January 6
Amos Milburn backed by the Paul Williams Band starts on a tour of
the South with their first one-stop in Columbia, Georgia
Sarah Vaughn and the Four Aces share the stage for two weeks at the Chicago Theater.
Early January
Little Richard is playing his hometown of Macon, Georgia, with
his new combo, the Upsetters.
The Fats Domino- Clovers tour heads west to California for the next two weeks.
Little Junior Parker, formerly with Sun Records, signs with Peacock Records. His future releases will be on Peacocks' Memphis subsidiary, Duke Records. Also signing with Duke is Lester Williams, formerly with Specialty.
Tommy Sands and his manager, Colonel Tom Parker, are in New York while Sands cuts some sides for RCA Victor.\January 8
Johnny Otis brings his revue to the 5-4 Ballroom in Los Angeles for three days.
Faye Adams and Al Savage, fronting the Joe Morris Orchestra, open at the Apollo Theater in New York.
January 15
The Orioles headline the revue at New York's' Apollo Theater.
Also on the bill is Leslie Uggams and Sonny Stitt's Combo.
Joe Morris, Faye Adams and Al Savage start a our of the South.
The Howard Theater in Philadelphia hosts Ella Fitzgerald along with Clyde McPhatter and the Drifters.
Roy Brown opens for a three-day weekend at Los Angeles' 5-4 Ballroom.
Sugar Ray Robinson starts a week at Philadelphia's Uptown Theater,
RCA Victor announces the formation of a new subsidiary, Groove Records, which will handle all the company's rhythm and blues artists.
Savoy Records signs Eddie Bateman, Napoleon and the Four Hearts.
January 19
The Buddy Johnson Orchestra closes at the Savoy Ballroom in New
York. They are off on a five-week tour of Texas and the South.
January 21
Fats Domino returns to the East Coast for an engagement at the
Showboat in Philadelphia.
January 22
Clyde McPhatter and the Drifters open at the Royal Theater in
Baltimore for a week.
Ruth Brown and the Four Tunes begin a week's engagement fronting the Sonny Stitt Combo at the Howard Theater in Washington.
Dinah Washington with the Willis Jackson's band start a week;s engagement at the Apollo Theater in New York.
The Wanders open at Detroit's Flame Show Bar for a two-week layover. Also on the bill through the 30th is Baby Washington.
Charles Brown performs for three days at the 5-4 Ballroom in Los Angeles.
January 23
Peacock/Duke records moves into its new recording studios, office
and pressing plant in Houston, Texas. The company estimates it
sold 1.5 million records in 1953, with Willie Mae Thornton and
Johnny Ace leading the company's talent roster.
January 24
Mabel Scott and Joe Houston entertain Los Angeles at the Elks
Ballroom for the evening.
Guitar Slim stops for the evening at the San Jacinto Club in New Orleans before embarking on a nationwide tour with Charles Brown.
January 29
The Four Tunes are booked for a three-day engagement at the Twin
Coaches Club in Pittsburgh.
In Washington, Dinah Washington and the Swallows share the spotlight at the Howard Theater.
Arthur Prysock starts ten days at Chic's Showbar in Detroit.
In Los Angeles, Sarah Vaughn is on the stage or a record breaking two-week engagement at the Tiffany Club in Los Angeles, Floyd Dixon and T-Bone Walker perform for a three-day weekend at the 5-4 Ballroom across town, Joe Liggins and His Honeydrippers start three days at Club Alimony.
The Orioles are heading Pep's Musical Bar in Philadelphia. with Brown and the Clovers take over Uptown Theater in Philadelphia for a week.
The Ravens and Al Hibbler share the bill for a week at the Apollo theater in New York.
January 31
Fats Domino starts fifteen straight on-nighters along the Eastern
Seaboard/
Late January
Dick Smith, the lead singer of the Five Keys, signs with Bruce
Records.
Decca Records reaches and agreement with Recorded in Hollywood Records whereby Decca will release a portion of Hollywood's future output.
Willie Mae Thornton, Johnny Ace and Little Junior Parker are currently touring Alabama and Georgia.\Bill Doggett signs to play a total of fifteen weeks at Philadelphia's Bill and Lee Club during 1954.
Billy Ward and His Dominoes are welcomed by the Colorado Contractor's Convention.
February 1
The Four Tunes start a week at the Crown Propeller Club in
Chicago.
The Joe Morris Orchestra, Faye Adams, Al Savage and the Orioles hit the road for two weeks though Alabama, Georgia and Florida.
February 5
Gatemouth Brown entertains for two weeks at the New Era Club in
Nashville.
B.B. King starts a three-day run at the 5-4 Ballroom
Ruth Brown headlines at the Apollo Theater for a week.
Guitar Slim appears at the Shrewsbury High School Gym near New Orleans.
February 7
Pee Wee Crayton and Joe Liggins play for the Sunday night
dance at the Elks Ballroom.
Early February
Gladys "Glad Rags" Patrick currently is playing the
Flame Show Bar
Varetta Dillard is set for the Royal Peacock in Atlanta.
Derby Records announces its new subsidiary, Central Records, Willie issue several sides by Bette McLaurin.
February 8
The Four Tunes appear at the Yankee Inn in Akron, Ohio for a week
The Howard Theater in Washington hosts Duke Ellington and the Flamingos for a week.
Jimmy "Mister 5 By 5" Rushing starts a ten-day engagement at Chic's in Detroit.
Joe Houston with Christine Kittrell open foe a weekend at the 5-4 Ballroom in Los Angeles.
Lionel Hampton Combo headlines the revue this week at New York's Apollo Theater.
The Uptown Theater in Philadelphia presents the Joe Morris Cavalcade starting Faye Adams and Al Savage.
February 13
Roy Brown plays a one night stand at the Oro Ballroom in Los
Angeles.
The music press reports that "Gee" by the Crows is a major rhythm and blues hit in Los Angeles area. Sales of the record in southern California have topped 50,000 as deejays at the pop radio stations start plugging the disk. The record was first issued in June, 1953.
February 15
The Four Tunes start a month-long engagement at the Cafe Society
in New York.
Mid-February
Following their recent tour of the South, the Orioles start a
tour of the Midwest.
Savoy signs Luther Boyd and the Emeralds and blues singer Little Eddie.
The B.B. King package tour has wound its way from the South through New Mexico and is currently playing dates in the Los Angeles area.
February 16
Following two weeks of one-nighters, Fats Dominio opens at the
Celebrity Club in Providence, Rhode Island.
February 19
Lionel Hampton brings his revue to the Howard Theater in
Washington.
Roy Brown plays the first of three nights at the 5-4 Ballroom.
Dinah Washington, the Checkers and Eddie "Cleanhead "Vinson entertain this week at Chicago's Regal Theater.
The Flamingos appear with the Duke Ellington Band at the Apollo Theater this week.
February 20
Ray Hamilton is scheduled to perform at a small club in
Longbranch, New Jersey that seats five hundred. Over two thousand
show up, attesting to the local popularity of this new artist.
One account puts the figure at eight thousand.
A group of deejays on the Eastern Seaboard announces that they
are forming a club in which all members will be asked to refrain
from playing records that advocate sex and drinking or holds
Blacks up to ridicule. The Metropolitan Disk Jockey Club, is
formerly inaugurated May 1.
February 21
Billy Eckstine headlines a one-nighter tour with Ruth Brown, the
Clovers and Johnny Hodges' Combo. The tour will last two months
and cover the South and Midwest.
Marvin Phillips, Mel Walker, Linda Hayes, the Flairs and Lamplighters entertain at the Elks Ballroom.
February 23
Ruth Brown, Billy Eckstine, the Clovers and Johnny Hodges are at
the Shrine Mosque in Pittsburgh. They are on a tour that will
cover the Northeast down through the South for a month.
February 26
Sonny Thompson's Orchestra with Lulu Reed and the "5"
Royales make a stopover at the Howard Theater for a week.
Bette McLaurin starts a ten day stint at Chic's in Detroit.
In Los Angeles, Al Hibbler opens a two week engagement at the Tiffany Club. Also in town at the Club Oasis, Roy Brown Plays a one-nighter and B.B. King starts a three-day engagement at the 5-4 Ballroom.
The Apollo Theater presents a full bill for this week's entertainment: Chuck Willis, Sherman "Scatman" Crothers and the Tiny Bradshaw Orchestra.
February 28
Clyde McPhatter fronts the Gene Ammons Band at the New Orleans'
Coliseum.
Late February
Junior Parker is touring the South with the Bill Johnson Combo.
B.B. King continues his tour of California.
Joe Turner is featured in Ebony magazine write-up.
March 2
Clyde
McPhatter frustrated by the number of cover versions of
"Such a Night" issues a press release making it known
that he will sue any artist that copies the musical style or
arrangement that he devised for the Drifters' original recording.
March 5
Dinah Washington starts a one-week layover at the Broadway
Capitol Theater in Detroit with Eddie Vinson and Cootie Williams
Orchestra.
Ray Charles and Joe Liggins entertain the patrons for three days at the 5-4 Ballroom.
Johnny Otis Revue featuring Marie Adams is the house guest at the Apollo Theater for a week.
Billy Ward and His Dominoes begin their record breaking engagement at the Uptown Theater in Philadelphia.
Early March
Savoy Records announces the signing of the Hamilton Sisters and
Dave Dixon and Chance Records inks country blues singer Lazy
Bill.
Johnny Ace and Willie Mae Thornton are currently at Pep's Musical Lounge in Philadelphia.
March 10
The
Ray-O-Vacs start four days at Harris' Tavern in Philadelphia
March 11
Chic's Club in Detroit headlines Jimmy Witherspoon for a week.
March 12
This
week, the Howard Theater in Washington, hosts Illinois Jacquet,
Ray Hamilton and Mabel Scott.
Floyd Dixon starts a three day weekend at the 5-4 Ballroom
March 13
WXYZ
radio in Detroit bans all three versions of "Such a
Night" by Clyde McPhatter and the Drifters, Johnnie Ray and
Bunnie Paul.
March 14
Willie Mae Thornton and Johny Otis are off on a series of
one-night stands through Ohio and Michigan.
Billy Eckstine, Ruth Brown, the Clovers and the Johnny Hodges' Orchestra travel to the Coliseum Arena in New Orleans.
March 15
The
Four Tunes begin a week-long engagement at Chubby's Club in
Collingwood, New Jersey.
Louis Jordan opens for a week at the Casino Royal in Washington.
John Greer starts three days at the Harris Tavern in Philadelphia. He returns on the 23rd for a three-day weekend.
Mid-March
Faye
Adams, the Orioles and the Joe Morris Band bring in $4,000 on a
one-nighter in Charleston, South Carolina as they wrap up their
tour of the South which began February 1st.
The Wanders with Tiny Grime's Combo are touring through Ohio until the end of the month. Other artists on the road include Little Junior Parker, currently touring the Southeast an Guitar Slim, currently booked on a on-nighter circuit through June.
March 19
The
Apollo Theater presents the Harptones and Mabel Scott for the
week.
Gladys "Glad Rags" Patrick opens for a week at the Sportsman's Club in Pittsburgh.
The Ravens and Mantan Moreland play the Howard Theater this week.
Savannah Churchill and Della Reese start a two week run at the Flame Show Bar,
The Orioles make their West Coat Debut with a two-day stay at the 5-4 Ballroom.
March 20
Music trade papers reported that the nation's current high
unemployment is drastically affecting the rhythm and blues record
market, with record sales in areas with high unemployment among
Blacks, such as Detroit, running as much as fifty percent behind
last year's figures.
March 21
Fats
Domino, just completing a tour of the South heads for the West
Coast for another long tour, which is booked solidly into late
July.
March 22
In
Philadelphia, Louis Jordan is this week's entertainment at the
Rendezvous Club. Pep's Musical Bar hosts Bullmoose Jackson for a
week, the Four Tunes open for a week ant the Showboat and Roy
Hamilton begins and engagement at Emerson's Club.
March 23
The
Orioles start three weeks at the Down Beat Club in San Francisco
through April 14.
March 26
The
5-4 Ballroom in Los Angeles hosts the Earl Bostic Combo for three
days while on the other side of town, the Treniers start a
ten-day engagement at the Club Oasis.
In New York, Clyde McPhatter and the Drifters and Lucky Millender's Orchestra are at the Apollo Theater this week
March 28
T-Bone Walker and Tommy Ridgely headline at the Owl's Club in
Shrewsbury, Louisiana.
Guitar Slim returns to the New Orleans area to play the Sugar Bowl Club in Thibodaux.
March 30
Earl
Bostic starts a two-week booking at the Blackhawk Club in San
Francisco.
Late March
LaVern Baker returns from a seven month tour of Europe that began
in August, 1953. During her stay in Milan she became a Countess,
after being legally adopted by an Italian nobleman.
April 1
Charles Brown, Amos
Miburn, Margie Day and the Paul Williams Orchestra embark on a
three-week tour of Louisiana, including Lake Charles and New
Iberia, Texas and Oklahoma including Oklahoma City and Tulsa.
Lynn Hope starts a tour through Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Ohio, Maryland and West Virginia.
April 2
Gladys "Glad
Rags" Patrick opens at the New Era Club in Nashville.
Red Prysock joins the Four Tunes on the stage of the Apollo Theater in New York.
Arthur Prysock holds court in Detroit at Chic's Club. Roy Milton starts three days at the 5-4 Ballroom.
Early April
The Royals, the
Federal recording artists, are changing their name to the
Midnighters so not to be confused with the "5" Royals,
Apollo artists who are currently being wooed by King Records, the
parent company of Federal.
Atlantic Records inaugurates a new label, Cat Records. The first release on the label will be by Mike Gordon and the El Tempos. Sylvia Vanderpool, formerly Little Sylvia on Jubilee, Jimmy Lewis, formerly on RCA Victor and the Chords. Records should be shipped by the end of the month.
Don Robey of Duke/Peacock Records ships copies of Earl Forest' "Out On a Party" and Little Junior Parkers' "Can't Understand." to Paris following a request from a French Jukebox operator, indicating a growing awareness of American R&B in Europe. Meanwhile, the top stars of Duke/Peacock, Johnny Ace and Willie Mae Thornton, are currently playing one-nighters in New England.
James Wayne, formerly with Imperial, signs with Atlantic Records.
April 9
Jimmy McCracklin and
the Flairs share the stage for three-days at the 5-4 Ballroom.
The Four Tunes open for a week at the New Trinidad Club in Washington.
The Harptones are welcomed for a week at the Uptown Theater in Philadelphia.
Mid-April
Earl Bostic
continues to be a hot attraction on the West Coast where he has
broken through as a "pop" artist on his dance club
bookings.
The New Ink Spots with Charlie Fuqua are currently in the seventeen-tour of their tour of the Far East.
Percy Mayfield continues to tour the West.
Buckley's Record Shop in Nashville the eighth anniversary of its sponsorship of a one-hour show on WLAC radio. Other major sponsors on WLAC are Randy's Record Store in Gallatin, Tennessee, owned by Randy Wood, founder of Dot Records and Ernie's Record Store in Nashville owned by Ernie Young of Nashboro/Excello Records.
Atlantic Records signs George "Mr. Blues" Jackson from New Orleans.
Roy Brown is currently on a string of one-nighters through the West following an engagement at Bill and Lou's in Philadelphia. Also turning the West Coast at this time is the Johnny Otis Revue.
Lulu Reed with Johnny Thompson's Orchestra continue to tour the East and Midwest.
The Tiny Bradshaw Orchestra sets off on a tour of one-nighters in the Pacific Northwest.
Fortune Records announce the signing of Nolan Strong and the Diablos.
April 16
Sarah Vaughn
travels to the Howard Theater for a week.
Roy Hamilton starts a week at the Flame Show Bar with Della Reese, who is a regular entertainer at the club.
Jimmy Liggins plays a three-day weekend at the 5-4 Ballroom.
The Four Tunes are booked for a month-long engagement in Toronto.
The Regal Theater in Chicago presents Sugar Ray Robinson, Ruth Brown and Clyde McPhatter and the Drifters for a week.
Louis Jordan and His Tympany Five entertain patrons this week at the Apollo Theater.
April 17
Cleveland deejay Bill
Randle is injured in an auto accident. This sidetracks his plans
to start a new rock 'n' roll program in Chicago, for which he
would commute between Cleveland and Chicago on a daily basis.
Billy Wright entertains at the Dew Drop Inn indefinitely.
April 18
Johnny Otis
brings his revue to the Elks Ballroom in Los Angeles.
April 19
The Harptones play the
Convention Hall in Asbury, New Jersey.
Tiny Bradshaw, Wynonie Harris, Big Maybelle and Bullmoose Jackson's Orchestra entertain this evening at the Graystone Ballroom in Detroit.
Red Prysock starts at Celebrity Club in Philadelphia.
April 21
The "5"
Royales with Tab Smith's Combo take off on a series of
one-nihjters that will last through June 19th.
April 23
Johnny Ace, Willie Mae
Thornton and Hal "Cornbread" Singer's band share the
spotlight for a week at the Apollo Theater.
In Washington, Louis Jordan begins a week engagement at the Howard Theater.
Al Hibbler is at Chic's in Detroit for a ten-day-layover. Across town, Sugar Ray Robinson, Ruth Brown and Clyde McPhatter and the Drifters headline a week's engagement at the Broadway Capitol Theater.
Johnny Otis and his combo are the weekend entertainment at Los Angeles' 5-4 Ballroom. Also in town, the Treniers open at the Club Oasis.
In Chicago, Billy Ward and His Dominoes are welcomed at the Regal Theater for a week.
April 24
In a front page
headline article in Billboard titled "Teenagers Demand Music
With A Beat, Spur Rhythm and Blues" it is reported that the
record industry sold a total fifteen million r&b singles in
1953.
Over 700 deejays are programming rhythm and blues music across the country and seventy-five companies releasing over a thousand rhythm and blues disks each year. In the past five years of the top fifty R&B records, forty-six were released by small companies
April 27
The Five Keys play a
date at the Odd Fellows Hall in Wilmington. Delaware.
April 29
Roy Milton is booked
into the Royal Ballroom in Los Angeles.
April 30
This week find Billy
Ward and His Dominoes with Pigmeat Markham at the Howard Theater
in Washington.
T-Bone Walker entertains as the Flame Show Bar in Detroit for the next two weeks.
The 5-4 Ballroom welcomes Red Callender and Jimmy Huff to Los Angeles for three days.
The Apollo Theater presents Sarah Vaughn for a week.
Late April
Little Richard has
joined Junior Parker's tour of the South
May 1
Alan Freed hosts
his first dance outside of Ohio.The Coronation Ball at the Sussex
Armory in Newark, features the Clovers, Charles Brown, the
Harptones, Sam Butera. Muddy Waters, Buddy Johnson's Orchestra,
Johnson. Nolan Lewis and Arnett Cobb. Over 10,000 people attend
the show.
May 2
Earl Bostic stops for
the evening to entertain at the Elks Ballroom in Los Angeles.
May 3
The Four Tunes begin a
month-long engagement at the Brown Derby in Toronto.
The Romaines are booked for two weeks at Chubby's in West Collingwood, New Jersey.
Red Prysock starts an engagement at Weeke's Cocktail Lounge in Atlantic City, New Jersey following a week layover at Enerson's Club in Philadelphia.
May 7
Johnny Ace, Willie Mae
Thornton and the Harptones are at the Howard Theater for a week.
Clyde McPhatter recieves
his notice to report for active duty with the U.S. Army. During
his absence the Drifters will continue to record without him.
With the exception of a short June recording session, this marks
the end of McPhatter's association with the group.
When Clyde McPhatter
is drafted David Baughn and and Johnny Moore take over tenor
duties.until the original group disbands in 1957
The Robins start a week at the Club Oasis in Los Angeles. Across town, Joe Turner plays the first three days at the 5-4 Club.
Early May
Jubilee Records signs
Bette McLaurin, formerly with Coral. Also signed to Jubilee is
Gloria Mann, who recorded for SLS and whose cover of
"Goodnite Sweethart Goodnite" is due out this week.
On the one-nighter circuits in May, Amos Milburn is in California for most of the month, Little Junior Parker is booked for two months on a tour of the Midwest, while Gatemouth Brown is currently in Texas.
Joe "Buddy" Baker, former lead singer with the Clovers, returns to the group following his release from the U.S. Army. The group will become a five-man unit as Billy Mitchell, who replaced Bailey, will remain.
George "Hound Dog" Lorenz increases his r&b show from six to fourteen hours a week. He is heard on WJJL in Niagara Falls, New York.
Savoy Records signs Nappy Brown, of Charlotte, North Carolina, former lead singer with the Selah Jubilee Singers. Also new to the label are the Hot Shots, who have backed several singers on demo records and the Dreams a teenage group from Philadelphia.
May 8
The Bihari
brothers announce the expansion of their recording facilities in
Culver City in the Loa Angeles area. The new offices will house
Saul's Modern and RPM Records, Joe Bihari's Flair Records and
Jules Hahari's Crown Records and Cadet Pressing Company.
May 10
Danny Oberbea begins a
week's engagement at the Ebony Club in Cleveland.
Chuck Willis stars at Emerson's in Philadelphia. Also in town, at Pep's Musical Bar, Sarah Vaughn and Don Gardner open for a week.
May 13
Johnny Otis
starts a four-day layover at the Los Angeles Club Alimony. Otis
is now a regular deejay on KFOX in Los Angeles with a daily,
except for a Sunday, rhythm and blues show from 7:00 to 8:00 P.M.
May 14
The Spiders and Guitar
Slim front the Charlie Barnett Orchestra at the Apollo Theater.
The Harptones play at the Royal Theater in Baltimore this week.
The "5" Royales and Tab Smith take off on a one-nighter tour through Texas.
Hadda Brooks and LaVern Baker start a two week layover at the Flame Show Bar in Detroit.
Amos Miburn starts a three-day stay at the 5-4 Ballroom.
Mid-May
Paul Williams,
formerly with Capitol Records, signs with Groove Records. Also
signing recently with Groove are Big Red McHouston, Larry Dale
and Sam "Highpockets" Henderson. Other recent record
company acquisitions include Delores Gibson with Aladdin and Four
Bells with Gem.
Percy Mayfield is currently on tour of Texas, Oklahoma and Arkansas.
May 17
Louis Jordan is
booked into Pep's Musical Lounge.
Dinah Washington starts a week at Club 86 in Geneva, New Work.
The Orioles, the Clovers and the Midnighters play a one-night stand at the Graystone Ballroom in Detroit.
May 21
Roy Milton starts
three evenings at the 5-4 Ballroom.
Buddy Johnson and His Orchestra featuring Ella Johnson headline the revue at the Apollo this week. Also appearing are the counts and Nolan Lewis.
May 22
The Tiny Bradshaw
Orchestra plays a dance at the Virginia Military Institute, the
Five Keys do a on-nighter at the Elks Club in Alexandria,
Virginia.
The Palace Theater in New Orleans presents the Midnighters for ticket holders tonight.
May 23
Charles Brown plays
the Forest Hotel in Norwalk, Connecticut.
May 24
Dinah Washington holds
court at Pep's Musical Lounge this week.
Tiny Bradshaw brings his orchestra to the Loop Lounge in Cleveland this week.
May 28
B.B. King and Earl
Forest make their New York debut at the Apollo Theater this week
backed by Lucky Millender's Combo.
Amos Milburn starts a tour of the Pacific Northwest with a show at the Amor Ballroom in Spokane. Other shows on the tour include the Eagle Auditorium in Seattle (29th), the Evergreen Ballroom in Olympia (30th) McElroy Ballroom in Portland (31st).
Buddy Johnson and sister Ella and the Counts start a week's engagement at the Howard Theater in Washington.
In Detroit, Bill Doggett lays over for a one-week engagement at the Crystal Lounge, while Tommy Edwards opens for two weeks at the Flame Show Bar.
In Los Angeles, Sugar Ray Robinson opens for ten-day run at the Club Oasis. Also in town, at the 5-4 Ballroom, Chuck Higgins starts a three-day stint.
The Trianon Ballroom in Chicago admits Blacks for the first time, Featured entertainment includes the Count Basie Orchestra.
May 29
Floyd Dixon plays the
CIO Hall in Flint, Michigan.
May 31
The Clovers open at
Emerson's Club in Philadelphia.
Floyd Dixon is in Taunton, Massachusetts for a one-night stand.
Count Basie and Percy Mayfield stop for an evening at Detroit's Graystone Ballroom. Mayfield is just coming off a tour through Texas, Oklahoma and Arkansas.
June 1
Ruth Brown goes out on
eight-week tour of California.
June 4
The Orioles, fronting
the Erskine Hawkins Combo, headline the show at the Apollo
Theater this week.
The grand opening of Los Angeles' Savoy Ballroom features entertainment by Earl Bostic. Also in town, Ruth Brown and Johnny Moore's Three Blazers at the 5-4 Ballroom for a three-day weekend engagement.
In New Orleans, Tommy Ridgely opens a weekend stand at the Dew Drop Inn.
June 6
Johnny Otis takes his
statge show to the Lincoln Theater in Los Angeles for the
evening. Across town, Sugar Ray Robinson is entertaining at the
Club Oasis.
Early June
Atlantic
Records, following the immediate and overwhelming success of
"Sh-Boom" by the Chords on its subsidiary, Cat records,
is removing the B-Side "Cross Over the Bridge," which
originally had been intended to be the A-Side. The new B-side
will be "Little Maiden" "Cross Over the
Bridge" will be held for a future release, since the company
still believes it will be a hit. In a related story, a cover
version of "Sh-Boom" by the Crewcuts is issued this
week on Mercury.
The Du Droppers are booked for an eight-week engagement at Lau Lee Chaai's Club in Honolulu.
The squabble between Billy Ward and the Associated Booking Corporation is still not settled. Ward claims that he and the Dominoes will no longer honor ABC bookings; the agency says otherwise. In frustration, Ward breaks off his contract with the company. In other news concerning the Dominoes, it is reported that Ward is shopping for a new recording company.
King Records, which releases the Dominoes on its subsidiary Federal was well as the parent, reports that the group's contract is good through June 30, 1955 or until twelve more songs are recorded. Meanwhile, the group starts a Southern tour with the Paul Williams Orchestra this week.
Pittsburgh's WCAE radio, formerly an all-pop station, adds a daily afternoon r&b show.
Johnny Ace and Willie Mae Thornton are touring the Carolinas.
Feeling the thrill of new found royalties, Guitar Slim, Amos Milburn and Charles Brown all buy new fishtail Cadillacs.
June 8
Following a successful
engagement at the Royal Peacock in Atlanta, Lowell Fulson is off
on a one-nighter tour of Florida (including Fort Pierce,
Bellgrade and Fort Lauderdale).
June 11
Johnny Otis starts
three days at the 5-4 Ballroom. Tonight he performs a double
shift, entertaining at 6 P.M. at the Lincoln Theater, followed by
a late show at the 5-4 Ballroom.
The Apollo Theater presents the Spaniels.
In what is billed as their "initial appearance," along with Joe Turner and Arnett Cobb's Orchestra this week.
June 12
In Detroit, Jimmy
Witherspoon starts a ten-day layover at Chic's Club.
June 15
Following his
successful tour of the West Coast, Earl Bostic embarks on a tour
of the Midwest.
Mid-June
Currently on the road
are Charles Brown in North Carolina for two weeks; Amos Milburn
in California; Floyd Dixon doing two weeks of one-nighters in
Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky West Virginia and Arkansas; and Don
Gardner working Atlantic City.
Bruce Records announces the signing of the Mastertones.
Aladdin Records starts a new subsidiary, Lamp Records, which be under the supervision of Jesse Stone. The label joins Aladdin's other subsidiaries, Intro, Score and 7-11.
In Chicago Chess and Checker Records move into new quarters on Cottage Grove Avenue. A new recording studio is under construction to record all the records at one location.
Parrot Records has taken over the old Chess location on East 49th Street.
Record companies on the road in search of new talent include Johnny Vincent of Specialty Records and Ernie Young who owns Nashboro and Excello Records in Nashville.
June 16
Guitar Slim starts a
two week tour of Texas.
Lynn Hope is at the El Rancho in Chester, Pennsylvania.
June 18
Joe Turner entertains
for a week at the Howard Theater in Washington
Coast Basie brings his orchestra to the 5-4 Ballroom for three days in Los Angeles. Also in town, Amos Milburn starts three days at the Savoy Ballroom.
Baby Washington starts a three-day stand at the Dee Drop Inn in New Orleans.
June 20
The "Tenth Annual
Cavalcade of Jazz" at Los Angeles' Wrigley Field features
Count Basie, Ruth Brown and the Flairs.
June 21
Roy Hamilton and
Illinois Jacquet perform for the crowd at the Graystone Ballroom
in Detroit.
June 23
The Orioles are one of the
acts feature in "Star Night" in Detroit. The short
concert tour also takes ion Chicago (24th) and Cleveland (25th).
Lynn Hope returns to the El Rancho in Chester, Pennsylvania.
June 25
In Los Angeles, the 5-4
Ballroom welcomes Sonny Thompson and Lulu Reed for a three-day
layover and at the Savoy Ballroom Ruth Brown and
Johnny Hodges entertain for the weekend.
Baby Washington, Eddie "Cleanhead" Williams and Cootie Williams Orchestra start a week at the Apollo Theater.
Bill Doggett is in Philadelphia at Reynolds Hall for the evening.
June 26
Dinah Washington is
currently on tour with Earl Bostic through the Midwest. Dates
include Kansas City tonight and St. Louis on the 27th.
June 29
Dinah Washington opens at
the Patio Club in Las Vegas for two weeks.
June 30
Following his short
tour of Texas, Guitar Slim starts a one week trek through the
South including Florida.
Late June
The 45 rpm record
celebrates its fifth birthday this month. RCA Victor introduced
the first 45 singles in June 1949. At this time it is estimated
that there are five million 45 rprm record players in use and the
45 rpm format dominates the field of juke box and disk jockey
spins.
Sil Austin, former sax-man with Cootie Williams an Tiny Bradshaw combos, has formed his own band and signed with Jubilee Records. He will be booked by Universal Attractions.
July 1
Earl Bostic is currently on
tour, playing tonight in Rochester, New York. Othe dates this
week include the Hotel Bradford in Boston (2nd), New
London, Connecticut (3rd), Tanton, Massachusetts (4th) and
Bridge Port, Connecticut (5th).
July 2
Fats Domino starts another
California tour.
The Four Knights, Tommy Edwarda and the Willis Jackson Band entertain at the Howard Theater this week.
The Robins open for three days at the Savoy Ballroom in Los Angeles.
At the 5-4 Club, T-Bone Walker and Effie Smith are the weekend entertainment.
Lionel Hampton and the Five Flamingos open for a week at the Broadway-Capitol in Detroit. In New Orleans, Johnny Moore is booked into the Dew Drop Inn for three days.
July 4
Louis Jordan brings his show to
the Auditorium in Oakland, California.
Alan Freed, whose taped radio broadcast is heard over WNJR, puts on a stage show featuring Roy Hamilton, the Orioles, Big Maybelle, Luther Bond and the Emeralds, Larry Darnell, Joe Liggins, the El Tempos, et al. The Show takes place at Patryow's Grove Park in Kenilworth, New Jersey.
Early
July
The Chords are set for a
West Coast tour starting in August to capitalize on the
popularity of "Sh-Boom," which hit the pop charts a few
weeks ago.
The Lark's recording of "the World Is Waiting For the Sunrise" recently issued on Lloyds, receives a big boost from their appearance on the Arthur Godfrey TV show.
Pat Boone's recording of "Loving You Madly" on Republic is covered in the pop field by Alan Dale.
Savoy Records signs Earl Williams and the Lee Allen Combo, both from New Orleans.
Atlantic Records purchases the master recording of "Co-Operation" by Prince Partridge from Blaze Records. The single has received favorable airplay on the West Coast. The song will be released on the Cat label.
July 8
The Ernie Freeman Combo starts a
four-days-per-week, four- tour engagement at the New Orleans
Seafood Grotto in Los Angeles.
July 9
Earl Bostic continues to
tour the Northeast with show in York, Pennsylvania. Other shows
this week include Saratoga Springs, New York (10th),
Annapolis, Maryland (11th) and Cape Cod, Massachusetts
(14th).
The Apollo Theater presents the Ravens and Bette McLaurin for the week.
The "Timmie Rogers Revue" featuring Roy Hamilton opens for a week at the Howard Theater.
The Spiders make their West Coast debut with a three-day weekend performance at Los Angeles Savoy Ballroom. Across town at the 5-4 Ballroom, Fats Domino entertains for a three-day weekend.
The Midnighters at booked at small clubs in the New Orleans area through July 22.
July 13
Billy Ward and His Dominoes
start a two week engagement in Las Vegas at the Sands Hotel.
July 14
Sonny Thompson and Lulu Reed
stop at the Bandbox in Covington, Louisiana, enroute to the West
Coast.
Mid-July
Recent record company
acquisitions include Lamp Records' Bonnie Evans and Clarence
Samuels; Columbia Records' the Wailers; the Embers and Eileen
Hamilton and Checker Records' Jimmy Witherspoon.
The strength of "Sh-Boom," originally recorded by the Chords, continue the grow. The cover version by the Crew Cuts on Mercury is a solid hit on the pop charts and now there are more versions. In the op field, Billy Williams Quartet has cut it on Cora for the country and western market Bobby Williamson has a record out on RCA Victor.
Other cover records in the McGuirre Sisters' Goodnight Sweetheart Goodnight" on Coral, Bill Haley's "Shake, Rattle and Roll on Decca, Honey Love by Vicki Young and "I Understand (Just How You Feel)" by June Valli.
Willie Mae Thornton and Johnny Otis are currently on a tour of Texas. Louisiana and New Mexico.
Apollo Records and King Records both claim rights to the "5" Royales. Apollo reports that it has a current contract with the group that is valid through October 1956. King claims to have the group currently under contract.
Okeh Records, a subsidiary of Columbia Records. is the first major r&b company to start sending of its records to deejays only in the 45 rpm format instead of 78 rpm. Other R&B companies are expected to follow suit.
July 16
In Los Angeles, Tiny
Bradshaw is at the 5-4 Ballroom and Percy Mayfield at the Savoy
Ballroom for a three-day weekend. At the Oasis Ballroom,
Dinah Washington opens for two weeks.
July 17
The "Fifth Annual
Rhythm and Blues Jubilee" at the Hollywood Shrine Auditorium
features the Four Tunes, the Chords, the Robins, the Hollywood
Four Flames and Chuck Higgins and His Band.
"Riot In Cellblock #9" by the Robins is banned by CBS radio and television. The network refuses to let the to be aired as part of its "Juke Box Jury" show.
Earl King plays a two day engagement at the Dew Drop Inn.
July 22
Amos Milburn plays the Alpha Inn
in Dayton, Ohio for five days.
The Robins are booked for an extended engagement at the Dew Drop Inn.
July 23
The Midnighters front Arnett
Cobbs' Combo during their week at the Howard Theater in
Washington.
In Los Angeles, Lulu Reed with the Sonny Thompson Orchestra open the weekend at the Savoy Ballroom. At the 5-4 Ballroom the Clovers team with Fats Domino to entertain nightly for the next three days.
July 27
Faye Adams, Al Savage and Joe
Morris start a one-nighter tour through the Southern states.
July 30
The weekend entertainment bill in
Los Angeles features Louis Jordan at the 5-4 Ballroom and Floyd
Dixon at the Savoy Ballroom.
Guitar Slim, T-Bone Walker and Joe Turner start a tour of Texas that will run through August 24th.
July 31
RCA Victor announces that 45 rpm
records are accounting for more than fifty percent of its total
record volume, with long play albums far behind at twenty-three
percent and 78 singles at twenty-one percent.
Elvis Presley makes his first profession personal as part of the country and western jamboree at the Overton Park Shell in Memphis featuring Slim Whitman.
Late July
Jimmy Liggins
formerly, formerly with Specialty Records, signs with Aladdin.
Charles Brown continues on tour with dates booked in Michigan,
The Mellows sign a recording contract with Jay-Dee Records and Baby Dee signs with MGM Records. She is currently booked at the Cotton Club in Atlantic City through Labor Day.
August 1
Dinah Washington and Tiny Bradshaw perform for the Tenth Annual
Disk Jockey Ward Ball at the Elks Auditorium in Los Angeles.
Washington is booked on the West Coast through September.
August 2
Ruth
Brown and Ray Charles kick-off a short tour with a show in
Cleveland.
August 6
The second
annual "Biggest Rhythm and Blue Show" sets out on a one
month tour with an opening night in Cleveland. Alan Freed
promotes the show, which brings 9,600 fans. Other record braking
dates for the tour include Dayton, Ohio. on on the seventh (4,700
fans make the largest audience up to this time for a
non-racing event at the Dayton Speedway); and Flint, Michigan on
the eighth (6,800 is reported as the biggest audience ever in
that city). Dates at the Arcadia in Detroit and in Gary, Indiana
(10th), have smaller crowds, but a show at Cincinnati on the
eleventh brings in 11,000 people. Both shows at the Lyric
Theater in Indianapolis on August 12th are sellouts. In Chicago,
on the 13th, over ten thousand stand in line for hour to watch
the entertainers, among whom are Roy Hamilton, the Drifters, the
Spaniels, the Counts, Faye Adams, LaVern Baker, King Pleasure,
Erskine Hawkins and Rusty Bryant. The tour continues with shows
in St. Louis (14th) and Kansas City (15th), The first eight days
on the road, over 50,000 attend the shows. The tour will run
through September 12th.
August 7
Following his tour of Florida, Smiley Lewis plays the Caffin
Theater in New Orleans. He follows this date with a one-nighter
tour of Louisiana, Texas and Mississippi before heading up the
Atlantic Seaboard.
Early August
In Hollywood, the new R&B club is the Riverside Rancho which
previously had featured country music. The opening headliners are
Tiny Bradshaw and the Flairs.
Decca signs the Wanders, formerly with Central Records. They will be renamed the Singing Wanders.
On separate tours of the South during August are Fats Domino and Amos Milburn.
Cat Records announces that "Sh-Boom" by the Chords is set for release in England on the EMI label. Also, the Playboys have recently signed with Cat.
The Clovers and John Greer are playing the Rainbow Room in Denver.
Following the completion of a successful engagement, the Sahara Hotel in Las Vegas announces that it has signed Billy Ward and His Dominoes to a two-year pact. The contract will start in November with the group playing two weeks at $5,000 a week. Thereafter, the Dominoes will play the hotel every four months at an increasing salary.
August 8
Earl
Bostic takes the spotlight at the Crystal Lounge in Detroit.
August 13
Ruth Brown opens at the Apollo with the Larks and the Willis
Jackson Band. Brown makes several movie shorts for TV to promote
her latest releases.
Jimmy Witherspoon and Percy Mayfield hold court at the Savoy Ballroom in Los Angeles for three weeks. Meanwhile, at the 5-4 Ballroom this weekend, ay Charles and Dinah Washington are crowd pleasers, while across town Marvin and Johnny open at the Club Oasis.
August 15
Billboard magazine reports that rhythm and blues music is
invading the pop market though this is still considered a teenage
phenomena. In the Midwest, r&b has taken over the juke box
and record stores of many middle class neighborhoods. In most
locations the original rhythm and blues records are
receiving the most plays on juke boxes
and over the radio then the pop cover versions.
Mid August
Aladdin Records opens a New York office with Eddie Mesner in
charge. Jesse Stone continues to head Atlantic's subsidiary, Lamp
Records. Aladdin has recently signed the Dodgers, a vocal quintet
and Margie Hawkins.
Billy Ward and the Associated Booking Company settle their six month contract dispute.Ward will receive a financial settlement and their contract, which was to run through 1958, is replaced by an agreement that will be effective through April 1955.
August 16
"The
Biggest Rhythm and Blues Show" moves west with tonight's
performance in Tulsa. Other shows during the week are Oklahoma
City (17th), Dallas (18th), Fort Worth (19th), Corpus Christi
(20th), San Antonio (21st) and Houston (22nd).
August 19
B.B. King brings a record-breaking crowd a one-nighter at the
Savoy Ballroom in Los Angeles. The room seats 2.400 and over
2,800 were turned away at the door. On the bill is Johnny Otis
with Marie Adams, Shirley Gunter and the Queens, Marvin and
Johnny, the Platters and the Lamplighters..
In Los Angeles. Louis Jordon joins the Robins at the Club Trocadera for a ten-day engagement
Billy Ward and His Dominoes along with Earl "Fatha" Hines Combo are at the Apollo this week.
Ivory Joe Hunter starts a week's engagement at the Flame Show Bar.
In Los Angeles the three-day weekend entertainment includes Roy Milton at the Savoy Ballroom and Charles Brown with Lowell Fulson at the 5-4 Ballroom. Brown has reformed his traveling combo after a year as a solo artist.
August 23
"The
Biggest Rhythm and Blues Show" moves into the Deep South
with a shows at the New Orleans' Municipal Auditorium, and dates
at Mobile (24th), Montgomery (25th), Atlanta (26th), Nashville (
(27th), Memphis (28th), Birmingham (29th), Chattanooga (30th) and
Augusta, Georgia (31).
Ruth Brown appears at Pep's in Philadelphia.
August 27
The
Chords and Earl "Fatha" Hines start a week at the
Skyliner Lounge in Washington.
In Los Angeles Johnny Otis and the Dreamers entertain for the weekend at the Savoy Ballroom.
The Four Knights headline the Apollo Theater revue.
August 28
Guitar
Slim is booked on a California tour for three weeks.
August 29
Louis
Jordan kicks off s three month tour of one-night stands in Texas
with a show tonight in El Paso, Midland on the 30th and San
Antonio on the 31st. He will play fifty-two dates in twelve
states through October in Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Alabama,
North Carolina, South Carolina, Mississippi,
Tennessee,
Florida, West Virginia and Virginia. This is his first Southern
tour in two years.
August 31
Fats
Domino and the Clovers start a tour of the South, including
Florida through September 19.
Late August
Capitol Records signs the Five Keys, who have been recording for
Apollo Records.
Decca Records announces that they have signed popular Hollywood Four Flames, who recently had recorded for Lucky Records.
Jubilee Records signs Billy Ward and His Dominoes and immediately has them in the recording studio. The group started with Federal in 1951 and recently has singles issued by both Federal and its parent company, King Records.
September 1
The "Biggest Rhythm and Blues Show" continues up the
Eastern Seaboard with a show in Charleston, South Carolina (2nd),
Greenville, South Carolina (3rd), Northfolk, Virginia (4th) and
Washington (5th).
Bill Haley and His Comets are at the Hof Brau In Wildwood, New Jersey, for two weeks
September 3
The Ink Spots featuring Charlie Fuqua headline the Labor Day Week
Show at the Apollo Theater
Earl "Fatha" Hines and the Chords open for a week at the Howard Theater
In Los Angeles the Savoy Ball room plays host to Buddy DeFranco and the Lamplighters for three days and the 5-4 Ballroom welcomes Charles Brown and Stan Getz for the weekend.
September 6
The "Biggest Rhythm and Blues Show" winds up its tour
this week with performances in Raleigh, North Carolina tonight,
Charlotte, South Carolina (7th), Richmond, Virginia (8th),
Philadelphia (9th) and Newark (19th).
September 7
Alan Freed transfer from WJW in Cleveland and begins broadcasting
from WINS in New York City. He is heard six nights a week from 11
PM to 2 AM. His show is syndicated in a one-hour format on tape
in St. Louis, Kansas City and Columbus, Ohio, while Cleveland and
Flint, Michigan, will
carry the show live for three hours a day. Freed will reportedly
be paid $75,000 per year. Radio station WINS also hires Bill
Graham, an expert in Black marketing, to start selling the
station's advertising.
September 10
Earl Bostic brings his combo to Boston.
The Ink Spots, Cootie Williams and Wini Brown start a week entertaining at the Howard Theater.
In Los Angeles, Shirley Gunter and the Queens play a one-night stand at the 5-4 Ballroom. meanwhile, Wynonie Harris makes his first Los Angeles appearance in three years during a three week stay at the Savoy Ballroom.
September 11
Duke Ellington appears at the 5-4 Ballroom with a rare two day
visit.
September 12
Following its successful five-week road trip, the Biggest Rhythm
and Blue Show" opens for five days at Brooklyn's Paramount
Theater. Featured performers are Roy Hamilton, the Drifters, the
Counts, the Spaniels, Rusty Bryant, Erskine Hawkins, LaVern
Baker, Faye Adams and Big Maybelle.
Louis Jordan plays the Booket T. Washington Auditorium in New Orleans while on a three month tour.
September 13
Fats Domino comes down with tonsillitis while on tour in Baton
Rouge. His is hospitalized in New Orleans. Following a
tonsillectomy at the end of the month, Fats is expected to return
to the tour circuit on October 10th. His place on the current
tour is filled by Amos Milburn and Floyd Dixon.
Mid-September
Harlem Records, a new entry in the r&b field, releases its
first records by the Kings, Brownie McGhee, the Sernaders and
Lightin' Hopkins.
Currently on tour are Roy Brown in the South and the Ravens with Hal Singer's Combo in the Midwest.
Okeh Records signs the Hi-Lites to a recording contract.
September 16
The Midnighters make their first Los Angeles appearance fronting
the Todd Rhodes Orchestra at the 5-4 Ballroom for the evening.
Bill Haley and His Comets play for three days at Andy's Log Cabin in Gloucester, New Jersey.
September 17
Charles Brown and the Spiders start a tour of the Eastern
Seaboard..
Dinah Washington starts in the Tropican Revue" this week at the Howard Theater.
The Rusty Bryant Trio backs the Will Maston Trio for the week at the Apollo Theater.
T-Bone Walker begins three weeks at the Flame Show Bar.
In Los Angeles. the Savoy Ballroom offers a "Battle of the Bands" featuring Lowell Fulson, Jimmy Witherspoon and Floyd Dixon for three days.
The Club Oasis hosts Shirley Gunter and the Queens for the first show of a ten-day run and the 5-4 Ballroom presents Ray Charles and Guitar Slim for a three-day weekend.
September 19
Bill Haley and His Comets are at the Sleepy Hollow Ranch in
Pennsburg, Pennsylvania, for a one-night stand.
September 20
The Orioles are the headliners at Gleason's in Cleveland.
September 24
Bill Haley and His Comets entertain for three nights at the
Armory in Painsville, Ohio. The show is sponsored by Bill Randle
of WERE radio of Cleveland.
Earl King spends three days at the Dew Drop Inn.
At the Apollo Theater this week, Dinah Washington entertains for ticket holders.
Weekend entertainment in Los Angeles leans toward the blues with Muddy Waters and Guitar Slim sharing the bill at the Savoy Ballroom and Amos Milburn playing for the dancers at the 5-4 Ballroom.
September 26
Buddy Johnson, Nat "King" Cole and Ella Johnson are the
featured attractions for the evening at New Orleans Municipal
Auditorium.
September 28
Earl Bostic returns to New York City, opening at Basin
Street.
September 29
Bill Haley and His Comets perform for a week at the Case
Loma Ballroom in St. Louis.
Late September
Clark Willis and Joe Turner join together for a tour of the
eastern club circuit through November.
October 1
Charles Brown and Ruth Brown share the bill with the Griffin
Brothers Orchestra as their tour of Texas, Oklahoma and the South
kicks off today.
The Orioles with the Paul Williams Orchestra appear at the Howard Theater this week.
The Drifters and the Erskine Hawkin's Orchestra entertains for the week at the Apollo Theater.
Al Hibbler, Dakota Staton and Della Reese headline at two week stay at the Flame Show Bar.
In Los Angeles, this weekend finds Roy Hamilton and Amos Milburn at the 5-4 Ballroom and King Perry and Joseph "Mr. Google Eyes" August at the Savoy Ballroom.
October 2
Less than a month after changing from Cleveland's WJW to New
York's WINS radio, Alan Freed is given another hour and an
earlier time slot to broadcast his rhythm and blues program. The
show will rum from 7 to 11 p.m. nightly. The taped syndication of
his show has run into opposition from
Black deejays who fear Freed's popularity will put them out of
work in markets far from the New York area.
Elvis Presley makes his only appearance at the Grand Olde Opry radio broadcast from Nashville.
Smiley Lewis returns to the New Orleans' Caffin Theater for the evening.
Early October
Ella Johnson's new release on Mercury, We'll Do It," is the
first without her brother, bandleader Buddy Johnson.
Rhythm and blues performers currently on tour include Chuck Willis and Joe Turner, who continue to tour the Eastern Seaboard. Muddy Waters and Todd Rhodes, who are on separate tours of the West Coast and Memphis Slim, who is on the one-night circuit of Texas.
Chess Records, a leading independent r&b company, releases its first country and western record, "If You Don't Someone Else Will" by Jimmy and Johnny.
Memphis radio station WDIA, the nation's most powerful Black station at 50,000 watts, bans all records with suggestive lyrics and double-entendres.
October 8
Fats Domino resumes touring with the Clovers after his
tonsillectomy last month. They hit the road doing one-nighters in
Texas.
LaVern Baker and the Spaniels make a week-long stopover at the Apollo Theater.
Lionel Hampton travels to the Howard Theater for a week of entertaining.
The weekend finds the Midnighters with Todd Rhodes' Orchestra playing the 5-4 Ballroom, with Little Walter making a rare West Coast appearance along with Chuck Higgins for the next two weeks at the Savoy Ballroom.
Dinah Washington headlines the talent at the "Queen Contest and Coronation Ball" at the Flint Armory in Flint, Michigan.
October 14
Derby Records files for bankruptcy. Started only three years
earlier, the label only had one major hit in Wheel of Fortune
with Eddie Wilcox and Sunny Gale.
October 15
The Apollo presents the Five Keys for the week.
Earl King and the Spiders front the Dave Bartholomew's Combo in Shrewsbury, Louisiana,
Bill Doggett swings the crowd at Detroit's Crystal Lounge.
In Los Angeles. Muddy Waters and Johnny "Guitar" Watson are the weekend entertainment at the 5-4 Ballroom.
Mid-October
Billy Ward and His dominoes are currently performing at the Latin
Quarter in New York.
To add to the confusion between the Royals, now re-named the Midnighters on King Records and the "5" Royals (King and Apollo Records), there is a new group from Detroit calling itself the Royals on Venus Records.
Recent record company signing include the Griffin Brothers and Lloyd Fulson on Chess Records.
Recorded In Hollywood Records buys the masters of five top rhythm and blues Christmas records from Swing Time.
The songs are Merry Christmas Baby by Charles Brown, "Lonesome Christmas" by Lowell Fulson, "Boogie Woogie Santa Claus" by Mabel Scott, "Sleigh Ride" by Lloyd Glann and "How I Hate To See Christmas Come Around" by Jimmy Witherspoon.
October 16
Elvis Presley makes his first appearance on the Louisiana Hayride
national broadcast from Shreveport, Louisiana. within three weeks
he signs a long term contract to appear on the show every
Saturday night for a year.
October 18
Bill Haley and His Comets starts a week's engagement at the Blue
Mirror Club in Washington.
October 19
Billy Eckstine and the Drifters, headling the "Biggest Show
Of 54," appear in Philadelphia at the Academy Of Music.
October 22
The Clovers are scheduled for a week at the Apollo. Also, on the
bill is Edna McGriff and the Paul Williams Orchestra.
Pee Wee Crayton headlines a three-day run at the Dew Drop Inn.
LaVern Baker, Big Maybelle, the Spaniels, the Counts, Larry Darnell and Red Prysock are the highlights of the revue at the Howard Theater.
Arthur Prysock is on the stage for a ten-day run at Chic's in Detroit.
Percy Mayfield is at the Savoy Ballroom, Joe Morris with Al Savage is at the 5-4 Ballroom and the Chords are the Club Oasis for the weekend in Los Angeles.
October 23
A feud had developed between the Chords and humorist Stan
Freberg, whose parody of "Sh-Boom" is on the op charts.
Everything ends humorously that evening as both Freberg and the
Chords appear on the CBS-TV show "Juke Box Jury" to
joke with each other.
The "Midnight Ramble" at the New Orleans' Caffin Theater features Dave Bartholomew's Band and the Spiders.
October 28
Bily Eckstine and the Drifters with the "Biggest Show Of
54" play a one-nighter at the Peoria Mosque Theater.
October 29
The weekend in Los Angeles finds Linda Hayes and Prince Partridge
at the Savoy Ballroom. Also, Faye Adams, Johnny Ace, Memphis Slim
and Willie Mae Thornton are at 5-4 Ballroom.
October 30
Pee Wee Crayton brings his West Coast blues to Slidell,
Louisiana.
In New Orleans. the Spiders and Little Bo stop for two days at the Club Desire.
Late October
Lamp Records signs the Cues and the Mellow-Fellows to recording
contracts.
November 1
Fats Domino and Amos Milburn start a tour that will take then
from the East Coast down through the Deep South before winding up
in New Orleans. This week they are playing dates in the
Carolinas.
Johnny Otis, regular deejay on KFOX radio in Los Angeles, starts a two-week engagement at the Club Oasis.
November 5
In Detroit, Earl Bostic is at the Crystal Lounge for the next two
weeks and Nolan Strong and the Diablos open for a three-week run
at the Madison Theater.
The Apollo Theater presents Sonny Thompson's Orchestra featuring Lulu Reed with the Treniers.
The weekend entertainment at the 5-4 Ballroom features Roy Milton and the Joe Morris Orchestra with Al Savage on vocals.
November 6
In an article in Billboard magazine titled "R&B Music
Success Sends Major Diskers Back To The Field," it is
reported that Capitol, RCA, Victor, Decca, Mercury, MGM and
Columbia see three reasons to step up their rhythm and blues
releases: (1) to increase the percentage of the records that
the major companies sell to teenagers, (2) to continue to
fully utilize their southern distributors, who are increasing
turning to independently produced R&B product and (3) to keep
from surrendering the rhythm and blues market entirely to the
smaller independent record companies .
Victor announces it is taking back control of Groove Records, its subsidiary, which as been run by the "X" banner. Columbia is taking over the running of Okeh, which had previously been run by Epic. Capitol which had stopped R&B production in 1948, is now solidly back in the field.
One reason not mentioned by the major record companies, but point out in the article, is that the original versions of most r&b records are selling better than the pop covers issued by the majors.
Lynn Hope is entertaining at the Showboat in Philadelphia for two weeks.
On tour, T-Bone Walker, Ray Charles and Lowell Fulson are in the Southwest and Chuck Willis and Joe Turner are in Florida and Alabama.
Epic Records celebrates its first anniversary with a party in New York City attended by Roy Hamilton among others.
The Blenders sign with R&B Records in Los Angeles and the Chestnuts sign with Mercury.
Tiny Bradshaw is recovering from a stroke he suffered last week.
Billy Ward and His Dominoes open at Basin Street in New York.
Aladdin Records signs the Regals, the Five Pearls and the Cookies
The Chords ridding the crest of popularity with their hit "Sh-Boom," are forced to change their name to the Chordcats to avoid conflict with another group that claims to have used the name first in 1953 with Gem Records.
Allied Records started a subsidiary, Kicks Records.
November 12
The "Hall Of Fame Show" tour takes to the road with a
performance in Kansas City. The package will be out ten days and
play locations, including Wichita and Topeka in Kansas and
Decatur, Illinois. Entertainers will include Faye Adams, the
Spiders, Joe Morris, Amos Milburn and Al Savage.
The Howard Theater hosts the Timmie Rodgers Revue,featuring Roy Hamilton, for the week.
In Detroit, Wynonie Harris is the entertainer at Chic's for the week and Bullmoose Jackson opens at the Flame Show Bar.
In Los Angeles this weekend, T-Bone Walker entertains dancers at the Savoy Ballroom and Roy Milton Returns to the 5-4 Ballroom.
The Apollo Theater offers Louis Jordan with the Hal Singer Band this week,
Mid-November
A survey by Billboard magazine discloses that r&b records are
aired on local radio an average of five hours a week, against ten
hours of country music.There has been little change in the ratio
since an earlier poll conducted in 1953.
Marvin and Johnny are currently on the road in the Midwest before opening in Cleveland at the Cotton Club later this month.
Studio Films, Inc., is producing a series of made for TV films titled "Apollo Varieties" that will showcase acts that appear on stage at the Apollo.
Decca Records begins negotiations with Spark Records of Los Angeles that would result in the catalog of unreleased masters coming under the Decca banner. Decca would acquire the services of Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, owners of Spark and Major songwriters in the rhythm and blues field and Lester Sill, sales manager for Spark.
Joe Davis of Jay-Dee Records, reactivates the Beacon label, which had been in business from 1943-1948, The first Beacon release will be Dean Barlow and the Crickets who were previously on the Beacon label.
Dewey Bergman, president of Benida Records, announces the start of the Roulette label. He will switch all of the r&b talent on Benida, including Sugar Tones, to Roulette.
The Bihari brothers (Jules of Crown Records, Saul of Modern Records and Joe of RPM/Flair) are off on another talent search through the Midwest and along the Eastern Seaboard.
Last week Saul Bihari signed Arthur Lee Maye.
November 19
In celebration of the second anniversary of the "Night
Train" show broadcast over KEYS radio in Corpus Christi,
Texas, the station airs six hours of the "Night Train"
(midnight to 6 a.m.) making it one of the longest r&b radio
shows to date in this area.
The Five Keys headline the weekly revues at the Regal Theater in Chicago.
Roy Hamilton is welcomed for a ten-day Thanksgiving appearance at the Apollo.
The Howard Theater offers the Drifters and Erskine Hawkins on this week's bill.
LaVern Baker is the headliner at Detroit's Flame Show Bar.
In Los Angeles, T-Bone Walker returns to the Savoy Ballroom for the weekend, while Johnny Ace and Willie Mae Thornton share the spotlight at the Savoy Ballroom.
November 24
Moondog, a blind street musician in New York City, wins a
judgement in his $100,000 suit against Alan Freed for use of the
"Moondog" name. The actual amount awarded is not
announced, but it thought to be $5,000. Freed's new WINS radio
show will be renamed "The Rock and Roll Party" and
will be extended. Freed will be on the air Monday through
Saturday from 7 to 9 p.m. (in addition to his regular late night
shift of 11 PM to 1 a.m. Monday through Thursday and 11
p.m. to 2 a.m. Friday and Saturday), making a total of
twenty-eight hours of r&b airtime at WINS for Freed.
November 26
The Clovers, Joe Morris' Orchestra and Al Savage entertain at the
Howard Theater.
Weekend dancers in Los Angeles have their choice between Charles Brown at the Savoy Ballroom and Johnny Otis at the 5-4 Ballroom. Across town, Joe Houston starts a week-long engagement at the Club Oasis.
Late November
The Moonglows sign with the Shaw Agency for personal appearances.
December 1
Louis Jordan begins a two-week engagement at the Sands Hotel in
Las Vegas.
December 2
Guitar Slim opens at the Walahuje Club in Atlanta.
December 3
The sixth annual WDIA radio "Goodwill Revue" in Memphis
draws 6,700 fans to the Ellis Auditorium for a charity show that
raise over$5,000. Headline attractions include the El Dorados,
the Five Cs, Eddie Boyd, John Greer and Gatemouth Brown.
The Charms, Slim Gaillard and Margie Day open for a week at the Howard Theater.
Joe Turner plays for the weekend dancers at the Savoy Ballroom in Los Angeles.
The Harptones and Buddy Johnson's Orchestra with Ella Johnson headline the show at the Apollo Theater.
December 6
Earl Bostic is at the Surf Club in Baltimore through the 12th.
In Providence, Rhode Island, the feature attractions are Marvin and Johnny at Celebrity Club and Ivory Joe Hunter at the Downbeat
Early December
Sarah Vaughn starts a month-long engagement at the Birdland in
New York, where she shares the bill with Jimmie Rushing and Count
Basie.
December 9
Johnny Otis plays one-nighter at the Club Oasis in Los Angeles.
December 10
Savannah Churchill is the house guest at the Flame Show Bar in
Detroit.
Chuck Willis and Faye Adams kick off a month-long tour of New Jersey and Pennsylvania with a show in Trenton. Other dates include Newark. Pittsburgh and Harrisburg, Joining the tour for a few dates will be the Bill Doggett Trio.
In Los Angeles, B.B. King starts three days at the 5-4 Ballroom, while Charles Brown plays a weekend layover at the Savoy Ballroom.
December 15
Earl Bostic starts week at the Markeez Club in Lowell,
Mississippi.
Mid-December
The Drifters and Red Prysock wind up a Florida tour that has kept
them on the road for about thirty days.
The Counts are now touring with the Gene Ammons Combo through the Midwest.
Aladdin Records, in a move of dubious legality. hires the Feathers to re-record "Johnny Darling," which was released by the same group this week on Show Time Records.
Chess Records policy of issuing records by the Moonglows under two names, the Moonglows and the Moonlighters, has had a humorous side effect. Promoters, eager to booked the Moonlighters, are having a hard time locating the non-existent group. The Shaw Agency on the other hand. gets "two for the price of one" as they sign the Moonglows. Moonlighters to an exclusive personal appearance contract. On future play dates, the Moonglows and Moonlighters will both perform.
December 17
Charles Brown is held over for another weekend at the Savoy
Ballroom, where he is joined by Billy Ward and His Dominoes.
Across town, the 5-4 Ballroom hosted Joe Turner and Choker
Campbell.
December 20
Tiny Bradshaw headlines the review at the Celebrity Club in
Providence, Rhode Island.
December 21
Dinah Washington, the Checkers, Danny Overbea and Cootie
William's Orchestra start a winter tour through the Midwest. Miss
Washington has taken over the management of her female backing
singers, the Honey Tones, who accompany her on tour.
December 22
Earl Bostic, just completing a full year of tours and club date,
starts a well deserved six week vacation.
December 23
Buddy and Ella Johnson are welcomed for a three-week stay at the
Savoy Ballroom in Los Angeles.
December 24
The Clovers and Floyd Dixon open at the 5-4 Ballroom in Los
Angeles for ten days. Also in town, Johnny Otis starts an
extended engagement playing weekends at the Club Alimony.
Joe Turner plays tonight in Shreveport, Louisiana, followed by Christmas Day show in New Orleans.
In Washington, the Christmas Week show at the Howard Theater features Ivory Joe Hunter and the Regals.
Johnny Ace is accidentally shot backstage at the Houston Auditorium while playing Russian Roulette with a loaded revolver. He dies within hours.
December 25
Bill Randle, deejay on WERE Cleveland starts a weekly rhythm and
blues show, that will be aired every Saturday in New York over
WCBS. Randle will commute between Cleveland and New York.
In California, Louis Jordan and B.B. King break the house record at the Oakland Auditorium, bringing in 12,300 patrons.
December 27
The Elks Ballroom in Los Angeles features B.B. King for its
Christmas dance. Other performers include the Medallions, Roy
Milton, Little Willie Littlefield, Johnny Otis, the Flairs, Earl
orest and Marie Adams.
Also in Los Angeles, the Christmas rhythm and blues benefit concert at the Shrine Auditorium features the Clovers, Big Jay McNeeley, the Robins, the Platters, the Cheers and the Jewels.
December 31
The New Year's Eve weekend dance at the Savoy Ballroom in Los
Angeles offers Billy ward and His Dominoes, Johnny
"Guitar" Watson and Charles Brown.
Washington's Howard Theater presents the "5" Royales, the Penguins Tad Smith's Combo to close out the year.
Late December
The Phonograph Manufacturers Association estimates the record
sales in 1954 have dropped $61 million.