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Duke Ellington and His Orchestra record One O'Clock Jump and Things Ain't What They Used To Be, for Capitol Records in Chicago, Illinois, USA.
Having left RCA, The Sons Of The Pioneers begin recording for Coral Records in the USA, with a line-up of Lloyd Perryman, Tommy Doss, Dale Warren, Hugh and Karl Farr and Deuce Spriggins. The session is held at Decca Recording Studio, 5505 Melrose Avenue, Hollywood, California, USA, where they record If You Would Only Be Mine and Sierra Nevada.
During a run of 229 performances, the stage revue John Murray Anderson's Almanac - A Musical Harlequinade, starring Harry Belafonte, is presented at The Imperial Theatre on Broadway, New York City, USA.
Artie
Shaw's Gramercy 5, play the first of twenty-four nights at The Encore, upstairs at The Preview Lounge, Chicago, Illinois, USA.
The NME's annual popularity poll is topped by Dickie Valentine (Male Vocalist), Lita Roza (Female Vocalist), Ted Heath and his Music (Big Band) and Ronnie Scott's Band (Small Band).
The 
Stranger In Paradise reaches No1 in the Cash Box Best Selling Singles chart in the USA. The position is achieved by amalgamating sales of versions of the song by Tony Bennett, Tony Martin and The Four Aces.
The original version of Shake
Rattle and Roll is recorded by Big Joe Turner in
New York City for Atlantic Records. At the same session he records
Well All Right.
Musical comedy movie By The Light Of The Silvery Moon, starring Doris Day and Gordon MacRae, opens at cinemas in Denmark, Europe.Cashbox magazine reports that Thirteen Women And One Man by Dickie Thompson on Herald Records has been banned on WHOM Radio in New York City, USA, because its lyric is considered too provocative. (censorship)
Elmore James And His Broomdusters record Sho Nuff I Do and 1839 Blues for Flair Records in Chicago, Illinois, USA.
Bill Haley's contract with Essex Records comes to an end, enabling him to sign with Decca.
Harry Belafonte records Kalenda Rock [Mourning Song] in RCA Victor's Manhattan Center, New York City, USA. Pianist on the session is Ray Charles.
The Johnny Dankworth Orchestra records Ain't Misbehavin', I Got Rhythm, I Know You're Mine [with Cleo Laine on vocals] and I Got It Bad And That Ain't Good, for Parlophone Records in London.
Guy Mitchell, with Mitch Miller and his Orchestra and Chorus, records My Heaven And Earth, Bob's Yer Uncle, You've Ruined Me and There Once Was A Man, for Columbia Records in New York City, USA.
Papa George Lightfoot records Wine, Women, Whiskey, When The Saints Go Marching In, Jump The Boogie and Mean Ol' Train in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA, for Imperial Records.
B.B.King, The Platters, Johnny Otis, Shirley Gunter, Marvin And Johnny and The Maplighters play to a record-breaking full house at The Savoy Ballroom, Los Angeles, California, USA.
The Spaniels enter the Billboard R'n'B Top Ten singles chart in the USA with Goodnite, Sweetheart, Goodnite.
Harry Bence and His 19 Piece Orchestra play at The Festival Hall, East Kirkby, near Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, England, UK, Europe.Jazz guitarist Tal Farlow records My Old Flame for Verve Records at Fine Sound studios, New York City, USA.
Little Things Mean A Lot by Kitty Kallen on Decca Records reaches No1 in the Cashbox magazine chart of the Top 50 Best-Selling Singles in the USA.
Ken Rattenbury And His Jazz Quintet play at The Festival Hall, East Kirkby, Lincolnshire, England, UK, Europe.
Horace Swaby is born in St. Andrew, Jamaica. He will find success as roots reggae and dub record producer, melodica player and keyboardist Augustus Pablo.
The Benny Carter Quartet records Moonglow, My One And Only Love, Our Love Is Here To Stay, This Can't Be Love, Tenderly, Unforgettable, Ruby and Moon Song, for Norgran Records in Los Angeles, California, USA.
Sam Phillips of Sun Records in Memphis, Tennessee, USA, presses up two Elvis Presley cuts on acetate and takes t hem to deejay Dewey Phillips (no relation) at radio station WHBQ. The deejay agrees to play Presley's version of the Arthur Crudup song That's All Right Mama on a later show.
In St. Anne's Catholic Church, San Antonio, Texas, USA, door-to-door salesman Johnny Cash marries his girlfriend Vivian Liberto, just over a month after his return from Air Force duty in Europe.B.B. King And Hhis band play to a 2,400 capacity crowd, at The Savoy Ballroom, Hollywood, California, USA, supported by The Johnny Otis Show and The Platters.
Louis Jordan and his orchestra play the third of ten nights The Trocadero, Los Angeles, California, USA, supported by The Robins, later to find international fame as The Coasters.
Ray Charles and Guitar Slim play the second of three nights at the 5-4 Club, Los Angeles, California, USA.
The Big Rhythm And Blues Show, a package tour promoted by controversial deejay Alan Freed, plays in Cleveland Arena, Cleveland, Ohio, USA, with stars including Fats Domino, Joe Turner and The Moonglows.
Musical comedy The Boy Friend, with songs by Sandy Wilson, plays at The Royale Theatre, Broadway, New York City, USA, during a run of 485 performances. The show stars Julie Andrews, and also features English singer Millicent Martin.
Doris Day and Frank Sinatra release a new 10" LP, Young at Heart, on Columbia Records in the USA. the album consists of songs from the soundtrack of the movie Young at Heart.
The Johnny Dankworth Orchestra records Cole Storage and Get Happy for Parlophone Records in London.
Sonny Thompson's Orchestra featuring Lula Reid and The Treniers play the fourth night in a week of shows at the Apollo Theatre, Harlem, New York City, USA.
Earl Bostic plays the fifth night of two weeks at The Crystal Lounge on Grand River Avenue, Detroit, Michigan, USA.
The Timmie Rodgers Revue, featuring Roy Hamilton, plays the first night of a week at The Howard Theater, Washington, DC, USA.
The Drifters and Erskine Hawkins play the second night of a week at The Howard Theater, Washington, DC, USA.
In a move designed to boost Capitol Records' blues and r'n'b roster, Dakota Staton is signed to a recording contract with the label in the USA.Elvis Presley's debut
single, Blue
Moon Of Kentucky, enters the regional singles chart in Houston, Texas, USA, at No9.
Annie Lennox, later to found Eurythmics is born in Summerfield Maternity Hospital, Aberdeen, Scotland, UK, Europe.Jan |