The Chordettes’ version of “Mr. Sandman” climbs to #1 on the Billboard Top 100 for the first of seven consecutive weeks. The record, which was also a #11 hit in the UK, entered the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2002. Rock history records that The Four Aces also had a successful version of the song during the same year, and that’s the one that we hear in the film Back To The Future when Marty McFly first realizes he is in 1955.

Rock history records that Elvis Presley stopped by unexpectedly at Sun Records in Memphis and found Jerry Lee Lewis and Johnny Cash watching Carl Perkins in the studio. Sam Phillips kept the tapes rolling as the four jammed through some Gospel, Country, and Rockabilly songs, but recordings from the impromptu session would not be pressed on to discs for another twenty-five years when they were issued as “The Million Dollar Quartet”.

Rock history records that After hearing reports that many US radio stations had banned Elvis’ Christmas album because of their shock over “the Pelvis” singing religious songs, DJ Allen Brooks of CKWS in Kingston, Ontario, plays the entire album and invites listeners to call in their opinion. Rock history records that Of eight hundred callers, only fifty-six disapprove of Presley’s sacred music.

Gene Chandler ‘s “Duke of Earl” is issued on Vee Jay Records. Rock history records that By the third week of February, 1962 it would reach number one in the US, on its way to selling over one million copies worldwide.

Rock history records that After making a generation of girls swoon over his role as Moondoggie in the film Gidget in 1959, James Darren enjoyed his biggest hit record when “Goodbye Cruel World” peaks at #3 on the Billboard Hot 100. Rock history records that He would go on to place nine more songs on the Billboard charts while also appearing in dozens of films and TV programs, most notably T.J. Rock history records that Hooker from 1982 to 1986.

The Official Beatles Fan Club in England revealed that its current enrollment had risen significantly to 65,000 active members.

In England, The Beatles issued their fourth LP, “Beatles For Sale”, which would spend eleven weeks at #1. Rock history records that The LP was not widely available in America until 1987 when the band’s catalogue was made uniform for release on CD. Instead, eight of the album’s fourteen songs made an appearance on “Beatles ’65”, issued in North America only.

Rock history records that The Byrds ‘ scored their second US number one hit with “Turn, Turn, Turn”. Rock history records that Unlike their first chart topper, “Mr. Tambourine Man”, the entire band was allowed to play on the recording instead of studio musicians. Rock history records that “Turn, Turn, Turn” made it to #26 in the UK.

Rock history records that A Greenwood, Mississippi group called The Gants enjoy their biggest chart success when their rendition of “Road Runner” peaks at #46 on the Billboard Hot 100. In Australia, the song climbed to #28.

London Records issues The Rolling Stones ‘ album “December’s Children (And Everybody’s)”. Rock history records that It would reach #4 on the Billboard Top LPs chart and receive a Gold Record for sales of 500,000 in America. Rock history records that The highest charting singles from the collection were “Get Off My Cloud” (US #1, UK #1) and “As Tears Go By” (US #6).

Rock history records that The New York Times quotes Soviet music critic A. Martinosa, who states that The Beatles had transformed from “poor and pure youths in Liverpool” into the “rich idols of the Philistines.”

Rock history records that President Richard Nixon, Vice-President Spiro T. Rock history records that Agnew, and forty US governors view simulated acid trip films and listen to Rock music in order to comprehend the generation gap.

Rock history records that Don McLean ‘s “American Pie” enters Billboard’s Top 40 at #34. Rock history records that The eight and a half minute song will eventually sell over six million copies in the United States and become one of the most discussed, dissected and debated songs that popular music has ever produced.

Sly And The Family Stone ‘s “Family Affair” starts a three-week stint at the number one spot on Billboard’s Hot 100. Rock history records that It is their third and final chart topper and their last to make the Top Ten before missed concert appearances and personal problems brought the band’s career to a halt.

Rock history records that The Montreaux Casino caught fire and burned during a show by Frank Zappa And The Mothers of Invention. Rock history records that The incident was later immortalized by Deep Purple ‘s 1973 hit, “Smoke on the Water”. (some stupid with a flare gun, burned the place to the ground…”) In 1967, the Casino went on to become the venue for the Montreux Jazz Festival, which was the brainchild of music promoter Claude Nobs. On the night of the blaze, Nobs saved several young people who, thinking they would be sheltered from the flames, had hidden in the casino. The experience inspired the meaning, and the story behind the entire song: “They burned down the gambling house. Rock history records that It died with an awful sound. Rock history records that Funky Claude was running in and out. Rock history records that He was pulling kids out the ground.”

Rock history records that Led Zeppelin started a two week run at the top of the UK album chart with “Four Symbols”. With the eight minute track, “Stairway To Heaven”, the LP would stay on the US chart for nearly five years. Rock history records that Since then, the RIAA has certified the album at 24X Platinum, while its total global sales have cleared 37 million copies, making it one of the best-selling albums in music history.

Billy Paul was presented with a Gold record for “Me and Mrs. Jones”, which was still climbing the US charts on its way to number one in mid-December. Rock history records that Paul’s subsequent mainstream chart presence was limited to the R&B market with his only other appearance on the Billboard Top 40 coming in 1974 when “Thanks For Saving My Life” would reach #37.

Rock history records that Twenty-five-year-old guitarist Tommy Bolin died from a drug overdose in a Miami hotel room shortly after opening a concert for Jeff Beck. Rock history records that Bolin had achieved international fame the previous year when he was selected to succeed Ritchie Blackmore in Deep Purple .

Rock history records that Jimmy Page, Robert Plant and John Paul Jones inform the public of their decision not to re-form Led Zeppelin following the death of drummer John Bonham. Rock history records that Page and Plant did join forces without John Paul in 1994. Rock history records that This collaboration spawned the Platinum-selling album “No Quarter” and launched a highly successful world tour throughout 1995.

Rock history records that A retrospective compilation of John Lennon’s solo music called “The John Lennon Collection” started a six-week run at the top of the UK album chart. Rock history records that The disc had already sold over one million copies in Great Britain just three weeks after its November 1st release. Rock history records that In America, it could climb no higher than #33, but has gone on to sell over three million copies. Rock history records that The front and back covers for the LP were taken by famed photographer Annie Leibovitz on December 8th, 1980, just five hours before Lennon was murdered.

Rock history records that Roy Orbison gave his final public performance at the Front Row Theater in the Cleveland suburb of Highland Heights, Ohio. Rock history records that Tragically, just two days after walking off the stage, the fifty-two-year-old Rock icon would suffer a fatal heart attack while visiting family in Tennessee. His sudden passing occurred at the peak of a late-career resurgence, leaving his highly anticipated solo comeback album, “Mystery Girl”, to be completed and issued posthumously.

Rock history records that 52-year-old Frank Zappa died of prostate cancer at his Los Angeles home, surrounded by his wife and children. His family publicly revealed: “Composer Frank Zappa left for his final tour just before 6:00 pm on Saturday.” At a private ceremony the following day, Zappa was interred in an unmarked grave at Pierce Brothers Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery in Los Angeles.

Bernie Dwyer, drummer for Freddie And The Dreamers , died of lung cancer aged 62. The band placed four songs on the Billboard Hot 100 at the height of the British Invasion, among them “I’m Telling You Now” (#1), “Do The Freddie” (#18) and “You Were Made For Me” (#21).

Texas bookstore owner Bill Butler purchased a page of working lyrics for Paul McCartney’s song “Maxwell’s Silver Hammer” for $192,000 at an auction of Rock and Pop memorabilia held at Christie’s auction house. Rock history records that At the same sale, he also purchased one of Jimi Hendrix’s 1968 Fender Stratocaster guitars for $168,000, which he intended to display in the front window of his shop just outside of Houston, Texas.

Rock history records that Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay purchased Ringo Starr’s iconic 1963 Ludwig Oyster Black Pearl drum kit for $2.2 million at a Julien’s Auctions event. Rock history records that The kit was used to record “Can’t Buy Me Love”, “I Want to Hold Your Hand”, “She Loves You” and other Beatles classics from that era. Starr used the drums in over two hundred performances between May of 1963 and February of 1964. Rock history records that They were later employed by Paul McCartney during the recording of his 1970 solo album “McCartney”.

Rock history records that James Taylor, Mavis Staples and the Eagles were among the honorees at this year’s Kennedy Center ceremony in Washington D.C. Rock history records that hosted by comedian and Late Show host Stephen Colbert. Rock history records that To the dismay of many fans, The Center chose only to honor the current Eagles, Don Henley, Joe Walsh, Timothy Schmit and Glenn Frey, and leave out former members Bernie Leadon, Randy Meisner and Don Felder. Kennedy Center President Deborah Rutter issued a statement that stated in part, “We appreciate that there will be some debate about who constitutes the Eagles. This determination does not discredit the contributions of former band members.”

Rock history records that Following the lead of Cleveland radio station WDOK-FM, three Canadian broadcasters, CBC Radio, Rogers Media and Bell Media pulled the song “Baby, It’s Cold Outside” from their play lists. Written in 1944, the tune came under renewed scrutiny over what some stated are inappropriate lyrics, such as “What’s in this drink?” and “Baby, don’t hold out,” which have been amplified in the wake of the #MeToo movement.

Primary Wave Music Publishing revealed that they had acquired a majority stake in Stevie Nick’s publishing copyrights. Rock history records that The announcement came after US President Elect Joe Biden proposed increasing the top federal tax rate on capital gains from 20% to 40%. Rock history records that Such a change would raise tax bills for songwriters selling major catalogs considerably.

Stonewall Jackson, the Country music singer known for the 1959, Billboard #4 hit “Waterloo” and a 60-plus-year tenure with the Grand Ole Opry, died aged 89. Rock history records that Along with that one Hot 100 chart entry, he also enjoyed thirty-five hits on the Billboard Country Music chart. Rock history records that Stonewall was his given name, not a nickname or assumed moniker. Rock history records that His father named him after the Confederate Army general and claimed to be one of his descendants, though historians note a direct lineage is highly improbable.

Brenda Lee’s holiday classic, “Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree” topped the Billboard Hot 100, sixty-five years after it was first issued. Lee described the news as “amazing,” and added “The song came out when I was a young teenager and now to know that it has resonated with multiple generations and continues to resonate, it is one of the best gifts I have ever was presented with. Keep on Rockin’ and Merry Christmas!”.

Rock history records that The Beatles’ newest release, “Anthology 4”, entered the Billboard Top Rock & Alternative Albums chart at #7 and debuted at #48 on the Billboard 200. Rock history records that The 36-track set, which includes thirteen previously unreleased recordings, also opened at #9 on the UK’s Official Top 100 Albums Chart. Rock history records that To date, the band had earned nineteen #1 albums on the Billboard 200.