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American music trade magazine Billboard reports that two MOR crooners, Perry Como and Tony Bennett are about to release r'n'b-flavoured tracks. This is taken as indicative of increased interest from the major record labels in a style which was, until recently, an indpendent phenomenon. Como is reported to have covered Ko Ko Mo, originally by Gene And Eunice, but there is not word about which tracks Bennett has recorded.
Tennessee Ernie Ford records the Ballad Of Davy Crockett, for Capitol Records in the USA.
Country music duo Joe and Rose Lee Maphis record You Ain't Got The Sense [You Were Borned With] and Your Old Love Letters, for OKeh Records in the USA.
The Bruce Turner Quintet records I've Got To Sing A Torch Song, Imagination, Love Is Just Around The Corner and You're A Heavenly Thing in London, UK, for Polygon Records.
R'n'B star LaVern Baker appeals to the United States Congress for legislation to prevent note for note copying of original singles by other acts. Black artists in particular, such as Fats Domino, Little Richard and LaVern Baker herself, suffered from the success of insipid white cover versions of their R'n'B hits.
The Gil Melle Quintet record Life Begins At Midnight, Night Train To Wildwood and other tracks for Blue Note Records at Van Gelder Studios, Hackensack, New Jersey, USA.
The Freddie Redd Trio records The Things We Did Last Summer, Lady J Blues, Debut and Ready Freddie for Prestige Records, in Hackensack, New Jersey, USA.
Cherry Pink And Orange Blossom White by Perez Prado enters the Billboard Top 40 singles chart in the USA.
My Babe by
Chicago blues singer and harmonica player Little Walter, enters the Billboard R'n'B singles chart in the USA, which it will top for
five weeks. The song is written by Willie Dixon, who
also plays bass on the track.
UK bandleader Humphrey Lyttelton raves about little-known American bluesman Muddy Waters in pop music newspaper the NME.
The Breeze And I by Caterina Valente, enters the Billboard magazine charts in the USA, where it will peak at No13 during a run of 14 weeks.
George Lewis and his New Orleans Stompers record Savoy Blues, When You Wore A Tulip, Walkin' With The King and other material for Blue Note Records at Van Gelder Studio, Hackensack, New Jersey, USA.
Stranger In Paradise by Tony Bennett enters the UK popular singles chart at No10. It will peak at No1 during a run of seventeen weeks on the chart.
Cherry Pink And Apple Blossom White by Perez Prado reaches No1 in the Billboard US Top 40 singles chart.
Blues and boogie-woogie pianist Axel Zwingenberger is born in Hamburg, Germany, Europe.
Screamin' Jay Hawkins records Well I Tried, Talk About Me and other tracks for Wing Records in New York City.
Tony Bennett reaches No1 in the UK singles chart with the much-loved standard Stranger In Paradise.
Bo Diddley records Diddley Daddy and She's Fine She's Mine for Checker Records in Chicago, Illinois, USA. Originally released as the b-side of Diddley Daddy, She's Fine She's Mine, will inspire several other songs, notably You Don't Love Me by Willie Cobbs in 1960, Shimmy Shimmy Walk by The Megatons in 1962 and You Don't Love Me (No No No) by Dawn Penn in 1967.
Kenny Baker And His Dozen record Bugler's Lament, There'll Never Be Another You, If You Were The Only Girl, Whistle And I'll Come To You, Gal From Joe's, Coquette, We'll Always Be Sweethearts and Too Cool For The Blues, for Pye/Nixa Records in London, UK.
It is reported that more than 18m copies of the song The
Ballad Of Davy Crockett, in versions recorded by several
artists including Fess
Parker, Bill Hayes and
Tennessee
Ernie Ford, have been bought in the past eighteen months, making it America's most popular song.
Jazz saxophonist Julian ‘Cannonball’ Adderley records Bohemia After Dark, Willow Weep For Me, Hear Me Talkin’ To Ya and other tracks for Savoy Jazz Records in New York City.
The Drifters begin a week of shows at Weeke's Tavern, Atlantic City, New Jersey, USA.
Little Walter records Crazy For My Baby for Chess Records subsidiary label Checker, in Chicago, Illinois, USA.
Charles Mingus, Miles Davis, Thelonious Monk and others appear at the Newport Jazz Festival, Newport, Rhode Island, USA.
Terry Chambers, the first drummer of XTC is born in a nursing home on Westlecot Road, Swindon, Wiltshire, England, UK, Europe.
The Harry James Orchestra has a recording session in Los Angeles, California, USA, at which the tracks Jalousie, You Made Me Love You and others are recorded.
B.B. King plays with ‘his sensational ten-piece band’ at the Pleasure Pier, Galveston, Texas.
The Chico Hamilton Quartet records a live album for Pacific Jazz Records at The Strollers, Long Beach, California, USA.
Harry Belafonte begins recording his second LP, Belafonte, for RCA Victor at RCA Victor's Manhattan Center and 24th Street Studios, New York City, USA. It will become the first number one on the Billboard Top Pop Albums chart, topping the chart for six weeks.Sonny Boy Williamson records Don't Start Me To Talkin?, Work With Me, All My Love In Vain and You Killing Me for Chess Records, in Chicago, Illinois.
A Federal District Court judge refuses to order the US State Department to issue a passport to singer Paul Robeson, but implies that one could be issued if Robeson denounces the Communist party. Robeson refuses, and tells reporters, "Of course I won't sign it. I consider it an invasion of every constitutional liberty I have."The Tommy Whittle Quintet performs You've Done Something To My Heart, A Ghost Of A Chance, Queen Bess and The Finisher, during a live session for the BBC Radio broadcast British Jazz, in London, UK.
Tony Allen and The Champs record Nite
Owl for Specialty
Records at Master Recorders, Hollywood, California, USA.
Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs record Randy Lynn Rag, Some Old Day and Blue Ridge Cabin Home for Columbia Records in Bradley Studio, Nashville, Tennessee, USA.
Chuck Berry begins a week-long engagement at The Paramount Theater, Brooklyn, New York City, USA, as part of deejay/promoter Alan Freed's First Anniversary Rock'n'Roll Show.
Chuck Berry plays the final night of a week-long engagement at The Paramount Theater, Brooklyn, New York City, USA, as part of deejay/promoter Alan Freed's First Anniversary Rock'n'Roll Show.
The Dells record Zing Zing Zing, for Vee Jay
Records at Universal Recording
Studios, Chicago, Illinois, USA.
Tennessee Ernie Ford records Sixteen Tons and You Don't Have To Be A Baby To Cry in Capitol Records' Studios, Melrose Avenue, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA.
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Melvin Leon Taylor is born in Johnson City, Tennessee, USA. he will join instrumental rock legends The Ventures as their drummer in 1996 during a tour of Japan.
The Chuck Berry Trio, The Spaniels, Buddy Johnson And His Orchestra, Arthur Prysock, The Nutmegs, The 4 Fellows, Al Savage and Ella Johnson play at The Memorial Auditorium, Chattanooga, Tennessee, USA.
John Lee Hooker records Mambo Chillun, Unfriendly Woman and Wheel And Deal, for Vee-Jay Records records in Chicago, Illinois.
Little Richard's single, Tutti Frutti, is reviewed by Billboard magazine as a "cleverly styled novelty with nonsense words, rapid fire delivery."
Bo Diddley records Diddy Wah Diddey, Dancing Girl and I'm Looking For A Woman, for Chess Records, in Chicago, Illinois, USA.
Bill Haley and His Comets, Johnnie Ray and LaVern Baker play the fourth night in a five-day run at The Paramount, Brooklyn, New York City, USA.
Bill Haley and His Comets, Johnnie Ray and LaVern Baker play the last night in a five-day run at The Paramount, Brooklyn, New York City, USA.
Chuck Berry plays the first of two nights at a private function in Detroit, Michigan, USA.
Twenty Tiny Fingers by Alma Cogan enters the Popular Singles Chart in the UK at No17, but it will rise no higher.
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