In 1955, Tennessee Ernie Ford's 30-minute daytime variety series debuted on NBC-TV. Country music singer Molly Bee was a regular performer on the show for its entire run, which ended on June 28, 1957. Ford also hosted a prime time Thursday night comedy-variety series on NBC-TV from October 4, 1956 to June 29, 1961.
In 1956, Elvis Presley was billed as "The Folk Music Fireball" for his performance at the Von Theater in Booneville, Mississippi.
In 1956, at Universal Recording Corp. in Chicago, Pat Boone recorded "I'll Be Home."
In 1956, Les Baxter and his orchestra recorded "The Poor People Of Paris."
In 1957, at Decca's Pythian Studios in New York City, Brenda Lee recorded "One Step At A Time." Issued as her second single, it became her first release to appear on the Billboard pop chart, peaking at #43.
In 1957, at the Cosimo Recording Studio in New Orleans, Fats Domino recorded "I'm Walkin.'"
In 1959, the Teddy Bears appear on NBC's Kraft Music Hall where they perform their recent Billboard #1 hit, "To Know Him Is To Love Him." Unfortunately for the Phil Spector led trio, this would be their last taste of singing success. A follow-up release called "Oh Why" would barely scrape the bottom of the chart and by next Fall, after four more flops, the group would split up. Annette Kleinbard would go on to a successful songwriting career, Marshall Leib would become a musical supervisor in the film industry, and Phil Spector would launch his legendary career as a music producer.
In 1960, Bobby Darin and Connie Francis pair up to sing "You Make Me Feel So Young" and "You're The Top" on The Ed Sullivan Show.
In 1961, at the Capitol Tower recording studios in Hollywood, Tex Ritter recorded "I Dreamed Of A Hill-Billy Heaven," which saluted deceased performers Will Rogers, Carson Robison, Jimmie Rodgers, Wiley Post, Hank Williams and Johnny Horton. In the mid-1960s, over the original instrumental /choral track, Ritter recorded an updated version that mentioned Will Rogers, Hank Williams, Johnny Horton, and added recently deceased country music artists Hawkshaw Hawkins, Jack Anglin, Randy Hughes, Rod Brasfield, Cowboy Copas, Patsy Cline, Karl Farr, Texas Ruby, Joe Carson, the Delmore Brothers, Jim Reeves, and Hank Morton.
In 1961, Johnny Burnette released the single "Little Boy Sad."
In 1963, after placing thirty songs on the Billboard chart with Imperial Records, Rick Nelson signs a one million dollar, twenty year contract with Decca, where he will achieve six more Top 40 hits.
In 1963, billed as The "Love Me Do" Boys, the Beatles kick off a five day tour of Scotland at the Two Red Shoes Ballroom in Elgin.
On January 3, 1964, the Beatles were seen for the first time on a US TV show when a clip from the BBC's The Mersey Sound, showing the group playing "She Loves You," was shown on The Jack Paar Show. At that point, Parr was not a fan and made fun of their haircuts on the air.
In 1966, the Beatles appeared in a taped performance of "Day Tripper" and "We Can Work It Out" on NBC-TV's "Hullabaloo."
In 1967, the Beach Boys' Carl Wilson refused to report to the local draft board after getting his draft notice. He would eventually win conscientious objector status. The Beach Boys were still enjoying the success of their latest single, "Good Vibrations," which hit #1 in the US just a few weeks earlier.
In 1967, the Bee Gees achieved their first recording success when a song called "Spicks and Specks" rose to the top of the Australian singles chart. Although it failed to make much of a splash in the UK or North America, it did reach #2 in Netherlands and #28 in Germany.
In 1968, at the RCA Victor Studio in Hollywood, Paul Anka recorded "Goodnight, My Love."
In 1970, what would prove to be the Beatles' (without John who was in Denmark on vacation) final recording session was held at EMI's Abby Road Studios. The last song they ever played together was "I Me Mine," which became the title of George Harrison's autobiography a decade later.
In 1970, following the footsteps of Peter Tork, who quit a year earlier, singer Davy Jones announces that he too is leaving The Monkees.
In 1971, O.C. Smith sang "Little Green Apples" on CBS-TV's "The Ed Sullivan Show."
In 1972, Don McLean received a Gold record for his single "American Pie," which reached #1 in the US and #2 in the UK, selling over three million copies.
In 1976, Bob Dylan's song "Hurricane" topped out at #33 on the Billboard singles chart, helping to cause enough publicity to eventually get former boxer Rubin 'Hurricane' Carter released from jail. The song promoted Carter's innocence and a movie about Carter's life, starring Denzel Washington, was released in 2000.
In 1980, R&B singer/pianist Amos Milburn died following a series of strokes at age 52.
In 1981, record producer Felton Jarvis, who produced most of Elvis Presley's sessions from 1966 to 1977, died following a stroke at age 46. Jarvis also produced recordings for John Hartford, Tommy Roe, Michael Nesmith, Jimmy Dean, Charley Pride, Carl Perkins, Skeeter Davis, Willie Nelson, and Gladys Knight & the Pips.
In 1987, Aretha Franklin became the first woman inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with the group's second selection. Also going in were the Coaster, Eddie Cochran, Bo Diddley, Marvin Gaye, Bill Haley, B.B. King, Clyde McPhatter, Ricky Nelson, Roy Orbison, Carl Perkins, Smokey Robinson, Big Joe Turner, Muddy Waters and Jackie Wilson.
In 1989, jazz pianist/composer Eddie Heywood died at age 73.
In 1995, 46 year old Byron MacGregor, whose spoken word rendition of "The Americans" became a US #5 hit in early 1974, passed away as result of complications stemming from pneumonia.
In 1996, Madonna testified against Robert Dewey Hoskins in a Los Angeles court. He had been accused of stalking and threatening to kill her.
In 2009, Great Britain's commercial radio show Hit 40 UK announced that it will no longer use CD sales for its official figures. The networked Top 40 chart program, which broadcasts across 130 stations, will base its weekly charts solely on digital downloads.
In 2012, Gloria Estefan became the first female artist in the history of the Billboard Latin singles chart to enter at #1 when "Hotel Nacional" debuted at the top.
In 2012, guitarist/songwriter Bob Weston, a former member of Fleetwood Mac (1972-1974), died of a gastrointestinal hemorrhage at 64.
