McConnellsburg

1958: “Poor Little Fool” by Ricky Nelson entered the Billboard pop charts. Four weeks later, it became Nelson’s first #1 single. 1962: Jerry Lee Lewis released his cover of Chuck Berry’s “Sweet Little Sixteen.” 1965: The Kinks went to #1 on the UK singles chart with “Sunny Afternoon.” 1967: Simon & Garfunkel released “Fakin’ It,” … Continue reading Today in Rock & Roll History: July 7th →

1955: Elvis Presley’s fourth single with Sun Records, “Baby Let’s Play House,” became his first single to chart nationally when it reached #5 on Billboard’s Country and Western chart. 1957: Beatles songwriting team John Lennon and Paul McCartney met for the first time at the Wool Parish Church Garden Fete in Liverpool, England, at which Lennon’s skiffle group The Quarrymen were … Continue reading Today in Rock & Roll History: July 6th →

1954: Elvis Presley has his first commercial recording session at Sun Studios in Memphis, Tennessee, in which he recorded “That’s All Right (Mama)” and “Blue Moon of Kentucky.” Two weeks later, both tracks were released as his first single. Presley, guitarist Scotty Moore, and drummer Bill Black took a break during sessions and fooled around on an uptempo version of … Continue reading Today in Rock & Roll History: July 5th →

1964: The Who, credited as The High Numbers, released their first single, “Zoot Suit” backed with “I’m the Face.” The record’s A-side, written by their first manager Peter Meaden, is a direct copy of “Misery” by the American R&B group the Dynamics, while the B-side, “I’m The Face”, is a copy of Slim Harpo’s “I Got … Continue reading Today in Rock & Roll History: July 3rd →

1959: The Island Records label was founded in Jamaica by English businessman and producer Chris Blackwell, engineer Graeme Goodall, and producer Leslie Kong. The label was financed by RKO owner Stanley Borden, and its name was inspired by the Harry Belafonte song “Island in the Sun.” Blackwell was among the first to record the Jamaican … Continue reading Today in Rock & Roll History: July 4th →

1956: At RCA’s recording studio in New York City, Elvis Presley’s first sessions with backing vocal group the Jordanaires produced “Hound Dog” and its B-side, “Don’t Be Cruel.” 1965: Following its release in the UK in early June, “Heart Full of Soul” by the Yardbirds was issued in the US. It was the band’s second … Continue reading Today in Rock & Roll History: July 2nd →

1956: Elvis Presley appeared on The Steve Allen Show with a performance at the Hudson Theater. Looking to avoid the controversy stirred up over his hip swiveling on The Milton Berle Show, Presley was instructed not to dance. Instead, he sang “Hound Dog” to a basset hound on a pedestal wearing a top hat. 1957: … Continue reading Today in Rock & Roll History: July 1st →

1966: The Supremes recorded “You Keep Me Hangin’ On” at Motown’s Hitsville USA studio in Detroit. The single became their fifth #1 on the R&B charts and eighth #1 on the pop charts. 1966: The Temptations began eight nonconsecutive weeks at #1 on the Billboard R&B chart with “Ain’t Too Proud to Beg,” the second … Continue reading Today in Rock & Roll History: June 30th →

1961: Gary U.S. Bonds achieved his only #1 single in the US when “Quarter to Three” topped the Billboard Hot 100 for the first of two weeks. The song had been adapted from “A Night with Daddy ‘G’ – Part 1” by Legrand Records house band the Church Street Five, and the composers of the … Continue reading Today in Rock & Roll History: June 26th →

1963: Billy J. Kramer recorded “Bad to Me,” a song written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney. Released a month later, it became one of the first occasions a Lennon–McCartney composition made the US top 40 recorded by an artist other than the Beatles. 1964: British duo Peter & Gordon were at #1 in the … Continue reading Today in Rock & Roll History: June 27th →