Category: On This Day…

May 22, 1958 – Jerry Lee Lewis arrives in London for a tour. When a reporter for the Daily Mail notices a young girl in the entourage, he asks her who she is. “I’m Jerry Lee’s wife,” she replies. Word spreads that Lewis has married his 13-year-old second cousin, Myra Gale Brown. A scandal erupts over his marriage, as well as his two prior divorces. Lewis is booed offstage, the tour is canceled after three shows, and he returns to the U.S. to find himself mired in controversy. #ROCkabillyHop @jerryleelewis #ROCkabillyHop #TheKiller #RocHop #OTD #RockNRoll
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May 22, 1955 – Police cancel a Fats Domino show at the Ritz Ballroom in Bridgeport, Connecticut, fearing his music will lead to a riot. #ROCkabillyHop #TheFatMan @RealFatsDomino #fatsdomino #RocHop #OTD #RockNRoll
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May 21, 1956 – During a show at the Municipal Auditorium in Topeka, KS, 2,500 Elvis fans storm the stage. #ROCkabillyHop @ElvisPresley #Elvis #theKing #RocHop #OTD #RockNRoll
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May 21, 1955 – Chuck Berry records “Maybellene,” his version of “Ida Red.” It would become one of the first records to be successful on rhythm & blues, country & western, and pop charts at the same time. @ChuckBerry #ROCkabillyHop #Maybellene #ChuckBerry #RocHop #OTD #RockNRoll
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May 19, 1958 – Ritchie Valens records “Come On, Let’s Go.” It was the first of four charting singles from his self-titled debut album. Released in September, backed with a cover of The Robins’ “Framed” on the B-side, “Come On, Let’s Go,” peaked at #42 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 in late 1958. #ROCkabillyHop #RitchieValens #ComeOnLetsGo #RocHop #OTD #RockNRoll
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May 19, 1958 – “All I Have To Do Is Dream” by The Everly Brothers made #1 on Billboard’s “Most Played by Jockeys” and “Top 100” charts, and remained there for five and three weeks, respectively. Written by the husband and wife songwriting team Felice and Boudleaux Bryant, the track was recorded in just two takes. #ROCkabillyHop #EverlyBrothers @EverlyBrosInt #RocHop #OTD #RockNRoll
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May 20, 1954 – Bill Haley and His Comets released “Rock Around The Clock” for the first time. It stalls on the charts but becomes a hit a year later when it is used in the movie Blackboard Jungle. #ROCkabillyHop #RocHop #OTD #RockNRoll @billhaleymusic #BillHaley #BlackboardJungle #RockAroundTheClock
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May 18, 1978 – The Buddy Holly Story, starring Gary Busey as Holly, is released in the US. Widely criticized for historical inaccuracies, the movie helped to kindle new interest in Buddy Holly and his music. #ROCHop @buddyholly @BuddyHollyCtr #ROCkabillyHop #buddyholly #TheCrickets #GaryBusey @thegarybusey #RocHop #OTD #RockNRoll
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May 18, 1963 – Jimmy Soul found his bliss when “If You Wanna Be Happy” hit #1 in the US for two weeks. #ROCkabillyHop #RocHop #OTD #RockNRoll @dickclarkprod #DickClark #AmericanBandstand #JimmySoul #IfYouWannaBeHappy
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May 17, 1960 – Bobby Freeman appeared on “American Bandstand.” #ROCkabillyHop #RocHop #OTD #RockNRoll @dickclarkprod #DickClark #AmericanBandstand #BobbyFreeman
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