Month: July 2022

July 12, 1960 – Frankie Lymon appears on “American Bandstand” for the first time since 1958 and sings “Little Bitty Pretty One.” His highest-charting solo hit, “Little Bitty Pretty One,” peaked at No. 58 on the Hot 100. #ROCkabillyHop #RocHop @dickclarkprod #DickClark #AmericanBandstand #FrankieLymon #LittleBittyPrettyOne
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July 12, 1957 – Alan Freed begins what was scheduled to be a 13-week national television show devoted to rock and roll called “The Big Beat.” In the fourth episode, Frankie Lymon danced with a white audience member. The ensuing uproar from the southern ABC-TV network affiliates leads to the cancellation of the show after the sixth episode. #ROCkabillyHop #RocHop #AlanFreed #TheBigBeat #FrankieLymon
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July 12, 1954 – A nineteen-year-old Elvis Presley officially quits his job as a truck driver for Crown Electric in Memphis after signing a one-year contract with Sun Records (and a similar contract with his guitarist, Scotty Moore as his manager.) #ROCkabillyHop @ElvisPresley #Elvis #theKing #ScottyMoore #RocHop
https://amzn.to/3ldAMyf

July 11, 1962 – The Telstar satellite, the first active communications satellite, is launched by AT&T, inspiring the Tornadoes’ instrumental hit of the same name later that year. #ROCkabillyHop #Telstar #Tornadoes #RocHop #RocHop
https://amzn.to/3FOBDPd

July 11, 1962 – Fats Domino plays “Nothing New,” and “Dance With Mr. Domino” on “American Bandstand.” #ROCkabillyHop #RocHop @dickclarkprod #DickClark #AmericanBandstand @RealFatsDomino #FatsDomino #NothingNew #DanceWithMrDomino
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July 11, 1951 – On WJW in Cleveland, Alan Freed broadcasts his first “Moondog House Rock and Roll Party,” marking the first radio show with the phrase “Rock and Roll” and giving Freed a claim on the origin of the term. More importantly, Freed plays R&B music, which introduces the sound to a new (and mostly white) audience. #ROCkabillyHop #AlanFreed #Moondog #RocHop
https://amzn.to/3PDzmv1

July 10, 1961 – Bobby Lewis’ “Tossin’ And Turnin'” hits #1. It was named the number one single on the Billboard chart for 1961, after spending seven consecutive weeks at the top. #ROCkabillyHop #Bobby Lewis #TossinAndTurnin #RocHop
https://amzn.to/3Pnvez2

July 10, 1959 – The latest rock and roll movie “Go, Johnny, Go” opens nationally. The movie stars Alan Freed, Chuck Berry, and in the title role, Jimmy Clanton. Appearances are made by Ritchie Valens, Eddie Cochran, Jackie Wilson, and the Flamingos. #ROCkabillyHop #RocHop #GoJohnnyGo #AlanFreed @ChuckBerry #ChuckBerry #JimmyClanton #RitchieValens @EddieCochran_ #EddieCochran #JackieWilson #Flamingos
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July 10, 1942 – Ronnie James Dio of “Ronnie Dio and the Prophets” is born “Ronald James Padavona” in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Dio’s career spans decades and genres from doo-wop to heavy metal. #ROCkabillyHop #HappyBirthday #RonnieJamesDio #HappyBirthday #RonnieDio #TheProphets #ELF #Rainbow #BlackSabbath #Dio #RocHop
https://amzn.to/3FS0nGo

July 10, 1937 – Rockabilly singer Jumpin’ Gene Simmons is born in Itawamba County, Mississippi. He began his music career at Sun Records as an opening act for Elvis Presley. #ROCkabillyHop #HappyBirthday #JumpinGeneSimmons #RocHop
https://amzn.to/3lextHa