This Date in Rock Music History: August 7

1954:  Elvis Presley appeared at the Eagle's Nest in Memphis, Tennessee.


 
1955:  It was official, because it was on The Ed Sullivan Show.  Bill Haley & the Comets performed "Rock Around The Clock".  When the song went to #1 on July 9, the Rock Era began.
1957:  The Quarrymen (minus Paul McCartney, who was at Boy Scout Camp) made their first appearance at the Cavern Club in Liverpool, England.
1957:  Paul Anka appeared on American Bandstand.
1957:  Buddy Holly and The Crickets begin their first major tour at the Howard Theater in Washington, D.C.


A key member joined Fleetwood Mac and the Box Tops released one of the greatest songs of the last 60 years--read about that and more on This Date in Rock Music History...

This Date in Rock Music History: August 6

1955:  "A Fool For You" by Ray Charles & His Band topped the R&B chart.
1956:  Chuck Berry, LaVern Baker, Frankie Lymon and Connie Francis (singing for actress Tuesday Weld) began work on the movie Rock, Rock, Rock!
1960:  The Beatles went to evaluate drummer Pete Best at the Casbah Coffee Club in Liverpool, England.  Best was with the group the Blackjacks and was the son of Casbah owner Mona Best.
1960:  Chubby Checker performed "The Twist" on The Dick Clark Saturday Night Beechnut Show.
1963:  Bob Dylan began recording the album The Times They Are A-Changin'.
1964:  Rod Stewart appeared on television for the first time with his group the Hootchie Coochie Men on the British show The Beat Room.
1965:  The Beatles released the album Help! in the U.K.  They released the album the following week (August 13) in the United States.

A classic album release from Pat Benatar and single releases from the Spinners, Sly & the Family Stone and the Allman Brothers all highlighted on This Date in Rock Music History...

Elvis Week: Summary of Articles

Inside The Rock Era produced a series of articles in 2011, our first year out on the great Internet to commemorate the 35th year since Elvis Presley died.  Now it's been 40 years, and the story is still very much relevant:

This Date in Rock Music History: August 5

1956:  Doris Day enjoyed the #1 spot in the U.K. with "Whatever Will Be Will Be". 

1957:  It was the national debut of American Bandstand on ABC-TV, hosted by Dick Clark.  Clark had hosted the show locally in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania since 1952.

A major album release by the Beatles, a Doors classic was at #1 and a big award for Olivia Newton-John--all that and more happened on This Date in Rock Music History...

July 9th-Highest Month for Page Views on Inside The Rock Era

Last month, thanks to your love of music, there were over 24,000 page views on Inside The Rock Era.  Only eight other months have gone over that total in our five-year history.  Thank-you so much for your interest and support.  And you'll have more to look forward to later this year as we present The Top 100 Artists of the Rock Era*!

This Date in Rock Music History: August 4

1957:  The Everly Brothers appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show to perform "Wake Up Little Susie" and "Bye Bye Love".

1958:  Billboard Magazine introduced the Hot 100, a chart that was meant to show the popularity and chart movement of single releases.

New releases by Taylor Swift and Anita Baker, plus a huge concert by Led Zeppelin on this date--all that and more...

This Date in Rock Music History: August 3

1956:  Elvis Presley performed at the Olympia Theater in Miami, Florida, where he would do seven shows in two days.
1959:  The Kingston Trio were on the cover of Life magazine.
1959:  "What'd I Say" by Ray Charles moved into the #1 slot on the R&B chart.

The release of a landmark album in the Rock Era, the single release of a song whose popularity has now spanned two generations and the debut concert of a band called the Eagles, all featured This Date in Rock Music History*...

Featured Unknown/Underrated Song: Heart's "Barracuda"

The Wilson sisters came up with one of their career best with this one in 1977:

Barracuda

Heart

Written by Ann Wilson, Nancy Wilson, Michael Derosier and Roger Fisher

So this ain't the end, I saw you again, today
I had to turn my heart away
Smiled like the sun, kisses for everyone
And tales, it never fails

You lying so low in the weeds
I bet you gonna ambush me
You'd have me down, down, down on my knees
Now wouldn't you, Barracuda? Oh

Back over time we were all trying for free
You met the porpoise and me
No right, no wrong you're selling a song, a name
Whisper game

If the real thing don't do the trick
You better make up something quick
You gonna burn, burn, burn, burn, burn to the wick
Oooo, Barracuda, oh yeah

"Sell me, sell you" the porpoise said
Dive down deep to save my head
You, I think you got the blues too

All that night and all the next
Swam without looking back
Made for the western pools, silly, silly fools

If the real thing don't do the trick, no
You better make up something quick
You gonna burn, burn, burn, burn, burn it to the wick
Oooo, Barra-Barracuda
Yeah
Ohhhhhh yea

This Date in Rock Music History: August 2

1953:  Skeeter Davis was injured in a car crash outside Cincinnati in which her singing partner, Betty Jack Davis, was killed.  

1957:  The Official Elvis Presley Fan Club was started in the U.K.
1961:  The Beatles began their famous gig as headliners at the Cavern Club in Liverpool, England.







1962:  Robert Zimmerman legally changed his name to Bob Dylan.
1962:  Aretha Franklin performed on American Bandstand.
1964:  The Beatles returned to perform at Gaumont Cinema in Bournemouth, England.  An unknown group called the Kinks opened for them.



Three Dog Night and Lovin' Spoonful released huge hits on this date, details about the Atlantic Pop City Festival of 1969 and a famous Billy Joel concert--all that in the music news of this date.

This Date in Rock Music History: August 1

1954:  Fats Domino, Muddy Waters, the Clovers, the Orioles and Little Walter performed at the "Moondog Jubilee of Stars Under the Stars" at Ebbets Field in Brooklyn, New York.  (Note:  some websites report that the event was on July 31, but the correct date is August 1, according to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Goldmine magazine.)
1960:  Aretha Franklin recorded her first non-gospel songs "Today I Sing The Blues", "Over The Rainbow", "Love Is The Only Thing" and "Right Now" at Columbia Recording Studios in New York City.
1960:  Elvis Presley was named Public Enemy #1 by the East German newspaper Young World.  Which explains why there is no more East Germany--anyone that dumb has no right being a country.