Johnny Cash tops the country chart this day in 1956 with one of his signature tunes- "I Walk The Line". This is his 3rd Sun Records single and 1st #1 chart success. It remained on the chart for over 43 weeks and sold 2 million copies. See a 23 year old cash performing this live on The Tex Ritter Show here...
July 6, 1954- Sam Phillips takes an acetate recording of Elvis' "That's All Right" (recorded the previous day) over to Memphis DJ Dewey Phillips to play on his "Red, Hot & Blue" radio show on WHBQ a couple of days later. This was the first time Elvis was played on the air. He ended up playing the song 14 times due to the calls coming in requesting it. Hear an alternate take of "That's All Right" recorded by Sam Phillips at Sun Records studio.
The Johnny Cash Show debuts this day in 1969 on ABC. This great variety music show showcased the talents of Louis Armstrong, Bob Dylan, Cream, Creedence Clearwater Revival and many others. Here's Johnny singing "Pretty Woman" with Roy Orbison. The 2 were Sun Records label mates in the mid 50's.
John Lee Hooker was born this day in 1917. By the time he passed away in 2001 he had recorded over 100 albums. Early in his career he would often change his recording name to be able to release singles for other labels...among them were Johnny Lee, Texas Slim, Delta John, Birmingham Sam, The Boogie Man and even John Lee "Booker". One of his biggest hits was "Boom Boom" which was also featured in a live performance for the movie The Blues Brothers. See it here....
Chess Records releases the 1st single "Maybellene" from a young guitar player named Chuck Berry in 1955. The song peaks at #5. See him perform this song on the Midnight Special in 1973 here...
Legendary producer Sam Phillips called Howlin' Wolf his greatest discovery (and Elvis his second greatest). Before he opened Sun Records he produced blues records for other record companies. He began his last recording session this day in 1952 with Howlin' Wolf. One of the biggest tunes produced during his time with Sam was "How Many More Years". Here's a live version from 1965 with a couple of The Rolling Stones introducing him...
Dale Hawkins was born this day in 1938 in Goldmine, LA. He was an early pioneer of rockabilly and swamp sounds. His most popular recording was "Susie Q" (featuring lead guitar work from James Burton) which was later covered by Creedence Clearwater Revival, The Rolling Stones, The Everly Brothers, The Blues Brothers, Carl Perkins, Phish, Bobby McFerrin and others. Hawkins continued performing until the time of his death in February 2010. Here's his original version of "Susie-Q"...
The Beatles played their last of 292 appearances at The Cavern Club on August 3rd, 1963. Ringo had replaced Pete Best in August of 1962. This final appearance was only a month after "She Loves You" was released and about 6 months before their first United States visit. Their setlist included several Rockabilly and Soul cover tunes from the likes of Chuck Berry, Arthur Alexander, Carl Perkins, Little Richard, Larry Williams, The Coasters, Dr. Feelgood, Ray Charles, Billy Lee Riley, Chan Romero and others. Here is the complete setlist from their Cavern shows:
Ain’t She Sweet (John) Johnny B.Goode (John) Sheik Of Araby (George) Anna (John) Kansas City (Paul) Sheila (George) Baby It’s You (John) Keep Your Hands Off My Baby (John) Shimmy Shimmy (John) Beatle Bop (Instrumental) Lend Me Your Comb (John) Shine (George) Beautiful Dreamer (Paul) Like Dreamers Do (Paul) Shot Of Rhythm And Blues (John/Paul) Besame Mucho(Paul) Locomotion (John) Slow Down (John) Boys (Ringo) Long Tall Sally (Paul) Soldier Of Love (John) Chains (George) Love Me Tender Some Other Guy (John/Paul) Clarabella (Paul) Love Of The Loved (Paul) Stand By Me (John) Claudette (Paul) Loving You (Paul) Sure To Fall (Paul) Darktown Strutters Ball (George) Lucille (Paul) Sweet Little Sixteen (John) Don’t Ever Change (George/Paul) Matchbox (Ringo) Talkin’ ‘Bout You (John) Dream (George) Maybellene (John) A Taste Of Honey (Paul) Dream Baby (Paul) Memphis (John) Three Cool Cats (George) Falling In Love (George) Money (John) Till There Was You (Paul) Glad All Over (George) Mr. Moonlight (John) Time (George) Hello Little Girl (John) My Bonnie Tip Of My Tongue (Paul) Hey Baby (Paul) Nothin’ Shakin’(George) To Know Her Is To Love Her (John) Hey Good Lookin’ (George) Oh! My Soul(Paul) Too Much Monkey Business (John) Hey Hey Hey Hey (Paul) Open (George) Tutti Frutti (Paul) Hippy Hippy Shake (Paul) Over The Rainbow (Paul) Twist And Shout (John) Honeymoon Song (Paul) Picture Of You (George) What A Crazy World (George) Hully Gully (John) Pinwheel Twist (Instrumental) What’d I Say (Paul) I Call Your Name (John) Please Mr. Postman (John) What’s Your Name (John) I Forgot To Remember To Forget (George) Quarter To Three (Paul/John) Where Have You Been (John) If You Gotta Make A Fool Of Somebody (John/Paul) Rip It Up (Paul) Wooden Heart (Paul) I’m A Hog For You Baby (Paul/John) Red Hot (George) Yakety Yak (George/John) I’m Gonna Sit Right Down & Cry (John) Red Sails In The Sunset (Paul) You Better Move On (John) I’m Henry The Eighth (George) Roll Over Beethoven (George) Young Blood (George) I Remember You (Paul) The Saints Your Feet’s Too Big (John/Paul) It’s Now Or Never (Paul) Save The Last Dance For Me
Buddy Holly records his classic "Peggy Sue" this day in 1957 for Coral Records. He simultaneously recorded for their sister Brunswick label with "The Crickets". Watch his performance from December 29, 1957 on the Arthur Murray Dance Party.
Chester Arthur Burnett ("Howlin' Wolf") became one of the most recognized voices in blues music. That voice was as big as his 6 foot 6 and 300 pound size. His recordings for Chess Records are essential to any blues fan. Here's his classic "Smokestack Lightning" done in only a way the Wolf could do it...
On this day in 1956, Elvis performs "Hound Dog" on the Milton Berle show. Later the show received complaints of his suggestive dancing style. You be the judge...
Blues piano great Charles Brown was born this day in 1922. His soft-toned slow blues became his trademark on such hits as "Driftin' Blues" and Christmas classics "Merry Christmas Baby" and "Please Come Home For Christmas" which have both been covered by artists like Chuck Berry, Eagles, Harry Connick Jr., B.B. King, James Brown and many others. Here he is doing his classic "Driftin' Blues"...
Arthur "Big Boy" Crudup was born this day in 1905. The importance of his influence on Elvis can't be overstated. Elvis saw his audition with Sun Records was going poorly and launched into Crudup's "That's All Right". Sam Phillips became interested in Presley's style at that moment given Phillips love for the blues. He continued to record off and on until the time of his death in 1974. Here's his original of "That's All Right" here...
"Don't Be Cruel" was released this day in 1956. It went on to be a #1 single on the Pop, Country and R&B charts. It stayed #1 for a record 11 weeks. The #2 song on the chart was the flip-side "Hound Dog" which was released a month before "Don't Be Cruel" giving Elvis the top 2 chart positions on Billboard. Here's Elvis singing this chart topper....
Willie Mae "Big Mama" Thornton passed away this day in 1984. She may be best known for her huge hit "Hound Dog" that had a massive influence on Elvis Presley...who recorded his own popular version 3 years later. Here's "Big Mama" (with Buddy Guy on guitar) doing that song as only she can....
Sam Phillips sold Sun Records this day in 1969 to Shelby Singleton. He originally opened "Memphis Recording Service" in 1950 as a studio producing mainly blues artists. After growing tired of producing projects for other labels (Howlin' Wolf, Jackie Brenston, B.B. King, etc.), he started his own label, Sun Records, in 1952. Artists on this label included Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins, Billy Lee Riley, Roy Orbison and many others. The building was mostly empty until the 1985 sessions of the "Class Of '55" which included Lewis, Cash, Perkins and Orbison. In 1987 the studio reopened and became a tourist attraction by day and studio by night. Artists like U2, Bob Dylan, Chris Issac, John Mellencamp and others have recorded here since the reopening. Watch this great tour of the studio brought to you by "Pop Pilgrims" here...
Country music superstar George Jones ("The Possum") turns 80 years old today. Early on in his career he did a rockabilly style under the name "Thumper Jones". Here is "Thumper Jones" with "Rock It" followed by Dave Edmunds & The Stray Cats covering the Jones' smash hit "The Race Is On"...
After recording for Ekko and Crest labels, Eddie signed to Liberty in 1956. During this time he enjoyed success with songs like "Summertime Blues", "C-Mon Everybody", "Twenty Flight Rock", "Somethin' Else", "Jeanie, Jeanie, Jeanie", "Sittin' In The Balcony" and many others. Hear his hard rockin' cover of "Milk Cow Blues" here....
Charles Hardin Holley (known in the rock world as Buddy Holly) was born this day in 1936. He will have a star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame dedicated today on what would have been his 75th birthday had he not been killed tragically in 1959. This week a new tribute album titled Listen To Me featuring Chris Isaac, Ringo Starr, Brian Wilson, Stevie Nicks and others. Here's a behind the scenes look...
