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'Shivers down the backbone....'
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Rockin' Rollin' Diaries April '55 - '62 The charts and other important events
April 1955 UK Top Ten (first week of the month): 1. Give Me Your Word - Tennessee Ernie Ford 2. Softly Softly - Ruby Murray 3. Cherry Pink And Apple Blossom White - Perez Prado 4. A Blossom Fell - Nat King Cole 5. Prize Of Gold - Joan Regan 6. Mobile - Ray Burns 8. If Anyone Finds This, I Love You - Ruby Murray 8. Tomorrow - Johnny Brandon 9. Mambo Rock - Bill Haley 10. Let Me Go Lover - Teresa Brewer US Top Ten (first week of the month): 1. The Ballad Of Davy Crockett - Bill Hayes 2. Crazy Otto Medley - Johnny Maddox 3. Sincerely - McGuire Sisters 4. Tweedle Dee - Georgia Gibbs 5. Melody Of Love - Billy Vaughn 6. Ko Ko Mo - Perry Como 7. The Ballad Of Davy Crockett - Fess Parker 8. How Important Can It Be - Joni James 9. Open Up Your Heart - Cowboy Church Sunday School 10. Earth Angel - Crew Cuts US R&B chart toppers this month: Pledging My Love - Johnny Ace The Wallflower - Etta James & The Peaches My Babe - Little Walter & His Jukes US Country chart toppers this month: In The Jailhouse Now - Webb Pierce Some UK single releases: Mambo Rock/Birth Of The Boogie - Bill Haley Thinking Of You/I Know - Fats Domino Fujiyama Mama - Anisteen Allen Everlovin’/Boogie At Midnight - Boyd Bennett & His Rockets Seventeen/Cloudburst - Don Lang Shtiggy Boom - Nuggets Cloudburst - Claude Cloud & His Thunderclaps featuring Sam (The Man) Taylor Rock Love/Tweedlee Dee - Teresa Brewer Rock Love - Dolores Gray Crazy Otto Medley - Johnny Maddox Zoom, Zoom, Zoom/Hey! Mr Banjo - Sunnysiders Melody Of Love - Earl Bostic Paths Of Paradise - Johnnie Ray Rock Around The Clock - Deep River Boys Tweedlee Dee - Billie Anthony I’ll Waltz With You In My Dreams - Cowboy Copas Rusty Old Halo - The Carlisles His Hands/I Am A Pilgrim - Tennessee Ernie Ford Wabash 4-7473 - Jimmy Komack Ko Ko Mo - Louis Armstrong & Gary Crosby Ko Ko Mo - Andy Griffith Ko Ko Mo - Ray Ellington Quartet Ko Ko Mo - Ronnie Aldrich & The Squadronaires Dance With Me Henry/Butterfingers - Suzi Miller Pledging My Love - Louis Armstrong Pledging My Love - Four Lads Pledging My Love - Tommy Mara Timberjack - Lancers Sincerely - Billy Fields Love Me Tonight - Lorry Raine Unchained Melody - Al Hibbler Unchained Melody - Jimmy Young Unchained Melody - Liberace There Goes My Heart - Four Aces Stranger In Paradise - Vic Damone Stranger In Paradise - Tony Bennett Stranger In Paradise - Bing Crosby Stranger In Paradise - Four Aces Stranger In Paradise - George Shearing Stranger In Paradise - John Sebastian Stranger In Paradise - Ronnie Harris Stranger In Paradise - Mantovani & His Orchestra Stranger In Paradise - Winifred Atwell Stranger In Paradise - Doretta Morrow & Richard Kiley Open Up Your Heart - Washboard Joe & His Scrubbers And The Moon Grew Brighter And Brighter - Kirk Douglas Mambo Rock/Tweedlee Dee - Ivor & Basil Kirchin Where Will The Dimple Be? - Rosemary Clooney Where Will The Dimple Be? - Lorrae Desmond Where Did The Chickie Lay The Eggie? - Billy Cotton Band I’m A Lonely Little Petunia In An Onion Patch - Kitty Kallen Important events: Winner of the male vocalist category in the recent NME poll, Dickie Valentine tops the bill at the London Palladium for two weeks this month. The last British male singer to headline at this world-famous showplace was Donald Peers in 1950. Dickie’s rise to fame has been meteoric. He left the Ted Heath Orchestra to launch a solo career less than a year ago, since when he has flown to New York to appear on Ed Sullivan’s coast-to-coast television show, has taken part in a Royal Variety Performance, and has reached the top of the charts with "Finger Of Suspicion". His Palladium fortnight comes between the appearances of two major American stars, Eddie Fisher and Johnnie Ray. Possibly more than any other entertainer, Johnnie Ray, the fantastic "Cry Guy", has completely captured the imagination of Britain’s teenage fans. He flies in this month for a series of sold-out shows. His supporters are countless and unashamedly vocal - so are his detractors. Whatever his qualities as a vocalist, Johnnie has the knack of rousing a theatre crowd to a frenzy of shouting, screaming, whistling, clapping and stamping appreciation - and it is rare that he can escape from a stage door without having at least one item of clothing torn off. But Johnnie has nothing but praise for his legion of fans - never once have they touched his deaf-aid. Hailed as the most important development since the advent of long-playing records,a new type of sound reproducing equipment is on show at EMI Studios. Known as stereosonic, the new system brings a three-dimensional aural effect into one’s own home. Listening to a stereophonic record is like being in the middle of an orchestra or a group of singers - yet this uncanny realism is accomplished with the use of only two loudspeakers. Manufacturers hope to marked the first record players and discs towards the end of the year. After a distinguished career of more than 50 years in the UK recording industry, Parlophone manager Oscar Preuss is retiring. Succeeding him is George Martin, his assistant for the past five years. "New Musical Express" headlines this month: Welcome, Johnnie Ray! Ray opens at Glasgow on Monday. Rosemary Clooney for London Palladium. Rumours confirmed - Clooney visits Britain in May. Four Aces Conquer Glasgow. Review of Aces' debut British performance. Johnnie Ray Slays 'Em in Glasgow. Reviews Ray's opening at Glasgow Empire. Welcome to Doris Day! Impressions of American film and recording star, interview. Dennis Lotis Makes a Great Solo Debut. Review of Lotis' Variety debut at the Hippodrome. Hollywood Film Offer is Reported - Aftermath of David Whitfield's U.S. Triumph. British singer Whitfield will film with MGM. Hello, Friends, I'm Looking Forward to Seeing You Again! American singer Billy Eckstine talks about audiences and performing. Like Father, Like Son. Review of band-leading team Ivor and Basil Kirchin. The Fabulous Billy Eckstine Comes to Town. Review of Eckstine's performance at the Empire. Three U.S. Labels in Big Decca Record Tie-Up. British Decca Company acquires British rights to Essex, Bethlehem, and Marquee. Stranger to Us, Maybe, but He's No Stranger to 'Paradise'. The story of American vocalist Tony Bennett. Other events: Anthony Eden succeeds Sir Winston Churchill as British Prime Minister April 21: A strike of 700 newspaper electricians maintenance engineers, which stopped production of national daily, Sunday and evening papers, ended yesterday. The strike, which lasted 26 days, is estimated to have cost the industry £3 million and lost a total circulation of nearly 700 million. April 18: The death of Albert Einstein is announced at Princeton, New Jersey. He was aged 76.
April 1956 UK Top Ten (first week of the month): 1. Poor People Of Paris - Winifred Atwell 2. It’s Almost Tomorrow - Dream Weavers 3. Rock And Roll Waltz - Kay Starr 4. Zambesi - Lou Busch 5. Memories Are Made Of This - Dave King 6. Only You - Hilltoppers 7. Memories Are Made Of This - Dean Martin 8. See You Later Alligator - Bill Haley 9. Chain Gang - Jimmy Young 10. The Great Pretender - Jimmy Parkinson US Top Ten (first week of the month): 1. Poor People Of Paris - Les Baxter 2. Lisbon Antigua - Nelson Riddle 3. Rock And Roll Waltz - Kay Starr 4. No, Not Much - Four Lads 5. Hot Diggety/Juke Box Baby - Perry Como 6. I’ll Be Home/Tutti Frutti - Pat Boone 7. Blue Suede Shoes - Carl Perkins 8. Why Do Fools Fall In Love - Frankie Lymon & The Teenagers 9. Heartbreak Hotel/I Was The One - Elvis Presley 10. The Great Pretender - Platters US R&B chart toppers this month: Drown In My Own Tears - Ray Charles Long Tall Sally - Little Richard US Country chart toppers this month: Blue Suede Shoes - Carl Perkins Some UK single 45 releases: Blue Suede Shoes - Carl Perkins Blue Suede Shoes - Roy Hall Blue Suede Shoes - Boyd Bennett & His Rockets A Tear Fell/I Need You By My Side - Ivory Joe Hunter Lost John/Stewball - Lonnie Donegan Timber/Rock Island Line - Bobby Darin Crazy ‘Bout My Baby - Larry Evans Your Cheatin’ Heart/A Teardrop On A Rose - Hank Williams Folsom Prison Blues - Jimmy Wakely Bright Lights And Blonde-Haired Women/That’s All - Tennessee Ernie Ford Are You Satisfied? - Rusty Draper Walk Along With Kings - Roy Hamilton Eddie My Love - Chordettes Eddie My Love - Fontane Sisters Ain’t Misbehavin’ - Johnnie Ray Tutti Frutti - Art Mooney Orchestra (voc. Ocie Smith) Juke Box Baby - Perry Como When She Said "You All" - Jimmy Work Circle - Bon-Bons Angels In The Sky - Crew Cuts Dance On - Alan Dale Hell Hath No Fury - Frankie Laine with The Four Lads The Man With The Golden Arm - Billy May Orchestra The Man With The Golden Arm - Dick Jacobs Chorus A Man Is As Good As His Word - Lancers The Bitter With The Sweet - Billy Eckstine Forever Darling - Ames Brothers Ivory Tower - Cathy Carr Zambesi - Eddie Calvert Blue Moon - Mel Torme Rock Jangle Boogie - Ken Mackintosh Orchestra What Is A Freem? - Steve Allen Marching With Jimmy Shand - Jimmy Shand Band Important events: During a concert in Birmingham, Alabama, six men stormed the stage and attacked Nat King Cole during his second number. The singer was knocked down and dragged into the Auditoreum, but serious injury was prevented by the police, who rushed to his rescue. Cole’s assailants were arrested, but showed no remorse. At least one was connected with the White Citzen’s Council, a group which has been endeavouring to boycott what they call "bop and Negro music". The audience - numbering over 3,000 - was all white. Said Cole: "I was a guinea-pig for some hoodlums who thought they could frighten me, and in that way keep out other Negro entertainers from the South…..but I think the attack will do a lot for the cause of integration." Also sharing the billing with Cole was Britain’s Ted Heath Orchestra. Elvis Presley, the hottest new property in the music business, has signed a film contract with Paramount. Currently, sales of his records are accounting for 50% of RCA’s total pop business. An estimated 1 in 4 Americans watch Presley on the Milton Berle TV show. As his "Rock Island Line" leads him directly into the American Top 10, Lonnie Donegan has been counting the money he could have made. Normally, a recording artist would earn a royalty based on sales - which from a universal hit like this could amount to several thousand pounds. But Lonnie was a member of Chris Barber’s band when he recorded the song, and received a flat session fee of less than ten pounds. Nevertheless, the disc has made him an overnight star on both sides of the Atlantic, and should be the foundation for a solid solo career. Under his new contract with Nixa, he will be receiving a royalty - which is good news, as his latest release, "Lost John", is currently zipping up the British chart. North American disc jockey Alan Freed - the man who coined the phrase "rock’n’roll" - is to be featured in a new Radio Luxembourg series. Called "Jamboree", the show will be transmitted for two hours every Saturday from Europe to the UK. If the series meets with a big response, Fred plans to bring a complete rock’n’roll package show to Britain in the autumn. "New Musical Express" headlines this month: Kenton Casts His Spell Over London Again [Stan Kenton at the Royal Albert Hall concert] Hollywood's Howard Keel Opens in Style at Glasgow [Howard Keel in Glasgow] Dave, Joan Pack Palladium [Dave King, Joan Regan at the Palladium] Music and Laughter in Max's First Film [Max Bygraves in 'Charley Moon'] Frank Sinatra Writes [Sinatra writes about trip to London] Welcome to the Two Billies [Billy Daniels and Billy Eckstine] "Mr. B" is Greater than Ever [About Billy Eckstine] Ted Heath Tells You [Ted Heath discusses US musical scene] Sinatra Directs [Sinatra in "Johnny Concho"] Other events: April 18: Mr Macmillan, Chancellor of the Exchequer, introduced his "Savings" Budget yesterday: A £1 Premium Bond with prizes of up to £1,000; exemption from income tax, but not surtax, on the first £15 of Post Office savings’ interest; an increase of 2s a week from 8s to 10s, in Family Allowance, for the third and subsequent children; 2d on a packet of cigarettes; purchase tax to include shooting-brake type vehicles. April 25: Segregation of Negro passengers on buses in Montgomery, Alabama ended today as a result of yesterday’s Supreme Court decision. April 30: Cdr. Lionel Kenneth Philip Crabb, 46, one of the Royal Navy’s first frogman in the war, is missing, presumed dead, after underwater trials in the Portsmouth area. It is understood that the accident was about a week ago. April 12: The British Transport Commission is recruiting men in the West Indies for the railways. The target is 1,000 men for all grades of employment. A commission staff officer flew to Barbados on April 5 and is interviewing recruits. April 19: Miss Grace Kelly, the American film actress, became her Serene Highness Princess Grace of Monaco in the throne room of the Palace in Monte Carlo at 11.30 am today, when she and Prince Ranier III were proclaimed man and wife. April 28: Rocky Marciano, world heavyweight champion, who has won all of his 49 professional fights - 43 by knockout - announced his retirement in New York today.
April 1957 UK Top Ten (first week of the month): 1. Young Love - Tab Hunter 2. Don’t Forbid Me - Pat Boone 3. Long Tall Sally - Little Richard 4. Knee Deep In The Blues - Guy Mitchell 5. Banana Boat Song - Harry Belafonte 6. Cumberland Gap - Lonnie Donegan 7. Don’t You Rock Me Daddy-O - Lonnie Donegan 8. Look Homeward Angel - Johnnie Ray 9. Cumberland Gap - Vipers 10. Only You - Platters US Top Ten (first week of the month): 1. Party Doll - Buddy Knox 2. Round And Round - Perry Como 3. Butterfly -Charlie Gracie 4. Butterfly - Andy Williams 5. Teen-age Crush - Tommy Sands 6. I’m Walkin’ Fats Domino 7. Little Darlin’ -Diamonds 8. Young Love - Tab Hunter 9. Marianne - Terry Gilkyson 10. Why, Baby, Why? - Pat Boone US R&B chart toppers this month: I’m Walkin’ - Fats Domino Lucille - Little Richard School Day - Chuck Berry All Shook Up - Elvis Presley US Country chart toppers this month: Gone - Ferlin Husky Some UK single 45 releases: Too Much/Playin’ For Keeps - Elvis Presley Your True Love/Matchbox - Carl Perkins I’m Walkin’ - Fats Domino Party Doll - Buddy Knox Party Doll - Roy Brown Party Doll - Steve Lawrence Party Doll - Wingy Manone Orchestra Party Doll - Ricky James Forty Cups Of Coffee - Bill Haley & His Comets Teenage Love/Paper Castles - Frankie Lymon & The Teenagers Love Is Strange - Mickey & Sylvia Love Is Strange - Luther & Little Eva Love Is Strange - Michael Holliday Come Go With Me - Dell-Vikings I’m Stickin’ With You - Jimmy Bowen Banana Boat Song/Tele-vee-shun - Stan Freburg On My Word Of Honour - Platters Latch On - Ron Hargrave Step It Up And Go - Mac Wiseman Pledge Of Love - Mitchell Torok Lucky Lips - Ruth Brown Hucklebuck - Freddie Bell & The Bell Boys Rock-A-Billy - Guy Mitchell Rock-A-Billy - Don Lang & His Frantic Five Evermore - Billy Ward & The Dominoes Rock Pretty Baby - Jimmy Daley & The Ding A Lings My Idea Of Love - Johnny Olenn Sun Tan Sam - Tommy Furtado Blue Largo - Bill Doggett Speak To Me - Sonny James Ninety-Nine Ways - Tab Hunter So Long- Johnnie Ray Lonesome For My Baby - Ernie Chaffin Butterfly - Andy Williams Butterfly - Tony Brent Kaw-Liga - Johnny Duncan & The Blue Grass Boys Butterfingers/Cannibal Pot - Tommy Steele We Will Make Love - Russ Hamilton London Rock/Brighton Rock - Tony Crombie & His Rockets Cumberland Gap - Dicky Bishop & The Sidekicks A Poor Man’s Roses/Walkin’ After Midnight - Patsy Cline A Poor Man’s Roses - Patti Page Walkin’ After Midnight - Otis Williams & His Charms Walkin’ After Midnight - Jimmy Young I Leaned On A Man - Tex Ritter Almost Paradise - Lou Stein Pots And Pans - Hank Hornsby Pledge Of Love - Ken Copeland & The Mints Mama Looka Boo Boo - Harry Belafonte When I Fall In Love - Nat King Cole This Younger Generation - Louis Armstrong Avalon - Earl Bostic Orchestra My House Is Your House - Matt Monro What’s Behind That Strange Door? - Frankie Vaughan Gone - Slim Whitman Pretty, Pretty - Billy Eckstine The Town Crier - Al Hibbler Where’ll I Be Tomorrow Night - Satisfiers A Little Loneliness - Kay Starr Two Hearts - Sunny Gale The Boy On A Dolphin - Julie London Please Don’t Leave Me - Fontane Sisters Johnny One Note - Ella Fitzgerald Why Baby Why - Pat Boone Ro-Ro-Robinson - Les Paul Life Is Just A Bowl Of Cherries - Hi-Lo’s Calypso Joe - Anna Valentino There Is No Cure For L’Amour - Eartha Kitt The Big Beat - Dick Jacobs Orchestra The Gift - David Seville Orchestra Mr Wonderful - Yana The Hippopotamus Song - Ian Wallace Me Head’s In De Barrel - Edna Savage Robertson’s Rant - Jimmy Shand Some L.P. releases: Fats Rockin’ & Rollin’ - Fats Domino Carry On Rockin’ - Fats Domino Tommy Steele Stage Show Important events: The unprepossessing 2-I’s coffee bar in the heart of London’s Soho district is rapidly becoming Mecca to Britain’s would-be recording stars. It was here, last autumn, that Tommy Steele was first noticed, strumming his guitar, and here also that The Vipers took their first steps - steps which have subsequently taken them into the charts with "Don’t You Rock Me Daddy-O" and "Cumberland Gap". The latest discovery to take the eye of owner Paul Lincoln - once the wrestling champion of New South Wales, Australia - is 18-year-old Terry Dene, from South London. Formerly a packer at HMV’s Oxford Street record shop, Dene has already signed a recording contract with Decca and is lined up to appear on "Six-Five Special". Lincoln rates his chances high enough to become "the next Tommy Steele". Fats Domino’s latest R&B chart-topper is another of his own compositions, "I’m Walkin’" - but he could now face stiff competition from the newly-released version by Ricky Nelson, teenage star of the long-running American TV series "The Adventures Of Ozzie & Harriet". The Everly Brothers are touring Mississippi in tent shows as their new single is released. Manager Wesley Rose has persuaded Archie Bleyer at Cadence Records that the Everlys are the act that he’s been looking for, but Bleyer doesn’t think too much of their songs and suggests they record one that’s already been rejected by 30 acts - "Bye Bye Love" by Felice and Boudleaux Bryant. The 1933 Young Persons Act, prohibiting any person under 15-years of age from broadcasting, prevented Frankie Lymon from appearing on the ATV show, "Sunday Night At The London Palladium" In Chicago, Elvis Presley sings to 12,000 shrieking teenagers in a $2,500 gold leaf suit and $100 golden slippers. The latest film actress to take lessons in pop singing is Joan Collins. "The majority are nice, decent folks, but a few want to go around saying they beat up Elvis Presley. I’m just like they are, with skin on my bones and blood in my veins - so what would be so big about beating me up?" - Elvis Presley Hollywood producer Sam Katzman, whose "Rock Around The Clock" has already grossed $4 million, is now on a calypso kick and has just completed "Calypso Heat Wave". Said the sage Katzman, "I want to get the picture out in a hurry because this calypso craze won’t last long. The kids like it now, but it will blow over. They like something with a beat, something they can dance to - and calypso is not it!" "New Musical Express" headlines this month: "Johnnie Ray is Now More 'Dignified.'" "Focus on Rock 'N' Roll." [Haley, Steele, Crombie, Boone, Presley, Donegan] "Kapp Label Boss in London." "End of Entertainment Tax will Benefit Music Fans." "Good Prospects for British Discs." [Ted Heath, Lita Roza, Eve Boswell] "Alan Dean - Back from the US - Has No Regrets." "Happy Memories of Britain." [Lena Horne] "Time for Another Record Hit, Miss Clooney." "Lonnie Donnegan Skiffles Squeals from US Teenagers." "New Max Bygraves Hit Comes from the 'Heart.'" "Johnnie Ray is More Restrained - but Still Sets the Fans Alight." "Fans Swarm into London's First big Skiffle Show." "Fats Domino: He Writes for Others as Well as Himself." Other events: April 24: Dr. Albert Schweitzer today gave a warning that radioactivity was a "catastrophe for the human race." Further nuclear weapon explosions would increase the danger of radiation to an alarming extent. Reports of radioactive rainfall were coming from all parts of the world. In several places the water was unfit to drink. Japan was the only country where public opinion was demanding an end to nuclear tests. Britain, the United States and Russia had said they wanted to end them, but in these countries there was no public opinion asking for it. April 5: Britain is to make the biggest change in defence policy ever undertaken in normal times. There will be no further call-up after 1960. This means that the last National Servicemen will come out of the Forces at the end of 1962. The combined male strength of the British Forces is to be reduced this year from 690,000 to 625,000. The aim is to stabilise an all-regular footing of 375,000 at the end of 1962. April 10: Dr John Bodkin Adams, 58, of Eastbourne, was acquitted at the Old Bailey yesterday of the murder of Mrs Edith Alice Morrell, 81, a rich widow and his former patient. Sir Reginald Manningham-Buller Q.C., Attorney-General, said the Crown would not proceed on a further indictment charging him with the murder of Mrs Gertrude Joyce Hullett. April 9: Verdicts in the first show trial of "counter revolutionaries" in the Hungarian uprising were announced yesterday in a closely-guarded courtroom in Budapest. Three of the eleven were sentenced to death. They included a woman medical student of 25, Ilona Toth. April 15: Francoise Sagan, 22, authoress of "Bonjour Tristesse" and "A Certain Smile" was seriously injured in a car accident near Fontainbleau this afternoon. She had been spending the weekend at the home of Christian Dior, the fashion designer, who is at present in the United States. April 9: Drapes and scaffolding were removed yesterday from a statue which, with its setting, may cause yet another Epstein controversy. Since it left a London foundry, Sir Jacob Epstein’s "Majestas", a 16ft representation of "Christ in Majesty" has been carefully hidden from public sight. For 10 months it lay in its crate while restoration work went on round it in the 12th century cathedral at Llandaff, Glamorgan. The cathedral was severely damaged in the war. April 11 (review): "The Entertainer". John Osborne is certainly a dramatist of great promise. He has the gift of conveying atmosphere, and - an actor himself - he can write parts for actors. These important assets carry his new play "The Entertainer" at the Royal Court Theatre to what looks like a success on the scale of his "Look Back In Anger", for they give Laurence Olivier the chance for a tour de force of impersonation and disguise. April 4: Tom Finney, the Preston North End and England forward, was yesterday elected as "Footballer Of The Year" by the Football Writers’ Association, thus becoming the first player to win this honour for the second time. Duncan Edwards, John Charles, Roger Byrne and Stanley Matthews followed him in the order of voting results. April 1: Against the odds, Cambridge have won the 1957 Boat Race by two lengths against a strong Oxford eight. April 2: The B.B.C. made "April Fools" of many television viewers last night by showing a film apparently of spaghetti growing on trees. It was broadcast at the end of the "Panorama" programme with great seriousness and a commentary by Richard Dimbleby, who referred to the exceptionally mild winter which had resulted in the unusually heavy spaghetti crop. The film depicted women gathering the "crop" and laying it in receptacles. Most viewers who phoned in seeking an explanation, took the joke good-humouredly, but there were a minority who thought it was childish and irresponsible.
April 1958 UK Top Ten (first week of the month): 1. Magic Moments/Catch A Falling Star - Perry Como 2. Don’t/ I Beg Of You - Elvis Presley 3. Whole Lotta Woman - Marvin Rainwater 4. Nairobi - Tommy Steele 5. Maybe Baby - Crickets 6. La Dee Dah - Jackie Dennis 7. The Story Of My Life - Michael Holliday 8. Good Golly Miss Molly - Little Richard 9. Swingin’ Shepherd Blues - Ted Heath 10. Jailhouse Rock - Elvis Presley US Top Ten (first week of the month): 1. Tequila - Champs 2. Lollipop - Chordettes 3. Sweet Little Sixteen - Chuck Berry 4. It’s Too Soon To Know - Pat Boone 5. Who’s Sorry Now - Connie Francis 6. Don’t/ I Beg Of You - Elvis Presley 7. Sail Along Silvery Moon/Raunchy - Billy Vaughn 8. Dinner With Drac - John Zacherle 9. Catch A Falling Star/Magic Moments - Perry Como 10. Sugartime - McGuire Sisters US R&B chart toppers this month: Tequila - Champs Twilight Time - Platters US Country chart toppers this month: Ballad Of A Teenage Queen - Johnny Cash Oh Lonesome Me - Don Gibson Some UK single 45 releases: Wear My Ring Around Your Neck/Don’Cha Think It’s Time? - Elvis Presley Breathless/Down The Line - Jerry Lee Lewis Lend Me Your Comb/That’s Right - Carl Perkins Believe What You Say/My Bucket’s Got A Hole In It - Ricky Nelson Well, Well, Well, Well - Johnny Otis Show Ain’t I’m A Dog/Bop-A-Lena - Ronnie Self Dizzy Miss Lizzy/Slow Down - Larry Williams Crazy Girl - Charlie Gracie Click Clack - Boyd Bennett & His Rockets The Walk - Jimmy McCracklin Betty And Dupree - Chuck Willis Don’t Let Go/Are You Sincere? - Platters Oh, Lonesome Me/I Can’t Stop Loving You - Don Gibson Oh, Lonesome Me - Terry Wayne Rock And Roll Is Here To Stay - Danny & The Juniors Don’t You Just Know It - Titans Oh, Baby! Look At Me - Terry Noland Hey, Hey I Love You - Gene Allison Kathaleen - Sonny James Bessie Baby - Jerry Reed I Can’t Dance - Faron Young Now And For Always - George Hamilton IV Headin’ For The Poorhouse/Miss Thing - Silhouettes Come-A Come-A - Bobbettes Crazy Love/Let The Bells Keep Ringing - Paul Anka The Last Drag - Voxpoppers Take Me To Your Leader - Timmie Rogers Dinner With Drac - John Zacherle Tom Hark - Elias & His Zig-Zag Jive Flutes Drum Village - Earl Palmer & His Ten Piece Rockin’ Band I Fell In Love - Mamie Van Doren Lonesome Love - Wes Bryan Wanda Jean - Bob Riley Little Louie - Blossoms Waterproof Eyes/You Shocked Me - Tiny Topsy A Very Precious Love - Bonnie Guitar A Very Precious Love - Slim Whitman Little Miss Sunbeam - Eddie Arnold All That I Want - Tabby West Strollin’ Girl - Johnnie Ray A Foggy Day - Keely Smith/ The Lip - Keely Smith & Louis Prima The Place - Johnny Brantley’s All Stars Small Island - Les Paul & Mary Ford You Sure Look Good To Me - Hilltoppers Makin’ My Mind Up - Jimmy Dean I’ve Got Bells On My Heart - Don Rondo I’ve Got Bells On My Heart - Jane Morgan These Worldly Wonders - Patti Page Tumbling Tumbleweeds - Billy Vaughan Orchestra Lonesome Traveller - Tarriers Sail Along Silv’ry Moon - Five Dallas Boys Can’t Make Up My Mind - Chuck & Gary Tread Softly Stranger - Jim Dale Casey Jones - Laurie London My Dream - Jackie Dennis Lollipop - Mudlarks Tequila - Don Lang & His Frantic Five Tequila - Ted Heath Music Tequila - Eddie Platt Orchestra You Need Hands - Max Bygraves The Pilot Fish And The Whale - Wally Fawkes & The Troglodytes The Gay Gordons - Jimmy Shand Band Important events: When author Wolk Mankowitz returned to London from Africa, after gathering material for his television series "The Killing Stones", he brought back a record which he thought might be suitable for the soundtrack. The disc was "Tom Hark" by Elias & His Zig-Zag Jive Flutes - a piece so arresting and unusual that ATV’s switchboard was besieged with enquiries about it. EMI learned of the commotion, quickly obtained the rights, and the outcome is that a bunch of six Africans, of Zulu descent, find themselves in the British Top 10. New though it is to our ears, this type of music - known locally as "Kwela" - has become so popular in South Africa that it has all but swept rock’n’roll out of the reckoning….and some enthusiasts claim that it will do the same thing here. U.S. rock’n’roller Charlie Gracie has returned to Britain for his second tour. April 14: Laurie London, a 13-year-old boy from London’s East End, reaches No. 1 in the U.S. with "He’s Got The Whole World In His Hands". Premiered on "Six-Five Special" last October, the song had been a moderate hit in the U.K. before, suddenly, it captured the imagination of American record-buyers, to whom Laurie is touted as "the English Paul Anka". Pert and provocative Connie Francis - at 19 the youngest female hit parader for some time - has been trying to make it in show business ever since she was four, when she first appeared on a radio show presenting amateur talent. Born Concetta Franconero, in Newark, New Jersey, she recently dubbed Tuesday Weld's singing voice in the film "Rock, Rock, Rock". But after several vain attempts to find the pop charts, she was ready to give up music and enrolled at New York University. However, to please her father, she recorded 'Who's Sorry Now' - an oldie written in 1923 - and her singing career promptly took off, landing her in the Top Five on both sides of the Atlantic. Coincidentally, her only previous chart appearance was a minor US hit called 'The Majesty Of Love', which was a duet with current chart-topper Marvin Rainwater. Named after a potent Mexican drink, the rocking 'Tequila' has won overnight acclaim for instrumentalists, The Champs. The number, written by sax player Chuck Rio, was only recorded to use up left-over time on a session by singer-guitarist Dave Burgess, but the resultant track was so instantly appealing that the owners of the Los Angeles abel Challenge, decided to release it ... under the name of The Champs. As the record began its meteoric rise to the very top of the US best sellers, Burgess and Rio roped in three musician friends to replace the session men who had played on the disc and took to the road under their new name. The founder of the Challenge label? - Gene Autry. The name of Gene Autry’s famous horse? - Champion. "Breathless" - the new chart-stormer from Jerry Lee Lewis - was composed by Otis Blackwell, the man who wrote "Don’t Be Cruel" and "All Shook Up" for Elvis. Army enlistment has not harmed Elvis Presley’s record sales: "Wear My Ring Around Your Neck" has become his 16th consecutive million seller. April 10: Chuck Willis has died after collapsing with a stomach ulcer. He was aged 30. Willis had recently crossed over into the rock’n’roll mainstream with great success, scoring heavily with "C.C. Rider" in 1957 and appearing on the new Dick Clark Show. The ironically-titled "What Am I Living For"/"Hang Up My Rock And Roll Shoes" is about to be released. A group of boys from the Bronx calling themselves Dion & The Belmonts have made their recording debut for the new Laurie label with "I Wonder Why". In New York, ABC-Paramount have released a debut single by 16-year-old Carole King, "The Right Girl"/"Goin’ Wild". "New Musical Express" headlines this month: Pat Boone Rocked; now emerged as the foremost exponent of ballads and sentimental songs in the world in 58 Keith Fordyce: I go for Tommy Steele’s ‘Princess’; both sides of Steele’s newest album are good, "The Duke Wore Jeans" and "Princess" Jerry Lee Lewis dates for 37-day tour here; starts at Edmonton’s Regal cinema on May 24th, 1958 Boone, Gracie (and wives) flying together; Pat Boone and Charlie Gracie fly to England together for Easter Parade. Paul Anka phones Frankie first thing on his arrival home; once in NY, Anka called Frankie Vaughan to meet the man. Charlie Gracie likes our Bank Holidays!; on his first visit to England, Gracie played on a Bank Holiday at the Hippodrome, now he’ll play a different holiday at Easter. Blond haired Shirley Luster aka June Christy gets jazz title "Queen of the Cool" Marvin’s a whole lotta man!; Martin Rainwater’s "Whole Lotta Woman" helps land him a tour of Britain. And he’s fat! Slim Whitman is a tender balladeer; Whitman releases "A very precious love" Pat Boone wants to return for a month in later summer; wants a longer tour than the "lightning fast" Easter tour. Four-page "Six-Five Special" Film Supplement; Lonnie Donegan, Dickie Valentine, Petula Clark, Jim Dale, Joan Regan, Russ Hamilton. Notes on the film how it was made and interviews. Elvis liking Army food!; He’s a good old American Boy, no music for Elvis Marriage for soldier Presley?; Elvis and Natalie Wood just "pals?" Mr. Magic Moment’s sex appeal!; Perry Como can make the girls crazy, even though he’s middle aged. Paul Anka’s slow beat is real gone!; Symphonic rock is his new style in "Crazy Love" Guy Mitchell plans return next month; variety shows and TV for Mitchell’s next visit to Britain. Ted Heath ‘swings’ up to No.3; "Swingin’ Shepherd Blues" and "Tequila" are big hits in his 12 years of fame Pat Boone talk about his fervent British fans!; he likes Britain. Frankie Laine is back again!; "My Gal And A Prayer" is his best effort for a while. No Truth the "6.5 Special" will be withdrawn -OFFICIAL; Rumour was wrong says BBC Elvis too busy for shows; Elvis gets basic training in the Army. Keith Goodwin writes about two vocal groups who are new to the charts; the Chordettes and the Champs. Other events: April 5: Britain’s anti-H-bomb protestors began their 50-mile march from London to the Atomic Weapons Research Establishment at Aldermaston, Berkshire. It had the air of an Easter carnival, although one of its leaders, Michael Foot, described it as "a crusade". From Trafalgar Square to the first halt, the Albert Memorial, marchers were supposed to remain silent. But they laughed, talked and "skiffled" their way along. At the memorial, a group of bowler-hatted young men, with some girls, jived to the tune of the "Red Flag" which was played on a mouth organ. April 30: Egypt, under an agreement initialled in Rome today, will pay shareholders of the Suez Canal Co. about 29 million pounds in seven instalments over six years as compensation for the nationalisation of the Canal. April 23: Speaking with quiet dignity, Princess Margaret to-day inaugurated the first Federal Legislature of the West Indies in a ceremony in Port Of Spain, Trinidad, which she described as "a great political occasion." April 18: Declaring open the Brussels International Exhibition today, King Baudouin of the Belgians said its aim was to "revive the atmosphere of collaboration and peace". Fifty-three countries and international organisations are represented. April 7: Cambridge won the 104th Boat Race on Saturday, the official verdict being 3 ½ lengths. Their time 18min 15 sec, has only twice been bettered.
April 1959 UK Top Ten (first week of the month): 1. Side Saddle - Russ Conway 2. Smoke Gets In Your Eyes - Platters 3. It Doesn’t Matter Any More - Buddy Holly 4. My Happiness - Connie Francis 5. As I Love You - Shirley Bassey 6. Petite Fleur - Chris Barber 7. Stagger Lee - Lloyd Price 8. Pub With No Beer - Slim Dusty 9. Little Drummer Boy - Beverly Sisters 10.Gigi - Billy Eckstine US Top Ten (first week of the month): 1. Venus - Frankie Avalon 2. Come Softly To Me - Fleetwoods 3. Charlie Brown - Coasters 4. It’s Just A Matter Of Time - Brook Benton 5. Tragedy - Thomas Wayne 6. Alvin’s Harmonica - Chipmunks 7. Never Be Anyone Else But You - Ricky Nelson 8. Pink Shoelaces - Dodie Stevens 9. I’ve Had It - Bell Notes 10. It’s Late - Ricky Nelson US R&B chart toppers this month: It’s Just A Matter Of Time - Brook Benton US Country chart toppers this month: When It’s Springtime In Alaska - Johnny Horton White Lightning - George Jones Some UK single 45 releases: A Fool Such As I/I Need Your Love Tonight - Elvis Presley Lovin’ Up A Storm/Big Blon’ Baby - Jerry Lee Lewis Almost Grown/Little Queenie - Chuck Berry Margo, Don’t Go/Don’t Knock Upon My Door - Billy Fury She Said "Yeah"/Bad Boy - Larry Williams Sea Cruise/Roberta - Frankie Ford Luther Played The Boogie/Thanks A Lot - Johnny Cash Love’s Made A Fool Of You - Crickets This Should Go On Forever - Rod Bernard I Never Felt Like This - Jack Scott That’s Why - Jackie Wilson Mean Streak/Never Mind - Cliff Richard Please Don’t Touch - Johnny Kidd & The Pirates Sorry (I Ran All The Way Home) - Impalas So Much/Oh Yeah - Little Anthony & The Imperials Bonaparte’s Retreat - Billy Grammar Tragedy - Thomas Wayne White Lightening - George Jones I Ain’t Gettin’ Rid Of You - Tommy Sands Yea-Yea - Dale Hawkins I Ain’t Givin’ Up Nothin’ - Ben Hewitt Break The Chain - Tommy Zang (I’m Afraid) The Masquerade Is Over - Clyde McPhatter Baby, Won’t You Please Come Home - Big Maybelle Crystal/Teach Me - Monograms You - Johnny Otis Show & Mel Williams Turvy Parts 1 & 2 - Cozy Cole Everybody Likes To Cha Cha Cha - Sam Cooke Be Mine - Ernestine Anderson The Happy Organ - Dave "Baby" Cortez Come Softly To Me - Fleetwoods Come Softly To Me - Richard Barrett & The Chantels Come Softly To Me - Craig Douglas Come Softly To Me - Ronnie Height I’ve Waited So Long/Sat’day Night Rock-A-Boogie - Anthony Newley Mister Dee-Jay - Cinderellas Little Joe - Doubles Star Love/The Thing-A-Ma-Jig - Playmates Guitar Boogie Shuffle - Bert Weedon Love For Sale - Shirley Bassey If I Didn’t Care - Connie Francis I Miss You So - Paul Anka Turn Me Loose - Fabian Blackeyed Susie - Tennessee Ernie Ford Tell Him No - Travis & Bob Tell Him No - Jackson Brothers Everlasting Love - Buck Owens Anybody’s Girl - Hank Thompson & His Brazos Valley Boys We’re Talking It Over - Faron Young The Tijuana Jail - Kingston Trio Does Your Heart Beat For Me? - Betty Johnson Straight As An Arrow - Art & Dottie Todd To Love And Be Loved - Frank Sinatra Boom Shot - Glenn Miller Fascinating Rhythm - Frank D’Rone Crush Me/Mary Lou - Jerry Angelo Pink Shoelaces - Alma Cogan Time Flies - Mudlarks Ding Ding - Bachelors L.P. Release: Sands Storm - Tommy Sands Important events: Recorded only weeks before his death, 'It Doesn't Matter Anymore' has vaulted the late Buddy Holly to No. 1, emphasising what a truly great artist we have lost. Holly's performance of the Paul Anka song, set in a lush string arrangement, obviously heralded a new chapter in the singer's development. A tribute disc, dedicated to the stars who died in the tragic plane crash, has appeared in the US Top 20. In 'Three Stars', Tommy Dee discusses all three individually - concluding 'Gee, we're going to miss you; everybody sends their love'. Meanwhile, The Crickets from whom Holly split last year have regrouped. Drummer Jerry Allison and bassist J oe Mauldin have been joined by guitarist Sonny Curtis and vocalist Earl Sinks. Their first release, 'Love's Made A Fool Of You' - written by Holly - is currently climbing the NME Top 30. The BBC have cancelled their series, "Dig This", and are hoping for better results with a new teenage programme, "Drumbeat", featuring the latest singing star, Adam Faith. "When I play variety dates, a lot of the older people in the audience are very disturbed by the continual noise of the kids. I sometimes wish that I could do a show that wasn't swamped with screaming . . . but I do admit, I'd certainly miss it." - Cliff Richard In the States, Chuck Berry has acquired a solid reputation as the chronicler of the rock'n'roll generation, with his colourful songs about the inconvenience of school, the vexation of parents, the magic of rock music, the excitement of fast cars, the anxieties of dating, and other teen topics. A consistent US seller, he's been absent from British charts for a year - but his new release, 'Almost Grown', should restore his popularity. "Come Softly To Me" has brought international recognition to vocal trio, The Fleetwoods - in which handsome Gary Troxell is ably supported by two slim and pretty blue-eyed blondes, Gretchen Christopher and Barbara Ellis. All are senior students at Olympia High School in Washington State. A mutual interest in songwriting brought them together and they pooled their ideas to create 'Come Softly To Me' - a dreamy, intricately woven ballad which immediately won them a contract with the independent Dolphin label. The song also fired the imagination of America's vast record-buying public, who took it to their hearts, sending it to No. 1. Having savoured the sweet smell of success in the States, The Fleetwoods are now keeping a watchful eye on Britain, where they are already in the Top 10. "New Musical Express" headlines this month: Jack Good says, Harry Robinson and I are good Friends. "Oh Boy" producer is buddies with Robinson even after the "Lord Rockingham" controversy. British stars have given the Americans a good run for disc supremacy. Lots of happy Brits on the charts. Dickie’s Done it!; after 66 weeks off the charts "Venus" brings Valentine back. Russ Conway, Marty Wilde, Lita Roza, Billy Fury summer plans revealed - coastal resort tours for all! "Is that what I look like when I’m singing?" asks Marty Wilde; sees pictures of himself recording "Donna" Pet Clark to wax albums in Hollywood; Petula Clark goes to US. The Coasters’ "Charlie Brown" - BBC bans it then un-bans it. Shirley Bassey says no more; Doesn’t want another record in the hit parade. Frankie Vaughan in 100,000 pound 4-year Las Vegas deal; money money money in the desert. Conway Twitty flying over here for "Oh Boy" appearances. Elvis confesses. The girl I can’t forget. His high school sweet-heart and what he expects when he comes to Britain. Lonnie Donegan signs to star in major film. "The Hellion" stars Donegan as a musician in a band. Keith Goodwin. How I remember Buddy. The late Buddy Holly is everyone’s hero Other events: April 8: Mr Heathcote Amory, Chancellor of the Exchequer, introducing his second Budget in the House of Commons yesterday, proposed tax reliefs totalling 295 million pounds this year and 360 million pounds in a full year. Chief changes were: Income tax: standard rate reduced by 9d to 7s9d in the pounds; Purchase tax: 60% rate cut to 50%, 30% to 25%, 15% to 12.5%; Beer: duty down by 2d a pint. April 22: Dame Margot Fonteyn, 39, the ballerina, was today being held incommunicado in a gaol in Panama City. Her husband, Dr Roberto Arias, 40, former Panamanian Ambassador in London, is being hunted by National Guards in the hills around his country estate near Santa Clara, 75 miles from Panama City. April 3: The Dalai Lama has crossed safely into India and will be granted asylum by the Indian Government, it was announced in diplomatic quarters here tonight. It was believed that Mr Nehru, Indian Prime Minister, felt bound to give at least temporary refuge to the Tibetan leader. April 4: Survey work on the Channel Tunnel project, restarted in 1958, is being carried one stage further. The idea of effortless non-stop journeys to the Continent was mooted nearly a century ago. But it has still to be established whether an under-water tunnel is a practical engineering proposition. April 10: Frank Lloyd Wright, who has died at the age of 89, was a pioneer of modern architecture, whose name was familiar throughout the world. An American of Welsh Nonconformist parentage, he had for many years exerted a powerful influence on design. April 12: England 1 (Charlton, 61 minutes) Scotland 0. England: Hopkinson (Bolton); Howe (WBA), Shaw (Sheff Utd); Clayton (Blackburn), Wright (Wolves), Flowers (Wolves); Douglas (Blackburn), Broadbent (Wolves), Charlton (Man Utd), Haynes (Fulham), Holden (Bolton). Scotland: Brown (Dundee); McKay (Celtic), Caldow (Rangers); Docherty (Arsenal), Evans (Celtic), Mackay (Spurs); Leggat (Fulham), Collins (Everton), Herd (Arsenal), Dick (West Ham), Ormond (Hibernian).
April 1960 UK Top Ten (first week of the month): 1. My Old Man’s A Dustman - Lonnie Donegan 2. Running Bear - Johnny Preston 3. Fall In Love With You - Cliff Richard 4. Theme from "A Summer Place" - Percy Faith 5. Delaware - Perry Como 6. What In The World’s Come Over You - Jack Scott 7. Fings Ain’t What They Used To Be - Max Bygraves 8. Poor Me - Adam Faith 9. Handy Man - Jimmy Jones 10. Do You Mind? - Anthony Newley US Top Ten (first week of the month): 1. Theme From "A Summer Place" - Percy Faith 2. Wild One - Bobby Rydell 3. He’ll Have To Go - Jim Reeves 4. Puppy Love - Paul Anka 5. Sweet Nothin’s - Brenda Lee 6. Baby (You’ve Got What It Takes) - Brook Benton & Dinah Washington 7. Handy Man - Jimmy Jones 8. Harbour Lights - Platters 9. Forever - Little Dippers 10. O Dio Mio - Annette US R&B chart toppers this month: Baby (You’ve Got What It Takes) - Dinah Washington & Brook Benton Fannie Mae - Buster Brown White Silver Sands - Bill Black’s Combo US Country chart toppers this month: He’ll Have To Go - Jim Reeves Some UK single 45 releases: Stuck On You/Fame And Fortune - Elvis Presley Cathy’s Clown - Everly Brothers (WB1) Shazam! - Duane Eddy Road Runner - Bo Diddley Money - Barrett Strong Lonely Weekends - Charlie Rich Clara/Lonely Hours - Ronnie Hawkins The Old Payola Roll Blues (Part 1)/Sh’Boom - Stan Freburg Besame Mucho Parts 1 & 2 - Coasters Just A Little Bit - Rosco Gordon Doggin’ Around - Jackie Wilson Mashed Potatoes Parts 1 & 2 - Nat Kendrick & The Swans (James Brown) Let The Little Girl Dance - Billy Bland Baby, My Heart/More Than I Can Say - Crickets I Love The Way You Love - Marv Johnson Bad, Bad Whiskey/One Scotch, One Bourbon, One Beer - Amos Milburn Let’s Jump The Broomstick - Brenda Lee Cradle Of Love - Johnny Preston Cradle Of Love - Pinky & Perky For Love - Lloyd Price Mountain Of Love - Harold Dorman White Silver Sands - Bill Black’s Combo Just One Time - Don Gibson Go On Home/Pledging My Love - Sanford Clark Twelfth Of Never - Johnny Mathis What Will I Tell My Heart - Phil Phillips Baby What You Want Me To Do - Jimmy Reed Candy Kisses/Tamiami - Bill Haley Sixteen Reasons - Connie Stevens Sixteen Reasons - Sheila Buxton Sixteen Reasons - Marion Ryan Cookie, Cookie (Lend Me Your Comb) - Edd Byrnes & Connie Stevens Comin’ Down With Love - Mel Gadson Telegraph - Atmospheres Foot-Patter - Fireballs Bongo Boogie - Preston Epps The Slop Beat - Teen Beats Sweet Dreams - Dave Sampson & The Hunters Chick A’Roo - Ricky Wayne & The Fabulous Flee-Rekkers The Fat Noise - Jack Good’s Fat Noise Don’t Deceive Me - Ruth Brown Cherry Pie - Skip & Flip I’m The Little Space Girl’s Father - Jesse Lee Turner Chattanooga Choo Choo - Ernie Fields Orchestra The Lonely Man Theme - Cliff Adams Orchestra Seventy-Seven, Sunset Strip - Don Ralke Orchestra Chicken Thief - Kalin Twins So Mean - Johnny October Good Gravy - Tommy Hawke Above And Beyond - Buck Owens Dream Talk - Chas McDevitt & Shirley Douglas Earth Angel - Johnny Tillotson How Deep Is The Ocean - Miss Toni Fisher Moon Girl - Anita Carter You’re Singing Our Love Song To Somebody Else - Jerry Wallace You’re Singing Our Love Song To Somebody Else - Dickie Pride You Don’t Know Me - Lenny Welch Princess - Little Tony & His Brothers Made To Be Loved - Johnny Yukon Got A Girl - Four Preps Greenfields - Brothers Four Someone Loves You, Joe - Singing Belles The Party’s Over - Yank Lawson & The Yankee Clippers Rosemary - Brian Hyland Now, Now, Now - Jerry Keller The Faithful Kind - Frankie Avalon My Love Doesn’t Love Me At All - Jane Morgan Paper Roses - Anita Bryant O Dio Mio - Annette Roll, River, Roll - Slim Whitman Joey, Joey, Joey - Frank D’Rone Cindy - Teddy Vann Madison Time - Vernons Girls & Jimmy Saville Heart Of A Teenage Girl - Craig Douglas The Happy Birthday Song - The Singing Reindeer Important events: April 16/17: Following a concert at the Bristol Hippodrome, Eddie Cochran, Gene Vincent, Sharon Sheeley (Cochran’s fiancée) and tour manager Patrick Thompkins set off for London in a Ford Consul taxi driven by a local 19-year old youth, George Martin. Cochran was in a hurry, as he was due to fly back to America from Heathrow Airport the next afternoon. Averaging 70 mph, the taxi reached Chippenham, Wiltshire at midnight. However, the driver had lost his sense of direction and control of the vehicle. As he emerged from beneath a railway viaduct, the car hit the curb, careering 150-yards before crashing into a concrete lampstand. The impact threw Cochran upwards against the car roof and then through the door and on to the road. Gene Vincent suffered a fractured collar-bone and Sheeley back and pelvic injuries, while Thompkins and the driver escaped relatively unhurt. At 4 p.m. Easter Sunday, 16 hours after the accident, Eddie Cochran died in hospital in Bath, Somerset as a result of severe brain lacerations. He was buried at Forest Lawn Cemetery, Glendale, California, on April 25. Born on October 3, 1938 in Oklahoma City, Cochran was a most accomplished singer and guitarist, best remembered for hits such as '20 Flight Rock', 'Summertime Blues', 'C'Mon Everybody', 'Somethin' Else' and 'Hallelujah, I Love Her So'. He also made guest appearances in such movies as "The Girl Can't Help It", "Go Johnny Go" and "Untamed Youth." A new single, with the sadly prophetic title 'Three Steps To Heaven' is being considered for release by London Records, his British label. (N.B. - this is a contemporary account adapted from the ‘New Musical Express’ report following the accident. For a more detailed, measured and moving account and tribute, see Phil Davies’ article in our list archive at http://www.onelist.com/message/Shakin_All_Over/2750?&start=2748) April 23: Direct from Manchester, ABC-TV screened the first edition of celebrated producer Jack "Oh Boy!" Good's new weekly rock'n'roll extravaganza, "Wham!". The first show featured Billy Fury, Joe Brown, Jess Conrad, Dickie Pride, Little Tony, Vince Taylor and Johnny Kidd & The Pirates. Critics' response? A hit! April 14: Billy Fury is at Decca’s Studio 3 at West Hampstead, London to record the 10-inch album "The Sound Of Fury". Jack Good produces. Backing musicians are Joe Brown (guitar), Reg Guest (piano), Andy White (drums) and bassists Bill Stark (acoustic) and Alan Weighell (electric). To complement their efforts, Billy has chartered, at his own expense, a light aircraft to fly some old friends from Liverpool - a vocal group named The Four Jays (later to become The Fourmost) In an effort to frighten off all but legitimately-interested parties, Colonel Tom Parker has set the non-negotiable price of $150,000 for any future Elvis Presley concert performances. So far, this has proved even more effective than the Colonel anticipated: there are no takers! The Colonel's price tag is understandable, given the news that Presley has been named America's best-selling recording artist at the first presentation of the NARM Awards - a new annual prize-giving ceremony instigated by the National Association of Record Merchants. Connie Francis's manager may follow suit. His client was named top-selling female artist. UK chart newcomer Lance 'Be Mine' Fortune and US singer Jerry 'Here Comes Summer' Keller have replaced the late Eddie Cochran on Gene Vincent's current UK tour. Elvis Presley has gone back in uniform on Paramount Pictures' Hollywood lot to commence filming "G.I. Blues" Pye Records have released 'This Is Hancock', a collection of U.K. comedian Tony Hancock's best radio sketches. "New Musical Express" headlines this month: A Visit to Cliff Richard’s New Home! What happened when… Elvis Started Waxing Again A Big Welcome to the Everly Brothers. Everly Brothers, British tour Cliff and Tony meet the Duke. Cliff Richard, Anthony Newley, Duke of Edinburgh Duane Eddy. I Love British Audiences. The Everly Brothers are Great Performers. Everly Brothers, concert review The Hush-Hush Entertainer. Johnny Preston, American success Cliff and Lonnie. Cliff Richard, Lonnie Donegan, American tour 20-Year-Old to watch this year. Rod Lauren, debut Gene Vincent and Eddie Cochran rave about the same girl! musical partnership, interview, biographical Joan Regan’s zippers broke during dance with Mike Wilding. Joan Regan, BBC-TV, "Be My Guest" Boom, Bam, Here Comes Wham(3). ABC-TV, Joe Brown, Jess Conrad, Billy Fury, Dickie Pride, Little Tony Injured Gene Vincent pays tribute to pal Eddie Cochran The Cruel Tragedy of Eddie Cochran. Eddie Cochran, auto accident, death Furious or Fascinated? fans opinions, Darin/Eddy tour Two Top Guitarists. Duane Eddy, Burt Weedon, interview, biographical Keith Kelly Wrote Hit in the Tube. Keith Kelly, "Tease Me" Young Brenda Lee is an atom bombshell of pleasure. Connie Returns - In Strange Circumstances. Connie Francis, fourth British tour Freddy Cannon, Conway Twitty kept travelling. Freddy Cannon, Conway Twitty, British tour
April 1961 UK Top Ten (first week of the month): 1. Wooden Heart - Elvis Presley 2. Walk Right Back/Ebony Eyes - Everly Brothers 3. Are You Sure - Allisons 4. Theme For A Dream - Cliff Richard 5. My Kind Of Girl - Matt Monro 6. Lazy River - Bobby Darin 7. Exodus - Ferrante & Teicher 8. And The Heavens Cried - Anthony Newley 9. Will You Love Me Tomorrow? - Shirelles 10. Riders In The Sky - Ramrods US Top Ten (first week of the month): 1. Blue Moon - Marcels 2. Apache - Jorgen Ingmann 3. Surrender - Elvis Presley 4. Pony Time - Chubby Checker 5. Dedicated To The One I Love - Shirelles 6. Don’t Worry - Marty Robbins 7. On The Rebound - Floyd Cramer 8. Walk Right Back - Everly Brothers 9. Runaway - Del Shannon 10. But I Do - Clarence Henry US R&B chart toppers this month: Blue Moon - Marcels One Mint Julep - Ray Charles Mother-In-Law - Ernie K-Doe US Country chart toppers this month: Don’t Worry - Marty Robbins Some UK single 45 releases: What’d I Say/Livin’ Lovin’ Wreck - Jerry Lee Lewis Shu-Rah/Fell In Love On Monday - Fats Domino Theme From Dixie - Duane Eddy Ling-Ting-Tong - Buddy Knox Let’s Go Again (Where We Went Last Night)/Deep Blue Sea - Hank Ballard & The Midnighters Halfway To Paradise/Cross My Heart - Billy Fury That Lucky Old Sun - Velvets Dedicated To The One I Love - Shirelles Some Kind Of Wonderful - Drifters To Be Loved - Pentagons Mother-In-Law - Ernie K-Doe But I Do - Clarence "Frogman" Henry Please Love Me Forever - Cathy Jean & The Roomates Happy Birthday Blues - Kathy Young with The Innocents I Love To Love You - Phil Phillips On The Rebound/Mood Indigo - Floyd Cramer Come On Over - Strollers The Continental Walk - Rollers Look For Me, I’ll Be There - Earl Sinks Have A Drink On Me/Seven Daffodils - Lonnie Donegan Top Forty, News, Weather And Sport - Mark Dinning Girl Machine - Johnny Walsh Hello Walls - Faron Young Little Lonely One - Jarmels Baby Blue - Echoes At Last - Etta James A Hundred Pounds Of Clay - Gene McDaniels Love Or Money - Blackwells Young In Love - Lancers High Noon - Salt’n’Pepper Happy Ending - Teddy Randazzo Sweet Little Kathy - Ray Peterson Cannonball Caboose - Cannonballs Tonight, My Love, Tonight - Paul Anka Momma-Poppa - Kalin Twins Grapevine - Fabian The Charanga - Merv Griffin Please Love Me Forever - Sunny Gale Like Long Hair - Paul Revere & The Raiders Lonesome Road - Mirriam Johnson Where Your Arms Used To Be - Billy Strange Foolin’ Around - Kay Starr Do Whatcha Want - Damita Jo Little Miss Stuck-Up - Playmates Bonanza - Al Caiola Mr Guitar - Bert Weedon The Misfits - Don Costa Orchestra My Blue Heaven - Frank Sinatra Rockin’ At The Phil - Scorpions Easy Going Me - Adam Faith Easy To Dream - Dave Sampson & The Hunters Sucu-Sucu - Nina & Frederick A Hundred Pounds Of Clay - Craig Douglas Love Or Money - Jimmy Crawford Three Old Maids - Pete Chester Group The Ghoul Friend - Ravens Rock Group When Mexico Gave Up The Rumba - Mudlarks Roch Lomond - Mus-Twangs This Pullover - Jess Conrad Important events: The major British pop event of the year - the NME Annual Readers’ Poll Winners Concert at Wembley Pool, London - was held on March 5. Among those appearing were The John Barry Seven, Alma Cogan, Russ Conway, Lonnie Donegan, Adam Faith, Emile Ford, Connie Francis, Billy Fury, Ted Heath & His Music, The King Brothers, Jerry Lordan, Bob Miller’s Millermen, The Mudlarks, Cliff Richard & The Shadows, Bert Weedon and Mark Wynter. The 4,000-seater Bloch Arena, Pearl Harbour, Honolulu, was the location for what looks like becoming Elvis Presley’s last concert appearance for some time. Staged as a benefit for the USS Arizona Memorial Fund, the concert featured Elvis performing "Heartbreak Hotel", "All Shook Up", "A Fool Such As I", "I Got A Woman", "Love Me", "Such A Night", "Reconsider Baby", "I Need Your Love Tonight", "That’s All Right", "Don’t Be Cruel", "One Night", "Are You Lonesome Tonight?", "It’s Now Or Never", "Swing Down Sweet Chariot" and "Hound Dog". With film work seeming to take up all of Presley’s energy and enthusiasm, concert appearances and tours seem to be a low priority in the foreseeable future. Elvis is in Hawaii to film "Blue Hawaii" All-American hot rockin’ instrumental combo Johnny & The Hurricanes have just celebrated their sixth UK Top 20 hit in 14 months with "Ja-Da". Firmly established as one of the most consistent transatlantic recording acts, The Hurricanes - led by 19-year-old tenorman Johnny Paris - specialise in modernising pre-rock era oldies. "We’re often asked whether the fact that we’re brothers has ever been a handicap in our careers. The way they figure it is that most brothers quarrel, and in our case if there’s no harmony behind the scenes, it’s not very likely that there’ll be much on stage" : The Everly Brothers The Allison’s "Are You Sure" was placed second in the "Song For Europe" Cliff Richard & The Shadows have opened their South African tour in Johannesburg. March 10 - Jeff Barry, co-writer of "Tell Laura I Love Her", signs a 10-year contract with Trinity Music. March 27 - Rick Nelson cuts "My One Desire" Beatles’ manager Alan Williams has secured a three month residency at Hamburg’s Top Ten Club for the Liverpool group. "New Musical Express" headlines this month: Matt Monro Booked for Ed Sullivan TV Cliff Richard, Shadows for Late Blackpool Season. Cliff Richard, Shadows, David Whitfield, Russ Conway, possible shows Jerry Lordan’s Tune No.2 in America. Jerry Lordan, success, "Apache" Sinatra and Presley Rivals for NARAS Disc Awards. Mathis Debut Here: Return of Anka: Kaye London Film Joan Regan TV Shows may be Shown in U.S. Do Allisons and Brook Brothers Copy Everly’s? Composer's Children sealed Buzz’s Baby Sittin’ Success Gene Pitney Hails from Rockville. Gene Pitney, TV Eddie Cochran, posthumous success, LP sales Lonnie Donegan Becomes Peachy Oak Is It Sincere or Bad Taste? Craig Douglas, Lyric Controversy Can Connie Double Sales? Connie Francis, new film Adam Faith Has Girl Troubles. Adam Faith, lyrics to song Connie Francis Sings Winner. Connie Francis, Oscar, Best Song Paul Anka Offered Fortune to Switch Disk Labels. Paul Anka, contract Freddy Cannon has a Soft Spot for U.K. Here’s What Became of Jimmie Rodgers! Jimmie Rodgers, news He Signed Presley for $40,000. Steve Sholes, deals Temperance 7 turn Life Lines into Laugh Lines. Temperance 7, group profile Ray Charles Wins 4 Grammys. Ray Charles, grammy winners Influx of Jazz to Charts may help Della Reese. Can Girls Really Rock? Connie Francis, Helen Shapiro, Carla Thomas, roles The Marcels ‘Blue Moon’ has Both Sides Raving. Temperance 7 to Invade Palladium TV Gene is Back. Gene Vincent, back in U.K. Presley’s Pianist, Floyd Cramer, background Singer-Guitarist Del Shannon. Del Shannon, break into Show Business ‘Gee Whiz’ Release made Cliff Richard Angry. Cliff Richard, single’s success Johnny Burnette is Big Boy Glad Now. Johnny Burnette, news Connie Francis Great Fun in First Film. Connie Francis, movie
April 1962 UK Top Ten (first week of the month): 1. Wonderful Land - Shadows 2. Tell Me What He Said - Helen Shapiro 3. Dream Baby - Roy Orbison 4. Rock-a-Hula Baby/Can’t Help Falling In Love - Elvis Presley 5. Wimoweh - Karl Denver 6. Stranger On The Shore - Acker Bilk 7. Twistin’ The Night Away - Sam Cooke 8. Hey Little Girl - Del Shannon 9. Hole In The Ground - Bernard Cribbins 10. Softly As I Leave You - Matt Monro US Top Ten (first week of the month): 1. Johnny Angel - Shelley Fabares 2. Don’t Break The Heart That Loves You - Connie Francis 3. Good Luck Charm - Elvis Presley 4. Slow Twistin’ - Chubby Checker 5. Dream Baby - Roy Orbison 6. Hey! Baby - Bruce Channel 7. Midnight In Moscow - Kenny Ball 8. Young World - Rick Nelson 9. Love Letters - Ketty Lester 10. Mashed Potato Time - Dee Dee Sharp US R&B chart toppers this month: Twistin’ The Night Away - Sam Cooke Soul Twist - King Curtis & The Noble Knights Mashed Potato Time - Dee Dee Sharp US Country chart toppers this month: She’s Got You - Patsy Cline Charlie’s Shoes - Billy Walker Some UK single 45 releases: A Night At Daddy Gee’s - Curtis Lee Lover Please - Clyde McPhatter Lover Please - Dennis Turner What’d I Say - Bobby Darin Pop-Eye - Huey "Piano" Smith Last Night Was Made For Love/A King For Tonight - Billy Fury Don’t Play That Song (You Lied) - Ben E King If I Cried Every Time You Hurt Me - Wanda Jackson Salvation - Johnny & The Hurricanes Mashed Potato Time - Dee Dee Sharp Twist, Twist Senora - Gary U.S. Bonds Experiment In Terror - Champs Something’s Got A Hold On Me - Etta James Just Got To Know - Jimmy McCracklin (last Top Rank issue) Big Man In A Big House - Leroy Van Dyke Don’t Break The Heart That Loves You - Connie Francis You Made Me Love You - Jo Ann Campbell Johnny Angel - Shelley Fabares Do The New Continental - Dovells Checkered Continental Pants - Tad & The Small Fry Twistwatch - String-A-Longs Come Back Silly Girl - Lettermen Mister Jones - John D Loudermilk Big Mouth Bill - Phil McLean The Wild Side Of Life - Hank Thompson She Can’t Find Her Keys - Paul Peterson & Shelley Fabares Everybody’s Doin’ The Twist - Streamliners & Joanne Hurtin’ Inside (Twist) - Cliff Bennett & The Rebel Rousers with The Peppermints Twist Little Sister - Brian Poole & The Tremeloes The Mexican - Fentones As You Like It - Adam Faith One Good Solid 24-Carat Reason - Jerry Lordan Cinderella - Jack Ross Quando, Quando, Quando - Pat Boone Most People Get Married - Patti Page Funny Way Of Laughin’ - Burl Ives Come Outside - Mike Sarne & Wendy Richard Let’s Talk About Love - Helen Shapiro You’ll Never Walk Alone - Shirley Bassey Cowboy Jock From Skye - Andy Stewart Important events: No less than four Twist singles are featured in the US Top 20 as the craze takes a hold. Chubby Checker’s "The Twist" is at #5, while Joey Dee and The Starlighters’ "Peppermint Twist" holds down the #9 slot, Gary US Bonds' "Dear Lady Twist" is at #11 and Billy Joe & The Checkmates' "Percolator Twist" is at #27. Meanwhile, a spot-check of New York’s Temple of Twist - The Peppermint Lounge on West 45th Street - reveals that the Big Apple’s most popular Twist albums are: 1. Chubby Checker: "For Twisters Only"; 2. Chubby Checker: "Let’s Twist Again"; 3. Chubby Checker: "Your Twist Party"; 4. Ray Charles: "Do The Twist"; 5. Joey Dee: "Doin’ The Twist Live At The Peppermint Lounge"; and 6. Louis Prima: "Doin’ The Twist". Despite his world-wide success, Chubby Checker is being cautious with his cash. Seemingly, his one luxury is a Thunderbird Convertible. Says Chubby, who won’t be 21 until October; "My parents are investing my money in real estate just in case, but I’m allowed thirty-five dollars a week spending money." United Artists’ Studios have released "Follow That Dream" with Elvis Presley (Toby Kwimper) at the centre of a strictly-for-laughs conflict between shiftless Florida poor folks and corrupt local authorities. The Shadows have become the first British group to headline the prestigious L’Olympia Theatre in Paris. Chicago blues legend Howlin’ Wolf has been touring the UK with Chris Barber’s Jazz Band. Helen Shapiro has become the first British artist to top the Japanese charts with "You Don’t Know Me". The Beatles have made their radio debut on the BBC’s "Teenager’s Turn - Here We Go". They perform versions of "Dream Baby", "Memphis Tennessee" and "Please Mr Postman" CBS Records have released a self-titled album by Bob Dylan. Blues Incorporated, led by guitarist Alexis Korner, have played their first gig at Ealing on March 17. "New Musical Express" headlines this month: Jimmy Justice is making plans to move back home Is Presley making too many Films? Bruce Almost Channel #1 Again. Sammy Davis Jr. Does Right by Pal Newley. Sammy Davis Jr., Anthony Newley, recording, profile Karl Denver Never puts on a False Front The Everly’s have changed! Military service, career interruption Pet Clark, Emile Ford Package Tour Hits. Gene McDaniels, Gary U.S Bonds, rhythm and blues singers, profile Neil Sedaka Never Misses a Note - But Finds it Hard to Spot a Hit Hayley Startles me with "My Records are Terrible". Hayley Mills, Tutti Camarata, confrontation, disc production Jerry Lee Lewis is Coming Back to Prove Himself. Faith, Sedaka Head Quality Package Show. Adam Faith, Neil Sedaka, package show, successes The Shadows are Golden Boys Now. Gold Disc, success, interview Now Ricky’s Name Change is Official. Ricky Nelson, name change to ‘Rick’. Follies Dancer with a Song Hit! Ketty Lester, former Follies dancer, film Shirley Bassey and Temperance 7 can put New Life into Music Hall. London Palladium, variety performances
