Category: On This Day…

April 30, 1941 – Rock and Roller Johnny Farina (of Santo and Johnny) was born “John Steven Farina” in Brooklyn, New York. Santo and Johnny are known best for their instrumental melody “Sleep Walk” which started as a regional hit that strolled right up to #1 when it was released nationally in 1959. #ROCkabillyHop #RocHop #HappyBirthday #SleepWalk #SantoAndJohnny #OTD #RockNRoll
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April 29, 1959 – Ronnie Hawkins records “Mary Lou.” Released as the B side to “Forty Days,” the song hit #6 in Canada; this bluesy wailer topped out at #26 in the US. #ROCkabillyHop #RonnieHawkins #”Mary Lou #Forty Days #RocHop #OTD #RockNRoll
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April 28, 1964 – Elvis Presley released the song “Viva Las Vegas” backed with “What’d I Say.” Recorded a year earlier for the movie “Viva Las Vegas” the two songs charted separately, “Viva Las Vegas” peaked at #29 on the Billboard Hot 100 pop singles chart and “What’d I Say” reached #21. #ROCkabillyHop @ElvisPresley #Elvis #theKing #TCB #VivaLasVegas #WhatdISay #RocHop #OTD #RockNRoll
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April 28, 1957 – Bill Haley and His Comets appear on “The Ed Sullivan Show.” The band belts out “40 Cups Of Coffee” and “Rudy’s Rock.” #ROCkabillyHop #RocHop #EdSullivan @EdSullivanShow #40CupsOfCoffee #RudysRock @billhaleymusic #BillHaley #OTD #RockNRoll
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April 27, 1958 – The Everly Brothers sing “All I Have To Do Is Dream” on “The Ed Sullivan Show” on CBS-TV. #ROCkabillyHop #RocHop #EdSullivan @EdSullivanShow #EverlyBrothers @EverlyBrosInt #AllIHaveToDoIsDream #OTD #RockNRollhttps://amzn.to/36oaKok
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April 26, 1938 – Duane Eddy, rock and roll guitarist, is born in Corning, New York. In the late 1950s and early 1960s, he had a string of hit records that were noted for their characteristically “twangy” sound, including “Rebel Rouser,” “Peter Gunn,” and “Because They’re Young.” “Rebel Rouser” was Eddy’s breakthrough hit, reaching #6 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Selling over one million copies, earning Eddy his first gold disc. #ROCkabillyHop @DuaneEddy #TwangThang #RocHop #Rebel Rouser #PeterGunn #BecauseTheyreYoung #OTD #RockNRoll
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April 25, 1977 – Elvis Presley made the last recordings of his life during a concert at the Saginaw, Michigan Civic Centre. Three songs from the show appeared on the posthumously released Presley album, “Moody Blue.” #ROCkabillyHop @ElvisPresley #Elvis #theKing #TCB #RocHop #MoodyBlue #OTD #RockNRoll
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April 25, 1954 – Johnnie Ray was at #1 on the UK singles chart with “Such A Night.” The singer’s first of three UK #1s. He became deaf in his right ear aged 13 after an accident and would later perform wearing a hearing aid. Dexys Midnight Runners’ 1982 music video for “Come On Eileen,” used footage of Ray from 1954. The lyrics of the song say, “Poor old Johnnie Ray sounded sad upon the radio / he moved a million hearts in mono.” #ROCkabillyHop #RocHop #JohnnieRay #SuchANight #OTD #RockNRollhttps://amzn.to/3wFImsm
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April 25, 1963 – Bobby Rydell celebrates his twenty-first birthday a day early at a party thrown by his manager at the Luau 400 Club in New York City. #ROCkabillyHop #RocHop #BobbyRydell Luau400Club #OTD #RockNRoll
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April 25, 1933 – Jerry Leiber, of Leiber and Stoller, was born Jerome Leiber in Baltimore, Maryland. Leiber was a songwriter and producer for Elvis Presley, Buddy Holly, The Monkees, and Cliff Richard. Among Leiber’s and Stoller’s hit songs: “Hound Dog,” “Jailhouse Rock,” “King Creole,” “Don’t,” “There Goes My Baby,” “Searchin’,” “Yakety Yak,” and “Kansas City.” @buddyholly @BuddyHollyCtr #ROCkabillyHop #buddyholly #TheCrickets #HappyBirthday #RocHop #JerryLeiber #LeiberAndStoller #HoundDog #JailhouseRock #KingCreole #Dont #ThereGoesMyBaby #Searchin #YaketyYak #KansasCity #OTD #RockNRoll
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