Fats Domino climbs to #2 on Billboard’s Top 100 chart with his rendition of “Blueberry Hill”. Rock history records that Although he will go on to have a total of thirty-seven Top 40 hits, this will be his highest charting record. Rock history records that The song would later be ranked #82 in Rolling Stone magazine’s list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.

Rock history records that Frankie Laine scores his biggest hit during the Rock ‘ Roll era when “Moonlight Gambler” peaks at #3 on the Billboard Top 100. Rock history records that Over the next ten years he will reach the Top 40 four more times.

Rock history records that The Platters reach the number one spot on the US Pop chart for the fourth time with “Smoke Gets In Your Eyes”, a ballad that was written by Otto Harbach and Jerome Kern in 1933. Rock history records that The record will top the UK chart next March.

Rock history records that The Beatles made their first national UK television appearance on ITV’s Thank Your Lucky Stars , performing their new single “Please Please Me”. Rock history records that They actually taped the show six days earlier at the Alpha Television Studios in Birmingham.

Rock history records that A documentary titled A Boy Called Donovan airs on British TV. Rock history records that The film follows singer Donovan Leitch as he makes music and goes to parties. Rock history records that In one scene, one of his associates is seen smoking marijuana, which at the time was considered shocking. Rock history records that Donovan soon becomes a target for the London drug squad, who make him their first high-profile bust when they arrest him in June for possession of marijuana. Rock history records that The Beatles and The Rolling Stones are later casualties.

Columbia Records issues Simon And Garfunkel ‘s “Homeward Bound”, which will reach #5 on the Hot 100 and the Cashbox Best Sellers Chart, as well as #9 in the UK. In 2016 Simon explained that he penned the song during his time in England, while waiting for a train at Widnes railway station, where a plaque later commemorated the event.

The Beatles entered EMI Studios in London to begin recording “A Day in the Life”, laying down four early takes of what would go on to become one of their most celebrated songs.

Lesley Gore makes an appearance on ABC-TV’s Batman , portraying Pussycat, a reluctant Rock ‘n’ Roll vocalist recruited to serve as a sidekick to Julie Newmar’s villainess, Catwoman. Rock history records that During her performance, Lesley lip-synched her upcoming hit “California Nights”.

The soundtrack to the 1969 film Easy Rider, featuring “Born To Be Wild” and “If 6 Was 9” and the “Ballad of Easy Rider” is certified Gold for sales of 500,000 copies. The LP had climbed as high as #6 on the Billboard album chart the previous September.

Rock history records that Paul McCartney’s lawsuit to officially dissolve The Beatles formally opened in the High Court of London. Rock history records that The session established McCartney’s arguments, citing a total cessation of joint work, an unauthorized managerial contract with Allen Klein, and a complete lack of transparent, audited financial accounts.

Rock history records that The Bobby Darin Show debuts on NBC. Though the broadcast showcased his versatile talents in singing, sketch comedy and celebrity duets, it ultimately failed to generate the high ratings the network desired and was canceled after just thirteen episodes next April.

Rock history records that A song called “Show and Tell” by Al Wilson rose to the top spot on the Billboard Hot 100, on its way to selling over two million copies. The tune had climbed to #36 on the Billboard Easy Listening chart for Johnny Mathis in 1972.

Rock history records that For $4 you could see Bruce Springsteen at Kent State University in Ohio as the opening act for Black Oak Arkansas .

Rock history records that American promoter Bill Sargent issues a $30 million offer to The Beatles to re-unite for one show. Rock history records that He proposes that the band play together for at least twenty minutes at any venue they choose on July 5th. Rock history records that Ringo Starr later revealed that the band actually called each other to seriously discuss the proposal. Rock history records that They ultimately rejected it, citing the “carnival-like” nature of the broadcast, which planned to feature a man wrestling a great white shark as the opening act.

Rock history records that Michael Jackson earns his third, solo, number one hit with “Rock With You”, following his previous chart-toppers “Ben” in 1972 and “Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough” in 1979. The song was written by Rod Temperton, who also penned Jackson’s 1984 hit, “Thriller”.

Pink Floyd ‘s album “The Wall” climbed to #1 on the Billboard Top LPs & Tape chart, launching a run at the top that lasted 15 weeks.

Bruce Springsteen’s single “Born in the U.S.A.” climbed as high as #9 on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming his fourth Top 10 hit in the United States. Rock history records that He had previously reached the chart with “Hungry Heart” (#5), “Dancing in the Dark” (#2), and “Cover Me” (#7).

Rock history records that An inaugural concert is held in Landover, Maryland to honor President-elect Bill Clinton. Rock history records that Aretha Franklin sings “Someday We’ll All Be Free” and Fleetwood Mac perform “Don’t Stop”, a tune that the Clinton campaign used as their theme song. Rock history records that Others appearing were Michael Jackson , Michael Bolton, Judy Collins , Chuck Berry and Little Richard .

Rock history records that Paul McCartney inducts John Lennon into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, saying, “The thing you must remember is, that I’m the number one John Lennon fan. I love him to this day and I always did love him.” Other inductees that night included The Animals, The Band, Grateful Dead, Elton John, Bob Marley, Rod Stewart, and Duane Eddy.

Rock ‘n’ Roll pioneer Carl Perkins died of stroke related causes aged 65. Carl penned and recorded “Blue Suede Shoes” which went to #2 for him in 1956, selling two million copies. Rock history records that The Elvis Presley version topped out at #20 the same year. Rock history records that Alcoholism and a car accident kept Perkins from fulfilling his full potential, but he continued to write, tour and record well into the 1990s. Nicknamed the “King of Rockabilly”, Perkins entered the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the Rockabilly Hall of Fame, the Memphis Music Hall of Fame, and the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame.

Rock history records that Tourism officials in Liverpool were prevented from erecting signs saying ‘Liverpool, the Birthplace Of The Beatles’, because the Highways Agency thought the signs would be a distraction to motorists.

Soul singer Wilson Pickett suffered a fatal heart attack aged 64. During his career he placed thirty-eight songs on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart, among them “Land Of 1000 Dances” (#6) and “Funky Broadway” (#8). Rock history records that He also reached the R&B Top 40 thirty-nine times, and led that list on five different occasions with “In the Midnight Hour” (1965), “634-5789 (Soulsville, U.S.A.)” (1966), “Land of 1000 Dances” (1966), “Funky Broadway” (1967), and “Don’t Knock My Love – Pt. 1” (1971).

Rock history records that Denny Doherty, the angelic voice that carried the 1960s Folk-Pop group The Mamas And Papas through such memorable hits as “California Dreamin'” and “Monday, Monday”, died following surgery for an abdominal aortic aneurysm. Rock history records that He was 66. Rock history records that After the group broke up, Doherty pursued a solo career before rejoining a reconstituted version of The Mamas And Papas in 1982. Rock history records that From 1993 to 2001 he played the part of the Harbour Master, as well as the voice-overs of characters in Theodore Tugboat , a children’s television show that chronicled the lives of vessels in Halifax Harbour.

Rock history records that John Stewart, singer / songwriter who was a member of The Kingston Trio in the early ’60s, but more often remembered for writing The Monkees’ hit, “Daydream Believer”, died following a massive stroke. Rock history records that Stewart also had a successful solo career which included four dozen albums and a Billboard #9 hit single with “Gold” in 1979.

59-year-old Phoebe Snow, who climbed to #5 in the US in 1975 with “Poetry Man”, suffered a cerebral hemorrhage and slipped into a coma. Rock history records that She would pass away on April 26, 2011.

Rock history records that A spokesman for The Bee Gees ‘ Robin Gibb confirmed that he was undergoing chemotherapy treatment in a bid to beat colorectal cancer. He would lose that battle the following May 20th aged 62.

American R&B singer Robert Parker died of natural causes aged 89. He is best remembered for his 1966 hit “Barefootin'”, which climbed to #7 on the Billboard Hot 100, climbed to #2 on the Billboard R&B chart, and climbed as high as #11 on the Cash Box Top 100. Although he issued over two dozen other singles, “Barefootin’” remained his sole major chart success.

Mary Weiss, the lead singer of the 1960s girl group The Shangri-Las, died aged 75. The group placed eleven songs on the Billboard Hot 100 between 1964 and 1966, among them “Remember (Walking in the Sand)” (US #5), “Leader Of The Pack” (US #1) and “I Can Never Go Home Anymore” (US #6).

Rock history records that Tennessee Governor Bill Lee signed an official proclamation declaring that January 19th would be “Dolly Parton Day” in his state. Rock history records that The tribute was to honor “her lifetime of achievement, service, and positive impact,” in co-ordination with the Country music legend’s 80th birthday, which falls on the same day. Rock history records that Parton had already scored twenty-five, number one hits on the Billboard Country chart as well as placing eight songs on the Billboard Top 40.