This Date in Rock Music History: July 15

1952:  Patti Page hosted a summer replacement series for Perry Como on television.
1952:  Eight-year-old Gladys Knight won the talent competition on the nationwide television program Ted Mack's Amateur Hour.  (Note:  some websites say Gladys was seven when she won the competition.  According to the book 'Notable Moments of Women in Music' by Jay Warner, Knight was eight.  She was born May 28, 1944 according to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and other credible sources.) 1956:  Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers climbed to #1 in the U.K. with "Why Do Fools Fall in Love".
1957:  Paul Anka debuted on the chart with his first single "Diana".  It had been released Monday, July 3.

This Date in Rock Music History: July 14

1956:  "I'm In Love Again" from Fats Domino was #1 on the R&B chart for a ninth week.
1958:  "Yakety Yak" by the Coasters maintained the #1 position for a seventh week on the R&B chart.
1962:  The Beatles played at the Regent Dansette in Rhyl, Wales.
1962:  "Roses Are Red" by Bobby Vinton edged up to #1. 

This Date in Rock Music History: July 13

1958:  Buddy Holly nearly drowned trying to swim across a lake in the North Woods, near Rhinelander, Wisconsin while on tour.
1962:  Bob Dylan signed a contract with publisher Witmark.
1963:  Elvis Presley had one of the hottest songs, "(You're The) Devil In Disguise", moving up from 49- to 16.
1963:  Rolf Harris scored a #1 on the Easy Listening chart with "Tie Me Kangaroo Down, Sport".  

This Date in Rock Music History: July 12

1954:  Here's a case where someone did indeed "quit their day job" and it worked out fine.  Elvis Presley quit his job as a truck driver and signed a recording contract with Sun Records.
1957:  DJ Alan Freed began a 13-week Big Beat show on ABC television with the Everly Brothers, Connie Francis & Frankie Lymon.
1960:  Floyd Cramer recorded "Last Date".
1961:  Pat Boone began a 10-day tour of South Africa at the Ice Dome in Durban.
1962:  The Rolling Stones made their live debut at the Marquee Club in London.

This Date in Rock Music History: July 11

1960:  The Hollywood Argyles found themselves on top of the chart with "Alley-Oop".  15-year-old wonder Brenda Lee edged up with "I'm Sorry while Connie Francis tumbled from #1 with "Everybody's Somebody's Fool".
1962: Joe Meek wrote the instrumental "Telstar".
1964:  The Beatles performed live on the ABC television show Lucky Stars performing "A Hard Day's Night", "Long Tall Sally", "Things We Said Today" and "You Can't Do That".

This Date in Rock Music History: July 10

1958:  The Everly Brothers recorded "Devoted To You".

This Date in Rock Music History: July 9