This Date in Rock Music History: July 9

1955:  History unfolded as "Rock Around The Clock" by Bill Haley & the Comets became the first Rock & Roll #1 on This Day in Rock Music History*.  Thus beginneth the Rock Era!

This Date in Rock Music History: July 8

1954:  Sam Phillips, Elvis Presley's manager, gave Memphis D.J. Dewey Phillips of WHBQ Radio a copy of Presley's "That's All Right (Mama)" for his radio show and Presley appeared on Phillips' show.  Phillips that night became the first DJ to play an Elvis Presley song.  (Note:  several websites claim Phillips played the song on July 6 or 7.  According to the newspaper 'The Knoxville Journal', the official Graceland website and the book 'Turn It Up!  American Radio Tales 1946-1996' by Bob Shannon, the correct date is July 8.)
1958:  The soundtrack to Oklahoma! became the first album to be certified Gold by the Recording Industry of America (RIAA).

This Date in Rock Music History: July 7

1954:  Elvis Presley recorded "Blue Moon Of Kentucky" at Sun Studios in Memphis, Tennessee.  It would be the B-side for his first single "That's All Right".  (Note:  several websites have for years assumed that Elvis recorded the song on July 9.  But according to the book 'Sam Phillips:  The Man Who Invented Rock 'n' Roll' by Peter Guralnick, Presley recorded the song the night after he appeared on Dewey Phillips' radio show and it appeared that "That's All Right" would be a hit and needed a flip side recorded for the single.  Websites claim the single was entitled "That's Alright"; Elvis never recorded a song with that title--the correct title is That's All Right".)
1955:  Elvis Presley used part of his proceeds from an $5,000 advance to buy his mother a pink Cadillac.  Elvis and his parents had lived in low-income housing their entire lives.

This Date in Rock Music History: July 6

1956:  John Lennon met Paul McCartney at a dinner at St. Peter's Church in Liverpool, England and invited him to join his group the Quarrymen.  (Note:  several websites incorrectly state that the meeting took place on June 15.  It was July 6, as the poster advertising the event clearly shows.)

This Date in Rock Music History: July 5

1954:  Elvis Presley went into the recording studio for the first time, recording "That's All Right (Mama)" and "Blue Moon Of Kentucky" at Sun Studio in Memphis, Tennessee.
1958:  Ray Charles' appearance at the Newport Jazz Festival was recorded for the live album Ray Charles at Newport.

Happy 4th of July

The Rock Era and all music and culture and all the rights fought for 241 years ago are of course threatened right now.  On this July 4, remember Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, George Washington, Thomas Payne and the other Founding Fathers and oppose tyranny.  We Will Win!

This Date in Rock Music History: July 4

1955:  Gene Vincent was in a serious accident when a car in Norfolk, Virginia hit his motorcycle, crushing his leg.
1956:  Elvis Presley performed a charity concert for the Memphis Press-Scimitar's Milk Fund in Memphis, Tennessee.
1958:  Buddy Holly and Frankie Avalon performed three concerts at the Buck Lake Ranch in Angola, India.
1958:  The Everly Brothers rolled into the #1 position in the U.K. with "All I Have To Do Is Dream".
1959:  The Brothers Four recorded the song "Greenfields".
1960:  Brian Hyland had the highest-debuting song with "Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polkadot Bikini".

This Date in Rock Music History: July 3

1965:  Cher had her first solo hit debut on the chart as "All I Really Want To Do" made the list.
1965:  Elvis reigned at #1 on the Easy Listening chart for the seventh week with "Crying In The Chapel".

This Date in Rock Music History: July 1

1959:  Dave Brubeck recorded "Take Five" at the CBS Recording Studio in Manhattan, New York.
1962:  Gene Vincent and the new group the Beatles performed at the Cavern Club in Liverpool, England.
1963:  The Beatles recorded "She Loves You" and "I'll Get You" at EMI Studios in London.
1966:  Janis Joplin moved into the house owned by Big Brother & the Holding Company in Lagunitas in the San Geronimo Valley in California.