Music History - May 15

In 1954, at the Hi Hat Club in Memphis, a local truck driver named Elvis Presley auditioned with the house band and was told he would never make it as a singer.

In 1958, Patti Page recorded "Left Right Out Of Your Heart."

In 1959, Elvis Presley scored his fourth #1 on the UK singles chart with "A Fool Such As I / I Need Your Love Tonight."

In 1961, Floyd Cramer was at #1 on the UK singles chart with "On The Rebound." The US singer's only UK #1. The Nashville pianist played on many Elvis Presley hits.

In 1961, Brenda Lee guest-starred on the Danny Thomas sitcom "Make Room For Daddy" on CBS-TV.

In 1963, during a UK tour, the Beatles performed at the Royalty Theatre in Chester. The set list was: "Some Other Guy,""Thank You Girl,""Do You Want to Know a Secret,""Please Please Me,""You Really Got a Hold on Me,""I Saw Her Standing There" and "From Me To You."

In 1963, the winners of the fifth annual Grammy Awards are announced. Record of the Year was Tony Bennett's "I Left My Heart in San Francisco." Peter, Paul And Mary's "If I Had a Hammer" won both Best Performance by a Vocal Group and Best Folk Recording.

In 1964, the Smothers Brothers performed at Carnegie Hall in New York City for the first time.

In 1965, the Byrds enter the Billboard Pop chart for the first time with their version of Bob Dylan's "Mr. Tambourine Man," which will climb to #1 by June.

In 1965, Bob Dylan’s single "Subterranean Homesick Blues" peaked at #39 in the US charts, giving Dylan his first US top 40 hit. John Lennon was reported to find the song so captivating that he didn't know how he'd be able to write a song that could compete with it.

In 1967, Paul McCartney met American photographer Linda Eastman for the first time, during a Georgie Fame concert at the Bag O'Nails nightclub in London, England. They married on March 12, 1969.

In 1968, George Harrison and Ringo Starr attended the premiere of 'Wonderwall' at the Cannes Film Festival. The 1968 film by first-time director Joe Massot starred Jack MacGowran and Jane Birkin, and featured cameos by Anita Pallenberg. The soundtrack was composed by then-Beatle George Harrison. The film provides the name for the Oasis track "Wonderwall," which was inspired by George Harrison's score.

In 1970, the Carpenters released the single "(They Long To Be) Close To You." It became their breakthrough hit. The song stayed at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for four weeks.  The Carpenters also earned a Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Performance by a Duo, Group or Chorus in 1971 for the soft rock release

In 1971, two short films by John Lennon were shown at the Cannes Film Festival in France.

In 1971, at RCA Studio B in Nashville, Elvis Presley recorded "Merry Christmas, Baby."

In 1971, Pink Floyd play at the Crystal Palace Bowl in London. Performing in front of a large lake, legend tell us that a number of fish were killed by the loud music.

In 1971, Crosby Stills Nash & Young scored their second #1 album with '4 Way Street.' The live album featured recordings from shows at the Fillmore East, New York, and the Forum, Los Angeles.

In 1972, in Studio A at Hitsville U.S.A. in Detroit, the Temptations began recording "Papa Was A Rollin' Stone." Additional sessions on June 14, 22 and 28 completed the track.

In 1973, the Pointer Sisters, former Boz Scaggs and Elvin Bishop backup singers, made their stage debut with their own act at the Troubadour nightclub in Los Angeles.

In 1974, Frank Zappa and his wife announced the birth of their third child, a boy named Ahmet Rodan, after the Japanese movie monster that lived of a steady diet of 707 planes.

In 1975, the latest, most famous and successful Fleetwood Mac lineup – Mick Fleetwood, John McVie, Christine McVie, Lindsey Buckingham, and Stevie Nicks – played their first show together in El Paso, Texas.

In 1976, saxophonist Paul Gonsalves, a member of the Duke Ellington Orchestra for 24 years, died at the age of 53, a few days before Duke Ellington's death. Mercer Ellington refused to tell Duke of Gonsalves' passing, fearing the shock might further accelerate his father's decline. For a brief period of time, the bodies of Ellington and Gonsalves, along with trombonist Tyree Glenn, laid side-by-side in the same New York funeral home.

In 1976, the Rolling Stones went to #1 on the US album chart with 'Black And Blue,' the group's sixth US #1 album. The band's first studio album released with Ronnie Wood as the replacement for Mick Taylor featured the hit "Fool To Cry."

In 1977, at the Academy of Music in New York, Procol Harum played their last live show together.

In 1980, the Sex Pistols film, 'The Great Rock and Roll Swindle,' was released.

In 1981, former Sex Pistol John Lydon's band Public Image Ltd performed a show at New York's Ritz Club posing behind a video screen while the music was played from tapes. They were showered with missiles and eventually booed off stage.

In 1982, Asia went to #1 on the US album chart with their self-titled album. It spent a total of nine weeks at the top position and became the best-selling album in the US for the year 1982. The supergroup included former members of several veteran progressive rock bands, namely bassist/vocalist John Wetton (formerly in Mogul Thrash, Family, King Crimson, Roxy Music, Uriah Heep, U.K. and Wishbone Ash), guitarist Steve Howe (formerly in Yes), keyboardist Geoff Downes (of Yes and The Buggles) and drummer Carl Palmer (formerly in The Crazy World of Arthur Brown, Atomic Rooster and Emerson, Lake & Palmer). Asia's logo and cover artwork were created by Roger Dean.

In 1982, five weeks after first appearing on the Billboard Pop chart, "Ebony and Ivory" reached #1. The Paul McCartney / Stevie Wonder duet would stay at the top for seven weeks. It was also a #1 hit in the UK.

In 1982, after cracking the Billboard Top 40 in 1980 with "Angel Say No," the four man Rock group from San Francisco named Tommy Tutone reached #5 with "867-5309 / Jenny." Lead singer Tommy Heath said that he really does know a girl named Jenny whose parent's phone number was 867-5309. Many folks with that phone number had it changed to avoid prank calls. The song has been covered by a number of artists, including Everclear, Foo Fighters, Less Than Jake, Bracket, Crease, Jenny's Gentleman, the Goo Goo Dolls and Nirvana.

In 1984, Nils Lofgren joined Bruce Springsteen's E-Street Band.

In 1989, pianist/songwriter/arranger/conductor (movie soundtracks for West Side Story, An American In Paris, Easter Parade, Raintree County, High Society, Oliver!)/Songwriters Hall of Famer Johnny Green died at 80.

In 1992, 44 year old Barbara Lee Jones of the Chiffons, suffered a fatal heart attack. The group had a string of hits in the mid-60s, including "He's So Fine,""One Fine Day" and "Sweet Talkin' Guy."

In 1993, Janet Jackson started a eight week run at #1 on the singles chart with "That's The Way Love Goes," her sixth US #1, a #2 hit in the UK.

In 1994, Blur scored their first UK #1 album with ‘Parklife,' which went on to spend over two years on the chart. The album featured four UK hit singles: "Girls & Boys,""End of a Century,""Parklife" and "To the End." In the year following its release the album came to define the emerging Britpop scene. The album cover was among the ten chosen by the Royal Mail for a set of "Classic Album Cover" postage stamps issued in January 2010. 

In 1995, in Pasadena, California, singer Scott Weiland of the Stone Temple Pilots was arrested for cocaine and heroin possession. Upon conviction, he was ordered to spend four to six months in a drug treatment center, which forced cancellation of the group's summer 1996 tour.

In 1996, the earliest film footage of the Beatles, performing at the Casanova Club on February 14, 1961, was broadcast by Britain's ITV. The film, without sound, was found in a Liverpool home.

In 1997, Courtney Love sold the Seattle mansion she shared with Kurt Cobain. A local family purchased the house in the salubrious Denny Blaine area for $3m.

In 1997, Oasis became one of the first artists to attempt to exert censorship over the Internet. The group were working with Sony to put an end to unofficial websites carrying lyrics, sound files and photographs of the band.

In 1999, Rob Gretton manager of Joy Division and New Order died aged 46. He was also a partner in Factory Records, proprietor of the Rob's Records label and a co-founder along with Tony Wilson of The Hacienda nightclub in Manchester, England.

In 2000, songwriter Geoff Goddard died aged 62. Wrote "Johnny Remember Me," and played keyboards on the Tornadoes 1962 #1 hit "Telstar." Wrote songs for Heinz, Mike Berry, the Outlaws, Freddie Starr and Screaming Lord Sutch.

In 2001, Brian Pendleton of the Pretty Things died of cancer aged 57. The band's 1974 album 'Silk Torpedo' was the first album release on Led Zeppelin's own label Swan Song.

In 2003, June Carter Cash died at the age of 73 after complications from heart surgery. Along with Merle Kilgore, June wrote the Johnny Cash hit "Ring of Fire" about their stormy courtship. That song became the biggest hit of his career, staying at number one in the US for seven weeks. Actress Reese Witherspoon portrayed June in the 2005 film 'Walk The Line.'

In 2004, the Beastie Boys played a secret show in London to promote their new album, To the 5 Boroughs.

In 2008, Neil Diamond reached the top of the US Billboard album chart for the first time in his career with ‘Home Before Dark,' his 29th studio album. His previous highest chart position was in 1973 when the soundtrack to the film 'Jonathan Livingston Seagull' peaked at #2. At the age of 67, Diamond became the oldest artist to have a US #1, the record was previously held by Bob Dylan in 2006 with ‘Modern Times,’ released when he was 65.

In 2008, composer (TV's Star Trek, Daniel Boone, Lost in Space, Judd for the Defense, Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea)/arranger/orchestrator Alexander Courage died at the age of 88.

In 2008, pianist/composer/arranger/bandleader Bob Florence died at age 75.

In 2009, Randy Bachman, a founding member of the Guess Who and Bachman-Turner Overdrive, was invested as an officer of the Order of Canada by Governor General Michaelle Jean in a ceremony at Rideau Hall in Ottawa. The Order of Canada is the country's highest civilian honor and recognizes a lifetime of outstanding achievement.

In 2011, singer Bob Flanigan, last surviving founding member of the Four Freshmen, died of congestive heart failure at the age of 84.

birthdays today include (among others):  Trini Lopez (77), Lenny Welch (76), K.T. Oslin (73), Brian Eno (66), Dennis Fredericksen (Toto) (63), Mike Oldfield (61), and Jessica Sutta (Pussycat Dolls) (32)