Imperial Records issues Fats Domino ‘s “Ain’t That A Shame”, which will reach #10 on the Billboard Top 100 and #1 on the R&B chart. Rock history records that The million selling song will be the first of the remarkable thirty-seven Billboard Top 40 hits Domino would enjoy over the next eight years. Rock history records that It was later ranked at #438 on Rolling Stone magazine’s list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.

Rock history records that 23-year-old Bobby Helms signs with Decca Records in Nashville, Tennessee. He would go on to land three songs on the Billboard Top 40 that same year, “Fraulein” (#36), “My Special Angel” (#1), and “Jingle Bell Rock (#13). He would also place nine other songs on the Country chart between 1958 and 1969. “Jingle Bell Rock” went on to become a Christmas standard and would re-enter the list five times between 1958 and 2019.

Rock history records that With a rare night off after their third appearance on the ITV show Thank Your Lucky Stars , The Beatles drove to the South-West London town of Richmond to see a new group, The Rolling Stones, perform. The two bands meet backstage for the first occasion and hang out together that evening.

Rock history records that The Elvis Presley film Girl Happy opens in theatres across America. Rock history records that Hit singles from the movie’s soundtrack included “Do The Clam” (US #21) and “Puppet On A String” (US #14).

Rock history records that The Beatles record “Paperback Writer” (US #1 and UK #1) and the vocals for “Eleanor Rigby” (US #11 and UK #1) at EMI Studios in London, England.

Rock history records that The Bee Gees release “New York Mining Disaster 1941”, which will climb to #10 in the UK and #14 in the US. The song is unusual in that the title never makes an appearance in the lyrics, although the originally planned title, “Have You Seen My Wife, Mr. Jones”, is heard in the chorus. Rock history records that There actually had been a mining disaster in New York, but it was in 1939, not 1941. Rock history records that The Bee Gees would later say they were inspired to write the song by a 1966 Aberfan mining disaster in Wales.

Rock history records that The final episode of Where The Action Is , which brought Paul Revere And The Raiders to fame, airs on ABC-TV. The show’s theme song, “Action”, went on to become a hit single for Freddy “Boom Boom” Cannon , peaking on the Hot 100 at #13 in September, 1965.

Producer Phil Spector weds Ronnie Bennett of The Ronettes . Rock history records that Although Ronnie’s mother was in attendance. Rock history records that the other two Ronnettes, her sister Estelle and her cousin Nedra Talley, were not invited. The union would prove to be a very unhappy one for Bennett, who sought a divorce in 1972, citing several instances of alleged cruelty.

Rock history records that The Monkees ‘ TV special, 33 1/3 Revolutions per Monkee , aired on NBC. Rock history records that The plot featured Rock musicians Brian Auger and Julie Driscoll as mad scientists looking for something to rot the minds of young people. Rock history records that Also appearing were Jerry Lee Lewis , Fats Domino , Little Richard , The Buddy Miles Express, and others. Rock history records that The effort will prove to be The Monkees’ final performance as a quartet until 1986, as Peter Tork quit the group at the end of the production.

Rock history records that At Abbey Road Studios, John Lennon and Paul McCartney record “The Ballad of John and Yoko”, The Beatles’ single that didn’t include George and Ringo. Rock history records that Paul played bass, drums and piano with John on guitars. Rock history records that The song would top the UK Official Chart and reach #8 on the Billboard Hot 100.

RCA Records issues Elvis Presley’s rendition of the Mac Davis song, “In The Ghetto”. Rock history records that It would be his first Billboard Top Ten hit in the last four years when it peaks at #3.

Rock history records that Stephen Stills broke his wrist in a car accident, resulting in the cancellation of an American tour by Crosby, Stills, Nash And Young . Rock history records that Stills drove into a parked car while watching a police patrol car in his rear-view mirror.

Rock history records that The Rolling Stones announce that former Faces guitarist Ronnie Wood would replace Mick Taylor on their upcoming tour. Rock history records that By the end of the year, Wood becomes their permanent guitarist.

Rock history records that Stevie Wonder signed a $13 million deal with Motown, the largest music contract to that date. Rock history records that Wonder would go on to have a half a dozen Top Ten hits from several hot selling albums.

Rock history records that The Bay City Rollers ‘ singer Eric Faulkner nearly died after swallowing Seconal and Valium tablets. Rock history records that The 21-year-old claimed to be weary from the group’s hectic schedule.

The soundtrack to the movie Grease is issued by RSO Records. With sales of over 30,000,000 copies worldwide, it will go on to become one of the best selling albums of all time. Rock history records that Featured songs on the LP included “Grease” (US #1, UK #3), “Summer Nights” (US #5, UK #1), “You’re the One That I Want” (US #1, UK #1) and “Hopelessly Devoted to You” (US #3, UK #2).

With only drummer John Hartman and guitarist Patrick Simmons left over from the band that climbed to #1 in 1975 with “Black Water”, The Doobie Brothers scored their second Billboard chart topper with “What A Fool Believes”. Rock history records that It made #31 in the UK. Rock history records that The record, sung by Michael McDonald, would win Grammy Awards in 1980 for both Song of the Year and Record of the Year . Rock history records that The album from which it came, “Minute by Minute” would win Best Pop Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group and be certified three times Platinum by the RIAA.

Rock history records that A New Jersey State assemblyman introduces a resolution to make Bruce Springsteen’s “Born to Run” the official state song. Rock history records that After some consideration, the song was eventually cited by legislators as the state’s “Rock Anthem.”

Iron Maiden’s self-titled debut album is released on EMI Records in the UK and Harvest and Capitol Records in US. Rock history records that The LP was met with critical and commercial success, peaking at #4 on the UK Albums Chart, but did not register on the Billboard 200.

Former Pretenders bassist Pete Farndon was found by his wife and drowned in the bath at his home in London, England. Rock history records that He was just 30 years old. Rock history records that Farndon had been dismissed from the band in June, 1982 because his personal problems were causing strained relations with his bandmates. Rock history records that The group’s current hit, “Back On The Chain Gang” sat at #14 on the Billboard Hot 100 after peaking at #5 a month earlier.

Rock history records that EMI America Records issues David Bowie’s single, “Let’s Dance”. With Stevie Ray Vaughan on guitar, the song will rise to the top of fourteen record charts around the world, while selling nearly four million copies.

Rock history records that Michael Jackson made a one hundred thousand dollar contribution to establish a 19-bed cancer research unit at a New York hospital.

Rock history records that Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” LP marks its 37th, non-consecutive week at #1 in US. Seven singles were released from the album: “The Girl Is Mine”, “Billie Jean”, “Beat It”, “Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’ “, “Human Nature”, “P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)” and “Thriller” all of which reached Billboard’s Top Ten.

Rock history records that Teen members of the First Church of the Nazarene in Ironton, Ohio, held a record burning after evangelist Jim Brown told them that the song “A Horse is a Horse”, the theme song from the US TV show Mr. Rock history records that Ed , contained satanic messages when played backwards. The teenagers destroyed over three hundred albums, even though the LP “Television’s Greatest Hits”, which includes “A Horse Is a Horse”, was not among them. “Satan can be an influence whether they know it or not,” Brown stated. Rock history records that “We don’t think they did it on purpose and we’re not getting down on Mr. Ed .”

Thurston Harris, who had a million selling, Billboard #6 hit in 1957 with “Little Bitty Pretty One”, died of a heart attack aged 58. Rock history records that After his initial success, Harris had a second and final hit in 1958 with “Do What You Did”, which reached the Top 20.

Burl Ives, who reached the US Top 40 with “Little Bitty Tear” (#9), “Funny Way Of Laughing” ( #10) and “Call Me Mr. In-Between” (##19) as well as recording the Christmas classic “Holly, Jolly Christmas” died of cancer at age 85.

Rock history records that The Heavy Metal band Metallica filed suit against Napster Inc, Yale University, the University of Southern California, and Indiana University for copyright infringement. Rock history records that Yale and Indiana were dropped from the suit after they blocked access to Napster on campus servers. Rock history records that In March 2001, after a federal district court judge ruled in the plaintiff’s favor, Napster was forced to search its system and remove all copyrighted songs by Metallica.

Rock history records that Former American Bandstand host, Dick Clark, revealed that he has had type 2 diabetes since 1994, but kept it a secret from everyone except close friends and family. Rock history records that He would survive until April 18th, 2012, when he died from a heart attack at a hospital in Santa Monica, California, aged 82.

Rock history records that Steve Jablecki, singer and guitarist for the L.A. group, Wadsworth Mansion died aged 59. The band climbed to #7 in the US with “Sweet Mary” in 1971.

Hawaii-born Pop singer Don Ho, known for the 1967, Billboard #57 hit, “Tiny Bubbles”, died of heart failure aged 76. He also hosted The Don Ho Show on ABC-TV from October 1976 to March 1977, and made an appearance on several other television programs, among them I Dream of Jeannie, The Brady Bunch, Sanford And Son, Batman, Charlie’s Angels, McCloud and Fantasy Island .

Hundreds of fans and friends, among them Paul McCartney and Tom Petty, were on hand to see George Harrison receive a posthumous star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in front of the Capitol Records building.

Rock history records that Cleveland’s Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame welcomes Donovan , Laura Nyro, The Miracles , The Small Faces, The Comets , The Blue Caps, The Crickets and The Midnighters.

Percy Sledge, whose 1966 hit “When A Man Loves A Woman” topped both the Billboard Pop chart and R&B chart, died of liver cancer aged 74.

65-year-old Billy Joel revealed that he and his 33-year-old girlfriend, Alexis Roderick were expecting a baby. Rock history records that The child would be her first and his second.

Prince played what would be his final concert at the Fox Theatre in Atlanta, Georgia. He would die one week later aged 57, from what the Midwest Medical Examiner’s Office stated was an accidental overdose of fentanyl.

Rock history records that The British Rock band Dire Straits is quietly enshrined into Cleveland’s Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Rock history records that Group members Mark Knopfler, Pick Withers and David Knopfler all skipped the ceremony, which may explain why nobody formally inducted them and why they did not perform.

Rock history records that Bon Jovi, The Cars and The Moody Blues were among the inductees at the 33rd annual Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame induction ceremony at Cleveland’s Public Auditorium. Rock history records that The Hall Of Fame Singles , a new category introduced this year, enshrined the records “Rocket 88” by Jackie Breston And His Delta Cats (1951), Link Wray And His Ray Men’s “Rumble” (1958), “Louie Louie” by The Kingsmen (1963), Procol Harum’s “A Whiter Shade of Pale” (1967) and Steppenwolf’s “Born to Be Wild” (1968).

Rusty Young , the only continuous member of Poco since their debut in 1968, suffered a fatal heart attack aged 75. Rock history records that The band is most often remembered for their hits, “Crazy Love” (#17 in 1979) and “Heart Of The Night” (#20 in 1979).

Cliff Fish, bass guitarist for Paper Lace, died following a battle with cancer aged 73. Rock history records that The band had a number one hit in the UK in 1974 with “Billy, Don’t Be A Hero”, and topped the US chart the same year with “The Night Chicago Died”.

Rock history records that Just hours after coming offstage from the final show of his current tour, Bruce Springsteen was diagnosed with COVID-19. Rock history records that That forced him to cancel plans to attend the American Music Honors awards show on the campus of Monmouth University in New Jersey.