Category: On This Day…

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 #TCB #theKing @sunrecords ‏#SunRecords #MysteryTrain #RocHop #OTD #RockNRoll
https://amzn.to/312P4uR

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 to “fire” him for playing the song and played the conversation on his show before he left. #ROCkabillyHop @ElvisPresley #Elvis #TCB #theKing #WhiteChirstmas #RocHop #OTD #RockNRoll
https://amzn.to/3nPsTBd

December 2, 1955 – Eddie Crandall writes to “Pappy” Dave Stone, radio station KDAV 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 #RocHop #OTD #RockNRoll Source: @BuddyHollyCtr
https://amzn.to/3oUaLW8

December 1, 1958 – The Teddy Bears were at #1 on the US singles chart with “To Know Him is to Love Him.” The title of the Phil Spector song came from words on his father’s tombstone. It holds the #1 spot for three weeks. #ROCkabillyHop #PhilSpector #TeddyBears #OTD #RockNRoll #RocHop #ToKnowHimIsToLoveHim
https://amzn.to/3AweY8f

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 #RocHop #OTD #RockNRoll
https://amzn.to/3FQN8V4

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 with a number of other acts, including Gene Vincent. At the end of 1963, Nelson was in a motorcycle accident. The injuries necessitated the amputation of his right foot and part of that leg, nonetheless, Nelson continued to record and play drums. #ROCkabillyHop #SandyNelson #TeenBeat #HappyBirthday #RocHop #OTD #RockNRoll
https://amzn.to/3l5cqXK

November 30, 1929 – Dick Clark was born “Richard Wagstaff Clark” in Bronxville, New York. Clark was the 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 #RocHop #OTD #RockNRoll
https://amzn.to/3urUlYL

November 29, 1960 – Bobby Vee sings “Rubber Ball” on “American Bandstand.” The song was Vee’s fifth US single release making #6 on the Billboard charts. It was the record which made Vee an international star. “Rubber Ball” was a breakthrough hit for him in the UK, where it reached #4. In Australia, it was Vee’s only #1 record; it stayed at the top for three weeks in early 1961. #ROCkabillyHop #RocHop #OTD #RockNRoll @DickClarkProd #DickClark #AmericanBandstand
https://amzn.to/3QXJFdw

November 29, 1959 – At the second Annual Grammy Awards, Bobby Darin wins Best New Artist and also takes the award for Record of the Year for “Mack The Knife,” which is still at #1 on the Hot 100. This is the first time the event is televised, and also the only time the ceremony is held at the end of the year instead of early the following year, meaning nothing in December 1959 is Grammy eligible. This faux pas is rectified with awards for 1960 given out in early 1961. #ROCkabillyHop @bobby_darin2 #BobbyDarin #MackTheKnife #OTD #RockNRoll #RocHop
https://amzn.to/3NUzWCA

November 29, 1957 – Sid Varnes, Cash Box’s editor-in-chief, sends a telegram to The Crickets informing them that the Juke Box Operators of America have voted them “Most Promising Vocal Group of 1957.” Source: The Buddy Holly Center, 1801 Crickets Ave., Lubbock. @buddyholly @BuddyHollyCtr #ROCkabillyHop #buddyholly #TheCrickets #RocHop #OTD #RockNRoll
https://amzn.to/3yMdzdS