This Date in Rock Music History: February 18

1956:  The Platters ruled the R&B chart for the seventh week with "The Great Pretender".
1959:  Elvis Presley performed after hours at the Lido Club in Paris, France while on leave from the United States Army.
1962:  While on leave from training in the United States Marines, the Everly Brothers appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show, in full uniform and cropped hair, singing "Crying In The Rain".

This Date in Rock Music History: February 17

1955:  Little Richard sent his first audition tape to Specialty Records.

This Date in Rock Music History: February 16

1953:  "Venus" was the name of Frankie Avalon's newest, and it rose from #99 to #53 on this date.

1959:  The Fleetwoods released the single "Come Softly To Me".

This Date in Rock Music History: February 15

1958: The Dick Clark Show premiered on ABC-TV, with guests Pat Boone, Connie Francis, Jerry Lee Lewis and Johnny Ray.

1959:  Bobby Vee performed his first professional concert (as the "Winter Dance Party" was unpaid), traveling with the Shadows to earn $15 each.

This Date in Rock Music History: February 14

1961:  The Beatles performed at the Cassanova Club in Liverpool, England and were captured on film for the first time.  (Note:  you will see numerous websites misspell the name of the club.  The correct spelling is with two "s's", as shown in the poster above, the Liverpool newspaper 'The Echo", and the books 'The Beatles Diary Volume 1:  The Beatles Years' by Barry Miles,  'Beatlemania:  Technology, Business, and Teen Culture in Cold War America' by André Millard, and 'The Beatles' Gigs:  Every Beatles' Gig from 1957 to 1970' by Robert G. Anstey.  The club was started by Brian Casser, who named it after his group Cass & the Cassanovas.)
1966:  Neil Diamond recorded the songs "Cherry Cherry" and "Solitary Man.

This Date in Rock Music History: February 13

1961:  Frank Sinatra started his own recording company, Reprise Records.

1961:  The instrumental "Calcutta" by Lawrence Welk was the new #1 song, passing up "Will You Love Me Tomorrow" by the Shirelles.  The Miracles teamed up for the #3 song--"Shop Around", while Neil Sedaka was fourth with "Calendar Girl" and Ferrante & Teicher's big hit "Exodus" was on its way down.
1961:  The Miracles remained at #1 on the R&B chart for the fifth consecutive week with "Shop Around".
1962:  Don and Phil Everly graduated from boot camp in the Marine Corps and Don married Venetia Stevenson.
1965:  Jr. Walker & the All-Stars debuted on the chart and on the radio with their first single--"Shotgun".
1965:  The Temptations remained at #1 on the R&B chart for a third week with "My Girl".

This Date in Rock Music History: February 12

1956:  Dean Martin had the #1 song in the U.K. with "Memories Are Made Of This".