12th December

The stage musical How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying, starring Rudy Vallee, is playing at the 46th Street Theater on Broadway, New York City, USA, during a run of 1,417 performances.

The stage musical She Loves Me with music by Jerry Bock and lyrics by Sheldon Harnick is playing at The Eugene O'Neill Theatre, Broadway, New York City, USA, during a run of 301 performances.

Billy Eckstine is playing during a lengthy engagement at The Flamingo Hotel, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA.

Folksinger Paul Sykes is appearing at The Ice House, Pasadena, California, USA.

The musical Zizi is presented at The Broadway Theatre, Broadway, New York City, USA, during a run of 49 performances.

Little Richard, The Marvelettes and Patti LaBelle And The Bluebelles are playing during ten nights at the Apollo Theater, Harlem, New York City, USA.

Music trade magazine Billboard in the USA reports that music producer/arranger Bob Crewe has formed his own record label, DynoVoice.

A Silver Disc is awarded in the UK to the single I'm Gonna Be Strong by Gene Pitney. The song is composed by the Brill Building songwriting duo Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil.

UK tv show Juke Box Jury features skiffle king Lonnie Donegan among its guests.

Elvis Presley's 16th movie, Roustabout, opens in Japan, Asia.

Brenda Lee plays at The Opera House, Blackpool, England, UK, Europe.

On the last night of a three-week run at The Queen's Theatre, London, England, UK, Europe, Marlene Dietrich records the album Dietrich In London for Pye Records.

Promised Land by Chuck Berry is the highest new entry in Cash Box magazine's chart of the best-selling singles in the USA, entering at No78.

Peter And Gordon come to the end of a North American tour with a show in Chicago, Illinois, USA.

Avant garde composer La Monte Young presents his composition The Tortoise, His Dreams and Journeys with the Theater of Eternal Music at the East End Theatre in New York City, USA. One performer in the ensemble is John Cale, later to find success as a rock musician and songwriter, first with the Velvet Underground and later in his own name.

Howlin' Wolf and The Moody Blues play at The Club Noreik, Tottenham, London, England, UK, Europe

Ringo by Lorne Greene reaches No1 in Cash Box magazine's chart of the best-selling singles in the USA.

Kim Weston records What Have I Done To Myself for Motown Records in Detroit, Michigan, USA. It will eventually be released with a lead vocal overdubbed by Kim Weston.

The Yardbirds, with Eric Clapton on guitar, play at The Palais, Peterborough, England, UK, Europe.

Mr. Lonely by Bobby Vinton reaches No1 in the Billboard Hot 100 Singles chart in the USA.

Marvin Gaye enters the Billboard Top 40 Singles Chart in the USA with How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You) on Tamla Records, which will peak at No6.

Nino Tempo And April Stevens record Love Without Tears, Love Lovin' Baby, These Arms Of Mine, Think Of You and The Coldest Night Of The Year, for Atco Records in Los Angeles, California, USA.

The Beatles Story, a documentary-style double album featuring interviews, press conferences and more by The Beatles, enters the Billboard albums chart in the USA. It will peak at No7 on the chart.

The Who play at Harrow Technical College, Harrow, London, England, UK, Europe.

Mississippi John Hurt plays at The Ontario Place Coffee House, Washington DC, USA. His set is record by by Gene Rosenthal and will be released on the LP Memorial Anthology.

Filming begins on The Cage [aka Menagerie], the pilot show for the sci-fi series Star Trek. The show will not only become hugely popular, but will inspire numerous songwriters to compose songs based on the series. Among the most memorable are Where's Captain Kirk?, a 1979 UK hit by punk band SpizzEnergi [covered by R.E.M. in 1992] and Star Trekkin', a UK chart-topping single in 1987 by The Firm. The 1977 album Future Games by Californian psychedelic rockers Spirit is peppered with Star Trek references and audio samples. Even the so-called spokesman of his generation, known to have adapted lines from an episode of Star Trek for his song All Along The Watchtower.

Wayne Fontana And The Mindbenders play at The Kiosk, Castleford, England, UK, Europe

The Hit Pack spend the first of three (non-consecutive) days recording Never Say No To Your Baby for Motown Records at Hitsville Studio, Detroit, Michigan, USA.

A Silver Disc is awarded in the UK to the single Little Red Rooster by The Rolling Stones on Decca Records.

I Feel Fine by The Beatles reaches No1 in the Australian pop singles chart.

Ray Davies of The Kinks marries Rasa Didztpetris in Bradford, South Yorkshire, England, UK, Europe, with brother Dave Davies as best man. Rasa is a 17 year old Lithuanian art student and Kinks fan.

She's Not There by The Zombies peaks at No2 on the Billboard Pop Singles chart in the USA, during a three month stay on the chart.

The Lost record a demo at Bard College in Boston, Massachusetts, USA, produced by Barry Tashian of The Remains, which will help them secure a contract with Capitol Records.

Jerry Lee Lewis plays at The Granada, East Ham, London, England, UK, Europe.

Having been replaced in the number one spot on the Cashbox Best Sellers chart in the USA for the last four weeks, Bobby Darin's Mack The Knife returns to the head of the list.

Rhythm guitarist Brian Jones denies rumours that he is about to quit The Rolling Stones. On the same day, the band is at Shepperton Film Studios, London, England, UK, Europe, pre-recording an appearance for tv show Shindig! in the USA.

The Vernons Girls appear on UK tv series The Arthur Haynes Show.

Here We à Go Go Again!, the second album by Johnny Rivers peaks at No38 on the Billboard Albums Chart in the USA. It will remain on the chart for a total of 23 weeks.

Jeff Aaron Brown, better known as Rockin' Jeff of UK 80s hitmakers The Pasadenas is born.