In 1954, Elvis Presley's first commercial recording session, with Scotty Moore and Bill Black as his backup musicians, took place at Sun Records in Memphis. They recorded "Harbor Lights," "I Love You Because," and fooled around during a break with an up-tempo version of "That's All Right." Producer Sam Phillips had them repeat the jam and recorded it for Presley's first release. Not everyone was convinced of its commercial appeal. Upon hearing the playback, lead guitarist Scotty Moore said, "They'll run us out of town when they hear this."
On this day in 1955, "Rock Around The Clock" by Bill Haley And His Comets was the #1 song.
In 1956, the Billy Holiday biography, "Lady Sings the Blues," was published.
In 1960, Elvis Presley released the single "It's Now Or Never." It was a #1 record in the US, spending five weeks at #1 and the UK, where it spent eight weeks at the top in 1960 and an additional week at #1 in 2005 as a re-issue, and numerous other countries, selling in excess of 25 million copies worldwide, his biggest international single ever.
In 1961, at Bell Sound Studios in New York, Ray Charles recorded "Hit The Road Jack," "Unchain My Heart," and "But On The Other Hand Baby."
In 1961, Slim Harpo was a guest performer on ABC-TV's "American Bandstand."
In 1962, Little Eva appeared on ABC-TV's "American Bandstand."
In 1963, Dee Dee Sharp guested on ABC-TV's "American Bandstand."
In 1964, President Lyndon Johnson invited the 4 Seasons to perform at the White House.
In 1965, Marty Balin and Paul Kantner formed a folk-rock group that later evolved into Jefferson Airplane. The Airplane made its debut the following month at a Haight-Ashbury club in San Francisco and soon after signed a recording contract with RCA.
In 1966, Bill Medley of The Righteous Brothers had an operation in a Los Angeles hospital to remove nodes on his vocal cords.
In 1966, on the recommendation of Rolling Stone Keith Richards' girlfriend, Animals bass guitarist Chas Chandler went to see Jimi Hendrix play at the Cafe Wha in New York. Chandler advised Hendrix to further his music career by going to England, which he did, and Chandler became his manager.
In 1966, ABC-TV's "Where the Action Is" featured performances by Ray Stevens, the Syndicate of Sound, Tina Mason, Keith Allison, and the Robbs.
In 1968, Creedence Clearwater Revival released their self-titled debut album, which included the track that would be edited to become their breakthrough single, "Suzie Q." The LP also included a blistering remake of the Screamin' Jay Hawkins classic "I Put a Spell on You."
In 1969, in front of an audience estimated at 250,000 people in London's Hyde Park, the Rolling Stones gave a free concert in tribute to Brian Jones who had died two days earlier. Mick Jagger read an excerpt from Percy Shelley's "Adonais" and released 3,500 butterflies. It was also guitarist Mick Taylor's Stones debut.
In 1969, Jerry Butler and the Impressions, who began their careers singing together, performed separately as guest performers on ABC-TV's "American Bandstand."
In 1971, a Led Zeppelin concert in Madrid, Spain was cut short when police fired tear gas into the crowd.
In 1972, in San Diego, Procol Harum and the Eagles performed at the Golden Hall.
In 1973, Dobie Gray is awarded a Gold record for the biggest hit of his career, "Drift Away". In 2002, Gray re-recorded this as a duet with Uncle Kracker. When the track reached the Billboard Top 10 in 2003, 30 years after the original, Gray broke the record for the biggest gap between US Top 10 appearances
In 1974, Anne Murray hosted "The Midnight Special" on NBC-TV, with guests Rufus, Eddie Kendrick, Country Joe McDonald, Buffy Sainte-Marie, Golden Earring, and Wet Willie.
In 1975, Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones was arrested by the highway patrol in Fordyce, Arkansas on charges of reckless driving and possession of a concealed weapon (a 7-inch hunting knife). He, bandmate Ron Wood, a security guard and a fan were traveling from Memphis to Dallas at the time. The knife charge was dropped, Richards pled guilty to reckless driving and paid a $162.50 fine.
In 1975, Al Martino and the Blackbyrds appeared on ABC-TV's "American Bandstand."
In 1978, pressings of the album cover for 'Some Girls' by The Rolling Stones were halted when some of the celebrities whose faces appeared on the album cover (including Lucille Ball), complained.
In 1982, Sun records musical director Bill Justis died of cancer aged 55. He worked with Sam Phillips at Sun Records, worked with also worked with Johnny Cash, Elvis Presley, Roy Orbison, Charlie Rich and Jerry Lee Lewis. Had the 1957 US #2 single "Raunchy" (the first Rock and Roll instrumental hit).
In 1983, trumpeter/composer/bandleader Harry James died of lymphatic cancer at 67.
In 1984, in Cincinnati, the Everly Brothers began their reunion tour, playing together onstage again for the first time since 1973.
In 1986, police had to be called to calm a rowdy crowd after rocker Ted Nugent cancelled a concert in Williamsburg, Virginia. So many fans jammed the lobby for refunds that box office workers ran short of cash.
In 1986, Billy Ocean went to #1 on the US singles chart with "There'll Be Sad Songs, (To Make You Cry)," a #12 hit in the UK.
In 1986, at just 20 years old, Janet Jackson becomes the youngest person to top the Billboard album chart since Stevie Wonder did it at the age of 13 in 1963. The LP 'Control' featured the single "What Have You Done For Me Lately."
In 1993, in Miami, Florida, Whitney Houston played the first of three nights at the James L. Knight Center, the first stop on the 115-date Bodyguard world tour in support of her "Bodyguard Soundtrack" album. Over a two-year period, Houston played North America twice, plus Europe, Japan, South America and South Africa.
In 1994, Hootie & the Blowfish released the album 'Cracked Rear View.' It was the highest-selling album of 1995 and it is the joint 16th-best-selling album of all time in the US. 'Cracked Rear View' reached #1 on the Billboard 200 five times over the course of 1995. The album also reached #1 in Canada and New Zealand.
In 1995, more than 100 Grateful Dead fans were hurt when a wooden deck collapsed at a campground lodge in Wentzville, Missouri. Hundreds of people were on or under the deck sheltering from heavy rain. More than 4,000 Deadheads were staying at the campground while attending Grateful Dead concerts in the St. Louis suburb.
In 1997, at the Gorge Amphitheatre in George, Washington, the all-female pop festival tour Lilith Fair began, featuring founder Sarah McLachlan, with Suzanne Vega, Paula Cole, and Jewel, among others.
In 1999, from the Greenpeace boat Rainbow Warrior moored on the River Thames in London, the Eurythmics announced they would be making their first world tour in more than 10 years and that all profits from it would go to charity.
In 2001, Ernie K-Doe, who scored a number one hit in 1961 with a novelty tune called "Mother-In-Law," passed away at the age of 65.
In 2002, the family of Jimi Hendrix won an injunction against a New York company who was releasing recordings of the guitarist.
In 2003, the body of Manic Street Preachers guitarist Richey Edwards was found, over eight years after he disappeared.
birthdays today include (among others): Robbie Robertson (70), Huey Lewis (Huey Lewis & the News) (63), Michael Monarch (Steppenwolf) (63), Jimmy Crespo (Aerosmith) (59), Marc Cohn (54), Dave Haywood (Lady Antebellum) (31), Nick O'Malley (Arctic Monkeys) (28) and Adam Young (Owl City) (27)