Category: On This Day…

February 10, 1960 – The Champs perform “Too Much Tequila” on “American Bandstand.” The sequel to their hit song “Tequila” reached #30 on the Billboard Hot 100. #OTD #RockNRoll #ROCkabillyHop #RocHop @DickClarkProd #DickClark #AmericanBandstand #Champs #ToMuchTequila #Tequila
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February 10, 1958 – Elvis Presley’s “Don’t” hits #1 for the first of five weeks. Written by Leiber and Stoller, it was Presley’s 11th #1 hit in the US. Peaking at #3 on the R&B chart, it was ranked at #3 for the year by Billboard. #ROCkabillyHop @ElvisPresley #Elvis #TCB #theKing #RocHop #OTD #RockNRoll
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February 10, 1956 – Little Richard records “Long Tall Sally,” a rock and roll 12-bar blues song written by Robert “Bumps” Blackwell, Enotris Johnson, and Richard Penniman (known as “Little Richard.”) The record was released in March 1956 on the Specialty Records label. #ROCkabillyHop @littlerichard_ #LittleRichard #LongTallSally #RocHop #OTD #RockNRoll
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February 9, 1981 – American singer and musician Bill Haley who became known as the first Rock and Roll star, was found dead, fully clothed on his bed at his home in Harlingen, Texas from a heart attack, aged 55. He scored the 1955 UK & US #1 single “Rock Around the Clock” as well as “See You Later, Alligator,” “Shake, Rattle and Roll,” “Rocket 88,” “Skinny Minnie,” and “Razzle Dazzle.” Haley was blinded in his left eye as a child due to a botched operation and later adopted his distinctive spit-curl hairstyle to distract attention from his blind eye. #ROCkabillyHop @billhaleymusic #BillHaley #RockAroundTheClock #SeeYouLaterAlligator #ShakeRattleAndRoll #Rocket88 #SkinnyMinnie #RazzleDazzle #RocHop #OTD #RockNRoll
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February 9, 1959 – Frankie Avalon comes down with pneumonia while filling in on the Winter Dance Party Tour. Paul Anka and Fabian are brought in to fill out the bill. #OTD #RockNRoll #ROCkabillyHop #RocHop #WinterDanceParty #FrankieAvalon #PaulAnka #Fabian
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February 9, 1957 – Elvis Presley’s “Too Much” hit #1 where it stayed for 3 weeks. It would also reach #3 on the Country and R&B charts as well. #ROCkabillyHop @ElvisPresley #Elvis #TCB #theKing #TooMuch #RocHop #OTD #RockNRoll
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February 8, 1964 – With “Louie Louie” under FBI investigation for obscene lyrics, the song’s publisher offers $1,000 to anyone who can definitively distinguish the dirty words. #OTD #RockNRoll #ROCkabillyHop #RocHop #Kingsmen #LouieLouie #FBI
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February 8, 1962 – The Angels sing “Cry, Baby Cry” on “American Bandstand.” “Cry, Baby Cry” just made the Top 40 at #38. #OTD #RockNRoll #ROCkabillyHop #RocHop @DickClarkProd #DickClark #AmericanBandstand #Angels #CryBabyCry
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February 8, 1956 – Buddy Holley receives Decca’s contract from Jim Denny of Cedarwood Publishing. Holley’s name has been misspelled, inadvertently dropping the ‘e’ in Holley. As a result, Holley adopts the Holly spelling for his last name. Source: The Buddy Holly Center, 1801 Crickets Ave., Lubbock. @buddyholly @BuddyHollyCtr #ROCkabillyHop #buddyholly #TheCrickets #Decca #RocHop #OTD #RockNRoll
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February 7, 1959 – Buddy Holly’s funeral was held at the Tabernacle Baptist Church in Lubbock. The service was officiated by Ben D. Johnson, who had presided at the Hollys’ wedding just months earlier. The pallbearers were Jerry Allison, Joe B. Mauldin, Niki Sullivan, Bob Montgomery, Sonny Curtis, and Phil Everly. Waylon Jennings was unable to attend due to his commitment to the still-touring Winter Dance Party. The body was interred in the City of Lubbock Cemetery in the eastern part of the city. Holly’s headstone carries the correct spelling of his surname (Holley) and a carving of his Fender Stratocaster guitar. @buddyholly @BuddyHollyCtr #ROCkabillyHop #buddyholly #TheCrickets #RocHop #OTD #RockNRoll
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