Day: March 21, 2023

March 21, 1956 – The movie “Rock Around The Clock” opens in theaters. DJ Alan Freed plays a concert promoter who brings Rock and Roll to the masses. The film stars Bill Haley and His Comets and is named after their hit song. It is one of the first movies based on rock music and aimed at teenagers. #ROCkabillyHop #AlanFreed @billhaleymusic #BillHaley #RocHop #RockAroundTheClock #OTD #RockNRoll
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March 21, 1956 – Carl Perkins headlines a show at Norfolk, VA Auditorium. After the show in route to a March 24 appearance on the Perry Como Show on NBC-TV, Perkins was injured seriously in an auto accident in Dover, Delaware, suffering a fractured skull and broken shoulder. Jay, his brother and rhythm guitarist’s neck is broken, Carl will be in the hospital until April 10. Jay will never recover fully. By the time Perkins gets out of the hospital, Elvis Presley has already had a hit with Perkins’ “Blue Suede Shoes.” #ROCkabillyHop #BlueSuedeShoes @SunRecords #CarlPerkins #OTD #RockNRoll #RocHop
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March 21, 1952 – The Moondog Coronation Ball, the first Rock and Roll stage show, is held at the Cleveland Arena. Acts include the Dominoes, Tiny Grimes, and Paul Williams. Crowds attended in numbers far beyond the arena’s capacity, and the concert was shut down early due to overcrowding and a near-riot. Alan Freed gained priceless notoriety from the incident. WJW immediately increased the airtime allotted to Freed’s program, and his popularity soared. #ROCkabillyHop #AlanFreed #MoondogCoronationBall #OTD #RockNRoll #RocHop
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