1953

The Irving Berlin musical and political satire Call Me Madam is playing at The Coliseum, London, England, UK, during a run of 485 performances. Main cast members are Billie Worth (Sally Adams), Anton Walbrook (Cosmo), Jeff Warren (Ken Gibson) and Shani Wallis (Princess Maria). Songs include The Hostess with the Mostes', It's a Lovely Day Today, The Ocarina, They Like Ike and You're Just in Love.

Exotica vocalist Yma Sumac is appearing during a four-week engagement at The Edgewater Beach Hotel, Chicago, Illinois, USA.

Elvis Presley's family move from a two-bedroom apartment at Apartment 328,185 Winchester Street, Memphis, Tennessee, USA. to 398 Cypress Street.

Why Don't You Believe Me by Joni James reaches No1 in the Cashbox Singles Chart in the USA.

Fats Domino begins two weeks of one-nighters with a show in Roanoke, Virginia, USA, supported by doo-wop r'n'b combo The Clovers.

Satirical songwriter Tom Lehrer records his debut album, Songs By Tom Lehrer in TransRadio studio in Boston, Massachusetts, USA, in one hour at a total studio cost of $15. Lehrer then has the discs pressed privately and released in an edition of 400 10" long-players.

Country singer-songwriter Lucinda Williams is born in Lake Charles, Louisiana, USA.

Louis Sclavis is born in Lyon, France, Europe. He will find success as a jazz musician and recording artist, playing clarinet, bass clarinet, and soprano saxophone.

Songwriter Taylor Rhodes is born in Nashville, Tennessee, USA. He will play drums for the Earl Scruggs Revue for two years in the late-1970s before going on to write pop hits for Aerosmith and Celine Dion.

US Army Private Wynton Kelly plays piano accompaniments for singer Private Don Meehan, who is rehearsing for the Third Army Talent Contest at the Service Club, Fort McClellan, Alabama, USA.

Jazz drummer Ralph Penland is born in Cincinnati, Ohio, USA. In an acclaimed career he will work withj Freddie Hubbard, Dianne Reeves, Nancy Wilson, Carmen Lundy, Etta James and k.d. lang to name but a few.

Victor Borge opens for a fourteen-day run of one-man shows at The Curran Theater, San Francisco, California, USA. The sell-out series of shows will gross an estimated $72,000.

During a city-wide slump in live business, The Beachcomber Club in Miami, Florida, USA, closes down. The club has lost $700,000 in two years.

Vic Lewis And His Band play at The Embassy Ballroom, Southsea, Portsmouth, UK.

Bing Crosby, Bob Crosby and others star in Call Me Lucky (a dramatisation of the life story of Bing Crosby) broadcast in the Lucky Strike Program on CBS Radio in the USA.

Chris O'Connell is born in Williamsport, Maryland, USA. She will find success as a singer and guitarist with Asleep At The Wheel when the group scores its only country hit, The Letter That Johnny Walker Read, in 1975.

Teddy Foster And His Orchestra are playing at Green's Playhouse, Glasgow, Scotland, UK, Europe.

In his last-ever recording session, jazz guitar virtuoso Django Reinhardt records Le Soir and Chez Moi for Decca Records in Paris, France, Europe.

Ralph Galvan and his nine-piece band play at The City Auditorium Of Houston, Texas, USA, for a fee of $375.

Ray Charles records the Atlantic Records single, Don

King Records' artist Danny Sutton is playing during a week of shows at The Town Casino, Buffalo, New York State, USA.

Willie Mae 'Big Mama' Thornton reaches No1 in the Billboard R'N'B singles chart in the USA with Hound Dog, written by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller. A cover version by Elvis Presley will enjoy massive success on the pop singles chart.

Fred Knobloch is born in Jackson, Mississippi, USA. He will go on to earn hits as a solo artist and as a member of Schuyler, Knobloch And Overstreet during the 1980s. He will also write Meanwhile for George Strait and Back In Your Arms Again for Lorrie Morgan.

Jane Froman sings Beyond The Blue Horizon, I Can Dream, Can't I?, Ukelele Lady, Bali Hai and Sweet Leilani on the CBS-tv show USA Canteen, in the USA.

The Billy Taylor Quintet record I Love The Mambo, Candido, Early Morning Mambo and Mambo Azul for Prestige Records in New York City, USA.

The Teddy Edwards Septet, with Hampton Hawes on piano, records Red Shirt for Pacific Jazz Records in Los Angeles, California, USA

Eddie Fisher plays at The Palladium, London, UK.

The comedy musical film Road To Bali, starring Bob Hope, Bing Crosby and Dorothy Lamour, is released to cinemas in Italy, Europe.

Perry Como records the Rodgers and Hammerstein song No Other Love for RCA Victor Records in The Manhattan Center, New York City, USA.

Jane Froman sings Cockeyed Optimist, Come Rain Or Come Shine, Bewitched, Bothered And Bewildered and It's A Lovely Day, on the CBS-tv show USA Canteen, in the USA.

I'm Walking Behind You by Eddie Fisher enters the UK singles chart where it will peak at No1 during a run of eighteen weeks.

Elvis Presley plays at at private party in the Columbia Mutual Towers, Memphis, Tennessee, USA.

Stan Kenton records the tracks Some Saxophones and A Thought for his album This Modern World at Capitol Recording Studios, Melrose Avenue, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA.

The Rogers And Hammerstein musical Me And Juliet opens at the Majestic Theatre in New York City, USA, where it will run for 358 performances.

Trinidadian singer Young Tiger appears on British television singing a calypso-style song, I Was There (at the Coronation), which described in great detail the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, which had taken place earlier in the day. Young Tiger had in fact recorded the song two months earlier based on advance information he had been given about the Coronation. Other songs inspired by Queen Elizabeth II include God Save The Queen (1977) by The Sex Pistols and Her Majesty (1969) by The Beatles.

Gee by The Crows is released on Rama Records, but it does not become a hit until ten months later. The song will, eventually, become a contender for the title of First Rock'n'Roll Song Ever Made.

Crazy Man, Crazy by Bill Haley And His Comets peaks at No11 on the Cash Box chart in the USA. It is regarded as the first recognized rock and roll recording to appear on the national American musical charts. It is also believed to be the first rock and roll recording to be played on national television in the USA.

Ain't That Good News by The Tempo Toppers is released on Peacock Records in the USA. The group's lead singer is an aspiring new vocalist named Little Richard.

The Wink Westerners play in the lobby of the Conrad Hilton Hotel, Chicago, Illinois, during the 36th International Lions Club Convention. The group is led by young hopeful Roy Orbison.

Fats Domino and Joe Turner star in The Big Rhythm and Blues Show, emceed by Alan Freed, in Cleveland Arena, Cleveland, Ohio, USA.

Jazz clarinetist George Lewis records Doctor Jazz, Burgundy Street Blues and Down By The Riverside, for Jazz Man Records in Los Angeles, California, USA.

Keith Strickland, drummer of the B-52s is born in Athens, Georgia.

The first Moon Dog Quartet, composed by blind street musician Louis 'Moondog' Hardin, gets its live premiere at The Open Door in Greenwich Village, New York City, USA.

The Walt Disney ainimated musical feature Peter Pan is released to cinemas in Sweden, Europe. The film includes such Sammy Cahn-composed songs as The Second Star To The Right, You Can Fly and A Pirate's Life.

The musical comedy movie Call Me Madam, written by Irving Berlin and starring Ethel Merman, Donald O'Connor and George Sanders, opens in West Germany, Europe.