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Billy Eckstine, backed by The Woody Herman Herd, records Here Come the Blues, Life Is Just A Bowl Of Cherries, As Long As I Live and I Left My Hat in Haiti, for MGM Records in the USA.




The BBC Home Service begins broadcasting a new three-part radio series, Adventures In Folk Song, featuring music archivist Alan Lomax discussing his song-gathering field trips on behalf of the Library Of Congress in the USA.
Tv show Cavalcade Of Bands in the USA features appearances by Jackie Gleason, Gene Krupa and Frank Sinatra.


The musical revue Razzle Dazzle closes at The Arena Theatre, Broadway, New York City, USA, after a run of just eight performances.
As a member of gospel group The Soul Stirrers, Sam Cooke makes his first studio recording, Peace In The Valley, for Specialty Records at Universal Recorders, Hollywood, California, USA.


Duke Ellington And His Orchestra play at The Lincoln University Gymnasium, Jefferson City, Missouri, USA.



Judy Garland plays the last of seven nights at The Empire Theatre, Glasgow, Scotland.


Folk quartet The
Weavers begin a month-long residency at Cafe
Society, Greenwich
Village, New York City, USA. The group includes Pete Seeger.
Doo-wop group The
Swallows have their first R'n'b singles chart entry in the USA
with Will You Be Mine. The title line will be borrowed by The Penguins three years later for their huge hit Earth Angel.
The Flip Phillips Quintet records Broadway, Sojoro, Good Work, Apple Honey, Wrap Your Troubles In Dreams, Long Island Boogie and Stardust for Clef Records in Los Angeles, California, USA.
Hank Williams, Bob Hope, Jack Benny, Jimmy Durante and Milton Berle set off on the Hadacol Tour, sponsored by the manufacturers of a medicinal compound.
T-Bone Walker records Alimony Blues, Life Is Too Short and other tracks in Los Angeles, California, USA, for Imperial Records.
George Lewis' New Orleans Jazz Band records Big Butter And Egg Man, Bourbon Street Parade, Over The Waves, Who's Sorry Now and Weary Blues, in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA, for Riverside Records.
Jazz pianist Oscar Peterson plays the final night of two weeks at The Blue Note, Chicago, Illinois, USA.
Alice Babs and The Charles Normans Orkester records Godmorgon, Mr. Eko for Metronome Records in Stockholm, Sweden, Europe.

Violinist Alfredo Campoli and The Gosport Municipal Orchestra play on South Parade Pier, Portsmouth, UK.

The Walt Disney animated movie Cinderella [subtitled A Love Story With Music] is released to cinemas in Hong Kong. The film includes the songs A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes and Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo.
J.B. Lenoir records People Are Meddling In Our Affairs, Let's Roll, Lettie Mae and I Feel All Right, at Modern Recording Studio, Chicago, Illinois, USA. Piano on this track is played by Sunnyland Slim.
Inter-denominational singing group The North Western Chorale is founded in Montego Bay, Jamaica, West Indies, Caribbean, to promote and encourage the appreciation of Sacred musical works by great masters, folk songs, Negro Spirituals, community hymn singing and community singing.
Michael Siegfried Raphael is born in Dallas, Texas, USA. He will find success as harmonica virtuoso Mickey Raphael, best-known for his work with Willie Nelson, but also contributing his musical gifts to Vince Gill, Emmylou Harris, Leon Russell, Bonnie Raitt, Elton John, M
On NBC radio in the USA, The Martin And Lewis Show, starring Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis, includes a guest appearance by Danny Thomas.
Jimmy Dorsey And His Orchestra play in Cafe Rouge in the Hotel Statler [aka Hotel Pennsylvania], New York City, USA.

Mike Stock, of internationally-succesful music production trio Stock Aitken Waterman, is born in Margate, Kent, UK.
Singer, guitarist and songwriter Kiyonori Matsuo is born in Fukuoka Prefecture, Kyushu Island, Japan, Asia.

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