Author: Keith Saturn

December 4, 1988 – In Akron, Ohio, Roy Orbison plays his last concert (his final song: “Running Scared”). The legendary singer dies of heart failure two days later. #ROCkabillyHop @ROYORBISON @Royorbisonjr #RoyOrbison
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December 4, 1960 – The Crickets released the single ‘I Fought the Law’ on Coral Records. Written by Sonny Curtis of the Crickets, a remake by the Bobby Fuller Four became a top-ten hit for the band in 1966 and was also recorded by The Clash in 1979 after Joe Strummer and guitarist Mick Jones heard the song on a jukebox in San Francisco. @buddyholly @BuddyHollyCtr #ROCkabillyHop #buddyholly #TheCrickets
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December 4, 1957 – Buddy Holly & The Crickets return to Lubbock. Niki Sullivan leaves the group, citing the harsh tour schedule as his reason. Norman Petty signs contracts for Buddy Holly & The Crickets to participate in three tours, including the Paramount Theater in New York, the America’s Greatest Teenage Recording Stars, and a short Florida tour. @buddyholly #ROCkabillyHop #buddyholly #TheCrickets Source: @BuddyHollyCtr
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December 4, 1956 – Elvis drops into the Sun Studios in Memphis to visit Carl Perkins, then recording with a still-unknown Jerry Lee Lewis on piano. At some point during the afternoon, Johnny Cash, also on Sun, drops in, and the four begin an informal jam session that would later be known as the “Million Dollar Quartet” sessions (though there is some debate on how many, if any, tracks Cash himself is on). Largely covers of gospel, bluegrass, and a little R&B, the tapes finally see the light of day in the early Eighties. ROCkabillyHop @ElvisPresley @jerryleelewis @sunrecords @JohnnyCash #CarlPerkins @MillionDQuartet
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December 3, 1968 – “Elvis,” the 1968 TV special, airs on NBC-TV and is one of the biggest television hits of the year, receiving 40% of the viewing audience, rave reviews from the public, and the critics alike. The soundtrack album to this Elvis Christmas special goes to #8 on the pop chart. #ROCkabillyHop @ElvisPresley #Elvis #theKing #1968ComebackSpecial
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December 3, 1955 – Elvis Presley’s first release on RCA Victor Records was announced. The first two songs ‘’Mystery Train’ and ‘I Forgot to Remember to Forget’ had been purchased from Sam Phillips of Sun Records. Elvis was described by his new record company as ‘The most talked about personality in recorded music in the last 10 years.’ #ROCkabillyHop @ElvisPresley #Elvis #theKing @sunrecords ‏#SunRecords #MysteryTrain
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December 2, 1957 – Al Priddy, a disc jockey at the Portland, Oregon, radio station KEX, is fired for playing the Elvis Presley version of “White Christmas,” which the station has banned, their program manager saying it “desecrates the Spirit of Christmas and transgresses the composer’s intent.” The story makes national news, but it turns out to be a brilliant publicity stunt – Priddy is back on the air two weeks later, with the station claiming letters were pouring in to support the DJ. As part of the stunt, Priddy recorded the GM calling in to “fire” him for playing the song and played the conversation on his show before he left. #ROCkabillyHop @ElvisPresley #Elvis #theKing #WhiteChirstmas
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December 2, 1955 – Eddie Crandall writes to “Pappy” Dave Stone, radio station KDAV station manager, asking for exclusive rights to help Buddy Holley obtain a recording contract. Crandall sends Stone a telegram asking that Holley and his group send him a recording of four original songs. @buddyholly #ROCkabillyHop #buddyholly #TheCrickets Source: @BuddyHollyCtr
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December 1, 1956 – One of the first rock movies, The Girl Can’t Help It, opens in America. Featuring performances by Little Richard, Eddie Cochran, Gene Vincent, The Platters and Fats Domino, the film stars Jayne Mansfield as an aspiring singer. #ROCkabillyHop #LittleRichard #EddieCochran #GeneVincent #ThePlatters #FatsDomino @littlerichard_ @EddieCochran_ @RealFatsDomino
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December 1, 1938 – Rock ‘n roll drummer Sandy Nelson is born in Santa Monica, California. Aside from being a session drummer on such tunes as the Teddy Bears’ “To Know Him Is To Love Him,” he released a string of Top 40 instrumental hits, including “Teen Beat” which hit #4 in 1959. He also worked a number of other acts, including Gene Vincent. At end of 1963, Nelson was in a motorcycle accident. The injuries necessitated amputation of his right foot and part of that leg, nonetheless, Nelson continued to record and play drums. #ROCkabillyHop #SandyNelson #TeenBeat #HappyBirthday
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