patsy Cline appeared on Arthur Godfrey’s Talent Scouts and sang “Walkin’ After Midnight”, which became her first record to make it on the country charts.

1959

The Everly Brothers appeared on “Cool For Cats” in the UK. Their current hit in the U.S. was Problems, which would peak at #2 on Billboards Hot 100. It was the second time they peaked at #2, the other time being their initial release, Bye Bye Love. Here is take 10 of Problems. Notice that only Don was singing. Thankfully they sang together on the actual release which is also posted for your listening pleasure.

Rock ‘n’ Roll Tidbits for Jan 8 – 14, 1950-59

1951

B.B. King, who was a DJ for WDIA in Memphis from 1949 to 1950, recorded “B.B. Blues” under the watchful eye of Sam Phillips. Born Riley B. King he used the nicknames “The Beale Street Blues Boy”, “Blues Boy” and “Bee Bee” before settling on B.B. King was the master of “string-bending” and had a profound influence on rock ‘n’ roll. Interestingly, B.B. did not fare well on the Billboard Hot 100. He charted 35 times between July, 1957 and April, 1989. Six times he cracked the top 40 with his biggest hit being The Thrill is Gone (#15) in early 1970. He was much more popular on the R & B charts where he charted 75 times.

1955

Elvis Presley celebrated his 20th birthday by performing on the “Louisiana Hayride” radio broadcast. KWKH DJ Frank Page told the audience that Elvis was wearing crocodile-skin shoes with pink socks. Elvis sang That’s Alright Mama and three other tunes.

Alan Freed is at it again, staging his Rock ‘n’ Roll Ball in Harlem. The headliners were Fats Domino, Big Joe Turner and the Drifters.

1956

Buddy Holly began a 14-date tour with Hank Thompson, George Jones and Wanda Jackson. Columbia Records had just turned down a chance to sign Buddy but Decca Records stepped in and gave Buddy a contract. Buddy had been recording pop demos with Bob Montgomery since 1954 but Bob insisted Buddy sign the Decca deal. Needing a new backing band, Buddy recruited Sonny Curtis, Don Guess and Jerry Allison and they used the name Buddy Holly & the Three-Tunes. In July of 1956 this group would record “That’ll Be The Day” but it was not released. It was not until August of ’57 that the song, as recorded by Buddy Holly and the Crickets, would be released on Brunswick records. The Three-Tunes version was released on Decca in September of ’57 but did not chart. The Crickets version would go on to #1. Here is that original Decca version. This is the first time I ever heard it or even knew it existed. Learn something new on Rock ‘n’ Roll Tidbits every week.

Just to refresh your memory, here is the version that was the #1 hit.

Elvis Presley recorded his first RCA records on January 10th. The recordings were done at the Methodist Television, Radio & Film Commission Studios in Nashville. His first cut was a cover of Ray Charles’ recent R&B smash, “I Got A Woman”. He followed that with “Heartbreak Hotel”. Among the musicians who would play with Elvis at that first session with RCA were Bill Black, Chet Atkins and Floyd Cramer. Each would later have success on their own.

The Coasters changed their name from the Robbins and recorded their first songs for Atlantic Records. One of the songs, “One Kiss Led To Another”, would chart for one week at #73 but not until September of ’56. It was released on Atco Records, a division of Atlantic Records.

1957

Bill Haley and His Comets began a world tour in Sydney. LaVern Baker and the Platters were the opening group for Haley.

1958

Columbia Records, who passed on Buddy Holly in 1956, signed their first rockabilly artist. It was Carl Perkins, who had recorded for Sun Records prior to now. Carl had reached #2 with Blue Suede Shoes with Sun Records in early ’56. His first recording on Columbia was Pink Pedal Pushers. It charted for one week at #91. Carl would only chart one more time with Columbia. “Pointed Toe Shoes” lasted two weeks at #93.

The British release of Jailhouse Rock was delayed for a week because the pressing plant was unable to meet advance orders of 250,000 copies. It would enter the UK charts at #1, the first time that had ever happened. It would sell 750,000 in the first 3 weeks.

KWK radio in St. Louis decided that rock ‘n’ roll has had its day and began to break every record in its library after playing them one last time. Hard to believe this was true but it was. The president of the station said the genre had dominated the music field long enough and was alienating many adult listeners. The majority of feedback is good and listeners talk about how pleasant radio listening can be without rock ‘n’ roll.

KWK eventually returned Rock ‘n’ Roll to its playlist as it competed with KXOK in the 1960s. The station spent a good part of that decade more focused on its legal troubles. The FCC received complaints that a couple of Treasure Hunt contests were rigged. This resulted in a weaker signal and then a license loss in 1966. Sounds like poetic justice to me.

1959

Dion and the Belmonts performed “A Teenager In Love” on American Bandstand. It would go on to be their first top 10 hit, peaking at #5. They also had a top 10 with “Where or When”, which peaked at #3 later in the year.

Berry Gordy Jr., using $800 from his family’s loan fund, formed his own record label, Tamla Records. Gordy had already written some hits, including Lonely Teardrops for Jackie Wilson. The first release on his new label was Come to Me by Marv Johnson. The song was licensed to United Artist and reached #30.

Rock ‘n’ Roll Tidbits for Jan 1 – 7 from 1950-59

1950

On January 3, Sam Phillips opened the Memphis Recording Service in Memphis, Tennessee. The Memphis Recording Service let amateurs perform, which drew performers such as B.B. King, Junior Parker, and Howlin’ Wolf. Phillips then would sell their performances to larger record labels. In addition to musical performances, Phillips recorded events such as weddings and funerals, selling the recordings. The Memphis Recording Service also served as the studio for Phillips’ own label,which he would launch in 1952 as Sun Records.

RCA Victor announced that it will begin manufacturing 33 1/3 records. Columbia Records had introduced the 12 inch “album” size records two years earlier. In 1949 RCA had introduced the 7 inch 45 RPM.

1952

BBC television launched “Hit Parade”, its first pop musics show. The American version, “Your Hit Parade” started on television in 1950.

1953

Hank Williams died in the back seat of a car being driven by Charles Carr. Williams was scheduled to perform at the Municipal Auditorium in Charleston, West Virginia. Because of an ice storm in the Nashville area, Williams could not fly, so he hired Carr, a college student, to drive him to the concerts. Carr called the Charleston auditorium from Knoxville to say that Williams would not arrive on time because of an ice storm and was ordered to drive Williams to Canton, Ohio for the New Year’s Day concert there.

While at the Andrew Johnson Hotel in Knoxville, Carr requested a doctor for Williams, as he was feeling the combination of the chloral hydrate and alcohol he had drunk on the way to Knoxville. A Doctor injected Williams with two shots of vitamin B12 that also contained a quarter-grain of morphine. When Carr and Williams checked out of the hotel, the porters had to carry Williams to the car, as he was coughing and hiccupping. At around midnight on January 1, Carr stopped for fuel at a gas station in Oak Hill, West Virginia, where he realized that Williams was dead. The autopsy found hemorrhages in the heart and neck and the cause of death was listed as “insufficiency of the right ventricle of the heart”.

His body was transported to Montgomery, Alabama, on January 2 and placed in a silver coffin that was first shown at his mother’s boarding house for two days. His funeral took place on January 4 at the Montgomery Auditorium, with his coffin placed on the flower-covered stage. An estimated 15,000 to 25,000 people passed by the silver coffin, and the auditorium was filled with 2,750 mourners. His funeral was said to have been far larger than any ever held for any other citizen of Alabama and the largest event ever held in Montgomery.

1954

Elvis Presley returned to the Memphis Recording Studio’s of Sam Phillips to cut his second recording. This time Sam asked for his address and phone number, promising to contact him soon about trying something in the studio together.

1955

Johnny Ace’s funeral is held in Memphis. There are 5,000 there including Little Junior Parker, B.B. King and Willie Mae Thornton.

1957

Fats Domino cut “I’m Walkin’” in New Orleans. It would go on to be the 4th of 9 top 10 hits for Fats. He never reached #1 with any of his records.

Elvis Presley passed his pre-induction medical checkup. The Army’s Memphis recruiting station said Elvis’ test scores placed him in the 1-A Class. Elvis didn’t actually join the Army until March, 1958.

1958

In only its 4th week after release, “At The Hop” by Danny and the Juniors reached #1 on the Billboard Hot 100. It would stay there for 7 weeks. Had Dick Clark not suggested the new title, the song would have been “Do The Bop” and might not have been as catchy. Who knows, it might not have been at hit at all.

The Flying V electric guitar was patented by the Gibson Guitar Company. They did not sell well. After the initial launch in 1958, the line was discontinued by 1959. Later, in the mid-late 1960′s, such guitarists as Dave Davies and Jimi Hendrix, in search of a distinctive looking guitar with a powerful sound, also started using Flying V’s. The renewed interest created a demand for Gibson to reissue the model.

Gibson reissued the guitar in mahogany in 1967, updating its design with a bigger, more stylish pickguard, and ditching the original bridge, which had the strings inserted through the back, in favor of the stopbar tail piece more commonly associated with Gibson models. This 1967 model is now the standard for the Flying V.

The 1958-59 korina Flying V is one of the most valuable production-model guitars on the market, ranked at No. 5 on the 2011 Top 25 published by Vintage Guitar, and worth between $200,000 and $250,000.

R.I.P. Cheetah….

It seems we have lost one of the biggest stars of years past. In case you missed this, here is the news of Cheetah.

Rock ‘n’ Roll Tidbits for Dec. 25 – 31 from 1950-59

1954

The Most Promising Artist of 1954, Johnny Ace, shot himself shortly after 11 pm between sets at a “Negro Christmas Dance” at the City Auditorium in Houston. The accounts of his death are many but the one that seems to always come up is that he was playing “Russian Roulette” before shooting himself. This account is discounted by a eye witness, Big Mama Thornton’s bass player Curtis Tillman. Tillman, who witnessed the event, said, “I will tell you exactly what happened! Johnny Ace had been drinking and he had this little pistol he was waving around the table and someone said ‘Be careful with that thing…’ and he said ‘It’s okay! Gun’s not loaded…see?’ and pointed it at himself with a smile on his face and ‘Bang!’ – sad, sad thing. Big Mama ran outta that dressing room yelling ‘Johnny Ace just killed himself!”

Johnny Ace was born John Alexander in Memphis, Tennessee in June, 1929. He did not die immediately and died on Christmas day, 1954. At the time of his death Ace had never charted. He had worked with B.B. King and then formed the Beale Streeters with Bobby Bland before going solo. In January, 1955 his only charted song, Pledging My Love, was released and reached #17 on the Billboard’s Hot 100.

Elvis Presley covered “Pledging My Love” on his last studio session in 1976. The song appeared on the Moody Blue album in 1977 at the time of his death. “Pledging My Love” appeared in the 1973 Martin Scorsese film Mean Streets and John Carpenter’s 1983 movie Christine, based on Stephen King’s novel. The song also appeared in the Abel Ferrara film Bad Lieutenant. The song also appeared in the movie “Back To the Future” It was playing in the background of the scene with Marty and his mother in the yellow car. It was, however not credited in the movie. The Teen Queens song “Eddie My Love” was originally titled “Johnny My Love” and was written in Johnny’s memory.

1955

1955 was a great year for Bill Haley and His Comets. They ended the year performing at the Michigan State Fair Coliseum in Detroit. Their 3rd top 10 song, Burn That Candle, was headed for #9. Three of the original band decided to form a group called the Jodimars on Capital Records. The Jodimars never charted.

1957

Alan Freed’s Christmas Jubilee again packed them in at the Paramount Theater in Brooklyn. There are six shows per day during the 12-day run. The shows feature Paul Anka, Buddy Holly & the Crickets, Fats Domino, Jerry Lee Lewis, the Everly Brothers, Danny & the Juniors and many more. Diana by Paul Anka was still on the Hot 100 and would wind up being on the Hot 100 for 29 weeks.

1958

Alan Freed is back again with his Christmas Jubilee but this year it is at the Loew’s Theater in Manhattan. The bill features Chuck Berry, Bo Diddley, the Everly Brothers, Jackie Wilson, Frankie Avalon, Eddie Cochran, Ritchie Valens, Johnnie Ray, Jimmy Clanton, the Crests, the Flamingos, Dion & the Belmonts and others. The Crests hit, 16 Candles, had been on the Hot 100 for 4 weeks and would peak at #2 during its 21 week run.

Johnny Cash performed at the Showboat Hotel in Las Vegas. Tex Ritter and Sons of the Pioneers also were on the bill.

Buddy Holly made his first live appearance in Lubbock since he gained fame. Last year Buddy was at the Paramount in Brooklyn as a headliner and this year he is at Morris Fruit & Vegetable Store in Lubbock doing a live radio show for KLLL. Buddy also went to the KLLL’s studio and recorded You’re The One with the stations DJ’s Waylon Jennings and Ray “Slim” Corbin. The station had challenged Buddy to write a song in 30 minutes. Buddy played guitar and Jennings and Corbin added “percussion”, one clapped his hands and the other slapped his knees. Both of them earned co-songwriting credits with Buddy.

Rock ‘n’ Roll Tidbits for Dec. 18 – 24 from 1950-59.

1955

Carl Perkins and his band record his composition, Blue Suede Shoes, which was written at the suggestion of Johnny Cash. The song was based on an actual incident spotted in a concert audience. Sam Phillips, owner of Sun records, recognized the great commercial potential, rushed the release on Sun and heavily promoted the song. The song peaked at #2 being kept from the top spot by Elvis Presley’s Heartbreak Hotel, Elvis’ first charted song. Elvis would release his version of Blue Suede Shoes as his second release and it peaked at #20 while competing with Carl Perkins version.

Alan Freed’s Rock ‘n’ Roll Holiday Jubilee opened at the Academy of Music on East 14th Street in New York. The 12 days of shows featured the Bonnie Sisters, Count Basie, LaVern Baker, the Wrens, the Valentines, the Chuckies, Gloria Mann and the Cadillacs.

1956

Alan Freed’s Rock ‘n’ Roll Christmas Show began an eight-day stay at the Paramount Theater in Brooklyn. The show grossed $180,000 and featured Shirley & Lee, the Moonglows, George Hamilton IV, Jesse Belvin, the G Clefs, the Heartbeats and the Three Friends. Seeing the G Clefs caught my attention because their 1961 hit, I Understand (Just How You Feel), is one of my favorites. In the summer of 1956 their first release was Ka-Ding Dong, which peaked at #24.

1957

Amid widespread teenage protest, Milton Bowers, chairman of the Memphis Draft Board No. 86, served Elvis Presley’s draft notice for the US Army. The draft notice was taken to Graceland, where Elvis was spending Christmas with his parents.

Two days later Frank Freeman, Paramount Studios’ production chief, petitioned the army for a 60-day deferment for Elvis. The deferment is requested so the movie King Creole can be completed. Freeman was told Elvis would have to ask for the deferment personally. The draft board eventually agreed to a two-month delay, which incurred a barrage of comments from the public about “special treatment.”

Jingle Bell Rock, recorded by 22-year-old country singer Bobby Helms, entered the charts and would peak at #6. It went on to become a yuletide standard. Helms had recently crossed over from country to pop with My Special Angel, which peaked at #7 and was on the charts at the same time as Jingle Bell Rock. Jingle Bell Rock would chart during Christmas in 1957, 1958, 1960, 1961, 1962 and 1997. The 1997 charting is because it was used in the Arnold Schwarzenegger movie Jingle All The Way.

1958

George Harrison, Paul McCartney, and John Lennon performed as the Quarry Men at the wedding reception of Harrison’s brother Harry.

1959

Chuck Berry was arrested and charged with a violation of the Mann Act, having taken Janice Norine Escalanti to work as a hat-check girl in his nightclub in St. Louis. In the opinion of the police, he had committed the offense of transporting a minor across a State Line for immoral purposes. Berry allegedly fired the girl after he suspected her of working as a prostitute. She subsequently reported him to police. Berry was initially convicted and sentenced to the maximum penalty of five years in jail and a fine of $2,000. However, after racist comments by the Judge were made public, Berry was freed, prior to a retrial.

Rock ‘n’ Roll Tidbits for Dec. 11 – 17 from 1950-59.

1954

Bill Haley’s Shake, Rattle and Roll became the first rock ‘n’ Roll record to chart in the U.K. It peaked at #4. The British pop chart otherwise was dominated by the more mainstream pop imports like Doris Day, Johnnie Ray, Frank Sinatra and Rosemary Clooney (all the artist our parents would have been preferring over Elvis, Bill Haley, Chuch Berry etc).

1956

Elvis made his 50th and final appearance on the Louisiana Hayride at the Louisiana Fairgrounds, a benefit concert for the Shreveport YMCA.

Rev. Charles Howard Graf, rector of the Protestant Episcopal Church in Greenwich Village, New York, said the Elvis Presley craze will pass. He said, “Basically I don’t think youth wants this sort of thing. It is the result of the letdown that follows every war.” Guess the good Reverend was wrong…

1957

Jerry Lee Lewis secretly married his 13 year-old second cousin Myra Gale Brown. She was the daughter of his bass player. She claimed to be 20 on the marriage license. What Jerry forgot was he was still married to his second wife, Jan Mitcham. Two of Lewis’ other cousins were Mickey gilley and Jimmy Swaggart.

Al Priddy, a DJ at radio station KEX in Portland, Oregon, was fired for playing Elvis Presley’s version of White Christmas. The station’s owner says: “It is not in the spirit we associate with Chrismas. Playing Presley’s version of that song is like having a stripper give my kids Christmas presents.”

Chicago radio station WCFL went even further by banning all records by Elvis.

1958

The Coasters follow up their #1 song Yakety Yak by recording Charlie Brown. In February of ’59 Charlie Brown peaked at #2 and failed to give The Coasters back to back #1′s.

1959

The Everly Brothers recorded their first session outside of Nashville. Let It Be Me, an English translation of a French song was recorded in New York. It was also the first song from the duo in which an orchestral backing (eight violins and a cello) was used.