Category: On This Day…

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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December 1, 1957 – Buddy Holly & The Crickets perform “That’ll be the Day” and “Peggy Sue” on The Ed Sullivan Show. Sullivan calls Buddy back on stage after the second song for an impromptu interview and to solicit another “very nice hand for these Texas youngsters.” This is their first appearance on national TV. It’s a big night on Ed Sullivan Show, in addition Buddy Holly and the Crickets, Sam Cooke performed “You Send Me”, and The Rays performed “Silhouettes” also performing for the first time on national TV. @buddyholly @BuddyHollyCtr #ROCkabillyHop #buddyholly #TheCrickets #SamCooke #TheRays
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November 30, 1937 – Rockabilly singer and MCA Records executive Jimmy Bowen is born in Santa Rita, N.M. Bowen was a member of Buddy Knox & The Rhythm Orchids, and co-authored “Party Doll” with Buddy Knox. #ROCkabillyHop #JimmyBowen #HappyBirthday
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November 30, 1929 – Born on this day, Dick Clark, host of US TV’s longest running music show American Bandstand and he created and produced the annual American Music Awards show. #ROCkabillyHop @dickclarkprod #DickClark #AmericanBandstand #HappyBirthday
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