Author: Keith Saturn

May 5, 1961 – Ral Donner and the Starfires perform “Girl of My Best Friend” on “American Bandstand.” “Girl Of My Best Friend” backed with “It’s Been A Long Long Time” was released on Gone Records and would peak on the Hot 100 at #19. #ROCkabillyHop #RocHop @dickclarkprod #DickClark #AmericanBandstand #RalDonner
https://amzn.to/3wZCiLi

May 5, 1934 – Tenor and alto saxophonist John “Ace” Cannon was born in Grenade, Mississippi. He played and toured with Hi Records stablemate Bill Black’s Combo and started a solo career with his record “Tuff” in 1961, using the Black combo as his backing group. “Tuff” hit #17 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 in 1962, and the follow-up single “Blues (Stay Away from Me)” hit #36 that same year. #ROCkabillyHop #AceCannon #Tuff #RocHop https://amzn.to/3K60orz

May 4, 1960 – Ricky Nelson sings “Young Emotions” and “Right By My Side” on this evening’s episode of ABC-TV’s “The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet.” #ROCkabillyHop #RocHop #YoungEmotions #RightByMySide @RickyNelsonRem #RickyNelson
https://amzn.to/3Dw4jLW

May 4, 1960 – This afternoon on “American Bandstand,” Dick Clark visits Bobby Rydell at home. #ROCkabillyHop #RocHop @dickclarkprod #DickClark #AmericanBandstand #BobbyRydell https://amzn.to/3NKAFHB

May 4, 1957 – Alan Freed’s “Rock and Roll Revue” debuts on ABC; the show is an attempt to replicate the success of their own hit “American Bandstand.” The first show features performances from The Clovers, The Del-Vikings, Screamin’ Jay Hawkins, Sal Mineo, and Guy Mitchell. #ROCkabillyHop #AlanFreed https://amzn.to/3Dy71Am

May 4, 1937 – Surf rock guitarist Dick Dale is born “Richard Anthony Monsour” in Boston, Massachusetts. #ROCkabillyHop #DickDale #HappyBirthday
https://amzn.to/3LAh1My

May 4, 1937 – Surf rocker Dick Burns (of The Hondells) is born in Buffalo, New York. #ROCkabillyHop #TheHondells #HappyBirthday #DickBurns #RocHop
https://amzn.to/3qTv5ss

May 3, 1962 – Yvonne Baker and the Sensations perform “Let Me In” on “American Bandstand.” It was the group’s highest-charting and most successful single, going to #2 on the US R&B singles chart and #4 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 singles chart. #ROCkabillyHop #RocHop @dickclarkprod #DickClark #AmericanBandstand #YvonneBaker #TheSensations #LetMeIn
https://amzn.to/3j1wRDD

May 3, 1960 – Charlie Rich sings “Lonely Weekends” on “American Bandstand.” This was his third single for the Sun subsidiary, Phillips International Records, and charted at #22 on the Billboard Hot 100. #ROCkabillyHop #RocHop @dickclarkprod #DickClark #AmericanBandstand #CharlieRich #TheSilverFox #LonelyWeekends
https://amzn.to/3j0A2LC

May 3, 1958 – The popular disc jockey Alan Freed hosts the “Big Beat Show” at the Boston Arena (a hockey rink) featuring Chuck Berry, Jerry Lee Lewis and Buddy Holly. Accounts vary, but the crowd rushes the stage at various times, and Freed keeps imploring them to sit down – not easy to do when Lewis is playing “Great Balls of Fire.” Freed is forced to stop the show, telling the crowd, “It looks like the Boston police don’t want you to have a good time.” Violence erupts, spurned on by gang members at the show, and spills over to the streets. A Navy sailor is stabbed, others are injured, and arrests are made outside of the concert hall. Alan Freed is charged with inciting a riot, but the charges are later dropped. The incident, which becomes known as the “Boston riot,” results in the cancellation of scheduled shows in Troy, NY; Providence, RI; New Haven, CT; and Newark, NJ. Rock and roll becomes demonized in Boston, and the city does not host another rock concert until 1964, when The Beatles come through. @buddyholly @BuddyHollyCtr #ROCkabillyHop #buddyholly #TheCrickets @ChuckBerry @jerryleelewis #AlanFreed
https://amzn.to/3uy24Ui