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.
