New York City

A Patent Application is filed in New York City, USA for a new and improved type of music-roll for mechanical musical instruments. It will not be granted until 1916.

The musical comedy Florodora is performed at The Winter Garden Theatre, Broadway, New York City, USA, during a run of 48 shows.

The musical comedy Miss Simplicity, featuring Helen Lord, is playing at The Casino Theatre, Broadway, New York City, USA, during a run of 56 performances.

The Columbia Stellar Quartette (aka The Peerless Quartet and The Columbia Male Quartet) records Onward, Christian Soldiers and The Heidelberg Stein Song for Columbia Records in New York City, USA. The Peerless Quartet was, arguably, the most successful vocal group of the period.

The musical Rose-Marie is presented at The Imperial Theatre, Broadway, New York City, USA, during a run of 557 performances.

The cast of the American production of the successful play Porgy leaves New York City on the S.S. Columbus, bound for London, UK, where the show will open at His Majesty's Theatre in early April. Porgy will become the basis for the George Gershwin opera Porgy And Bess.

Annette Hanshaw records I Get The Blues When It Rains, My Sin and I Hate Myself [For Falling In Love With You], for Columbia Records in New York City, USA.

Fourteen year old Eleanora Gough, later known to the world as Billie Holiday, is arrested along with her mother in a police raid on prostitutes in Florence Williams' whorehouse, 151 W140th Street, Harlem, New York City, USA. Eleanora is sentenced to 100 days in a workhouse.

Lionel Hampton records Just For Laffs, Martin On Every Block, Pig Foot Sonata and Charlie Was A Sailor for RCA Victor in New York City, USA.

The Randy Brooks Orchestra plays at The Roseland Ballroom, New York City, USA.

Edith Piaf And Her Continental Entertainers open at The Playhouse Theatre, Broadway, New York City, USA, where she will notch up a run of 49 performances.

Irving Azoff is born in Danville, Illinois, USA. He will find success as an entertainment executive and personal manager, representing recording artists including Christina Aguilera, Journey, The Eagles, Dan Fogelberg, Joe Walsh, Van Halen, Thirty Seconds to Mars, Steely Dan, Maroon 5, No Doubt, Triumph, Lindsey Buckingham of Fleetwood Mac, Bon Jovi and others.

The stage musical Great To Be Alive! closes at The Winter Garden Theatre, Broadway, New York City, USA, after completing 52 performances.

Ray Charles records the Atlantic Records singles, Hallelujah I Love Her So, I'll Drown In My Own Tears and What Would I Do Without You at Capitol Recording Studios, New York City, USA. (1955)

Chuck Berry, Bill Haley and His Comets, Larry Williams, Frankie Avalon, The Kalin Twins, Jimmy Clanton, The Danleers and The Elegants, The Olympics, Bobby Freeman and King Curtis are among the acts appearing on the opening night of Alan Freed's Big Beat Show at The Fox Theater, Brooklyn, New York City, USA.

The stage musical Christine, with music by Sammy Fain and lyrics by Paul Francis Webster, closes at The 46th Street Theatre, Broadway, New York City, USA. It has run for a total of just twelve performances.

Chubby Checker, The Drifters, Maxine Brown and Chuck Jackson play the sixth night of a week at The Regal, Chicago Illinois, USA.

Jazz bassist Charles Mingus records Devil Woman, Wham Bam Thank You Ma'am and other tracks in New York City, USA, for Atlantic Records.

Tony Bennett is playing at The Living Room, Chicago, Illinois, USA.

Jazz singer Chris Connor records the Richard Rodgers' songs No Strings, Look No Further, The Sweetest Sounds and Nobody Told Me, in New York City, USA, for her Atlantic Records LP No Strings - An After Theatre Version.

R'n'b organist Jimmy Smith records Walk On The Wild Side and Ol' Man River in New York City,USA, for Verve Records.

Sonny Curtis of Buddy Holly's band The Crickets finishes his military service for the USA.

Paul Anka plays the second night of a week at The Holiday House, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.

Bobby Darin plays at Freedomland, the Bronx, New York City, USA.

Inspired by the growth of interest in folk music, a new folk music-oriented magazine, Hootenanny, publishes its first edition in the USA. The cover features Peter, Paul And Mary, and magazine carries interviews with Odetta and Bob Dylan.

Jazz vocalist Helen Merrill and The Mike Zwerin Quartet play at The Cafe Au Go Go, Greenwich Village, New York City, USA.

During sessions for the album Dig These Blues, The Hank Crawford Septet records Hollywood Blues, H.C.Blues and New Blues for Atlantic Records in New York City, USA.

Dion records My Babe, Kind Hearted Woman, The Devil's Got My Woman and other tracks, for Columbia Records in New York City, USA.

Nina Simone releases her version of the folk/spiritual song Sinnerman in the USA.

Tony Bennett and The Four Seasons play at The County Center, White Plains, New York State, USA,

Tom Jones, The Turtles, Brian Hyland, Ronnie Dove, Billy Joe Royal, Peter And Gordon and Mel Carter play the last of four nights in The Marine Ballroom, The Steel Pier, Atlantic City, New Jersey, USA. The show is the last night of a Dick Clark Caravan Of Stars tour.

The Drifters play at The Orchid Ballroom, Purley, England, UK, Europe.

Jazz trumpeter Dud Bascomb dies in New York City, USA. In an acclaimed career he worked with Duke Ellington, Erskine Hawkins, Buddy Tate, Lou Donaldson, James Brown and others.

At the 27th Annual Grammy Awards in Shrine Auditorium, Los Angeles, California, USA, winners include The Doobie Brothers 'What A Fool Believes' (Record Of The Year, Song Of The Year); Billy Joel’s 52nd Street (Album, Male Pop Vocal Performance); Rickie Lee Jones (New Artist); Dionne Warwick’s I’ll Never Love This Way Again (Female Pop Vocal); Donna Summer’s Hot Stuff (Female Rock Performance); The Eagles’ Heartache Tonight (Male Rock Vocal Performance). Bob Dylan earns the Best Male Rock Vocal Grammy, for his song Gotta Serve Somebody, which he then performs live.

Pat Benatar and Eddie Money play at The Dr. Pepper Music Festival, Central Park, New York City, USA.

Mark Chapman, an obsessively deranged fan of The Beatles, pays his first visit to the Dakota building in New York City, USA, where he begins to stake out his intended murder victim, John Lennon.

Dio release their third LP, Sacred Heart, on Warner Bros Records in the USA.

Dock Green (aka Doc Green), baritone vocalist of The Drifters dies of cancer, aged 54, at his home in New York City, USA.

LL Cool J releases his fourth studio album, Mama Said Knock You Out on Def Jam Records in the USA.

Songwriter Jerry Ragavoy dies aged 80, following a stroke, at Lenox Hill Hospital in Manhattan, New York City, USA. Ragavoy's best-remembered compositions include the Irma Thomas hit Time Is On My Side and Erma Franklin's Piece of My Heart.

Everclear play at The Roseland Ballroom, New York City, USA.

On the North American leg of her World Tour 2012, Madonna plays at Philips Arena, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.

All-female dream-pop trio Vivian Girls play at Death By Audio, Brooklyn, New York City, USA.

Kiss begin their Kissworld Tour with a show at Olympijskiy Stadium, Moscow, Russia, Europe.