Lavern Baker begins a tour to start in Australia. She takes out a $125,00 life insurance policy naming Georgia Gibbs as sole beneficiary. In a letter to Gibbs Baker writes that the policy is to provide for her should she be deprived in the event of my untimely death "of the opportunity of copying my songs and arrangements in the future" The letter closes Tra La La and Tweedle Dee, LaVern Baker.
January 6
Elvis Presley makes final appearance on
"The Ed Sullivan Show" He is photographed from the waist up.
January 8
Bill Haley and His Comets begin first
overseas tour in Newcastle, Australia
January 25
Little Richard and his ten piece band
play for a week at the Apollo Theater in New York
Febuary 2
Fats Domino appears on "the Perry
Como Show' and sings Blue Berry Hill and Blue Monday
Febuary 6
Bill Haley and his Comets become the
first American act to tour the UK
Febuary 23
Jerry Lee Lewis makes a guest appearance
on the "Big D Jamboree" broadcast from the Dallas Sportatorium.
Newly formed Roulette Records is sued by Monte Carlo Records which contends that
Roulette's use of the roulette wheel logo infringes on Monte Carlo's label style.
March 1
Etta James begins a lengthy tour in Columbia,
Georgia.
March 3
Chicago's Catholic Diocese bans rock and roll from
all school functions.Within days sales of rock and roll records in Chicago go through the
roof.
March 19
Elvis Presley purchases a 18 room, $100,000 in
Memphis. The house will be known as Graceland.
April 6
Alan Freed as a national spokesman for the Arthritis
Foundation hosts a 19 hour telethon over WABD-TV that features rock and roll talent
April 10
"I'm Walking" by Ricky Nelson is heard on
ABC-TV's "The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet.
April 12
Dot records, a leading independent record
company is founded by Randy Wood in the back room of his record store in Gallatin,
Tennessee, is sold to
ABC-Paramount
April 28
Bill Haley and His Comets appear on "The
Ed Sullivan Show"
It is reported in the music press that sale of 45 r.p.m.
records juke box operators account for
50-60% of all 45 r.p.m. record sales. Consequentially a juke box hit is virtually
guaranteed
a top ten slot on the record sales charts.
May 4
Alan Freed hosts "Rock 'n Roll Revue his first
nationally televised show.7:30-*:00 on ABC. Devoted to exposing new as well as established
rock and roll acts
May 9
Billy Haley and His Comets Make an national
appearance on Ray Bolger's Washington Square Show on NBC at 9:00.
May 25
Fats Domino makes an appearance on "The Perry
Como Show" on NBC-TV
May 27
A 10% tax on reels of blank tape is proposed in the
United States Ways and Means Committee. The tax would seek to curb the rise in home tape
recording of
records.
Johnny Moore, lead singer of the Drifters, is drafted into the Army.
June 10
The Platters play a sold out show in California's
Oakland Auditorium.
June 20
The House of Representatives passes a bill levying a
10% tax on tape and wire recorders, players and recorder players. Records had already been
subjected
to this tax
June 22
Jerry Lee Lewis appears on the Big D Jamboree"
in Dallas.
June 30
The Everly Brothers appear on The Ed Sullivan Show.
July 1
Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers open at the Paramount
theater in New York.
July 9
Loving You, Elvis Presley's second movie,
premieres at the Strand Theatre in Memphis. The movie opens national June 30
July 12
Alan Freed begins a 13 week national television show
devoted to rock and roll. The show is broadcast from 10-10:30 every Friday on ABC-TV
network.
July 26
Fats Domino guests on Alan Freed's weekly ABC-TV show
July 28
Jerry Lee Lewis sings "A Whole lot of Shakin' Going
On" at his national television debut on NBC-TV's "The Steve Allen Show"
Imperial records signs Ricky Nelson to an exclusive long
term contract.
August 4
The Everly Brothers appear on The Ed Sullivan Show.
August 5
The ABC-TV network premiers an afternoon dance party
show American Bandstand, hosted by Dick Clark. On the opening show, the performers were
Billy
Williams and the Chordettes.
Art Rupe of Specialty Records announces the hiring of a new
Hollywood artist and repertoire man Sonny Bono.
Imperial Records announces the signing of Ricky Nelson to an exclusive long term recording
contract. Ricky's second record has just been released by Verve records, but
he and his parents never formally sign a contract with Verve.
August 11
Jerry Lee Lewis appears a second time on The Steve
Allen Show. This is the only time Allen would ever beat The Ed Sullivan Show.
August 12
Gene Vincent makes a rare television appearance on American
Bandstand.
August 16
Buddy Holly play NY for the first time at the Apollo
Theater.
August 19
Jerry Lee Lewis appears and plays live on American
Bandstand.
August 23
Buddy Holly and the Crickets guest On Alan Freed's ABC-TV
show.
August 26
Buddy Holly and the Crickets appear on American
Bandstand.
Liberty Records sends its new recording artist Eddie Cochran out to Cleveland,
Detroit, Chicago and St. Louis
Universal Pictures announces the signing s of Fats Domino, the Dell Vikings and the
Diamonds to do cameos for the rock and roll picture "The Big Beat".
September 3
The Mello-Kings appear on "American
Bandstand"
September 7
Gene Vincent and His Blue Caps appear on the
"Big D Jamboree" in Dallas
September 13
The Everly Brothers sing "Wake Up Little
Susie" on "American Bandstand.
Mercury/Starday records sign song writer J.P. "jape Richardson, a disk jockey
at KTRM, Beaumont, Texas.
The Nelsons are in litigation with Verve Records over Rickey's recording contract. Verve
who had issued his first two releases sues for breech of contract when Ricky signs with
Imperial Records. The Nelsons countersue asking for $42,000 in unpaid royalties. Then
Verve countersues for one million dollars in damages.
September 16
Gene Vincent and His Blue Caps and the Diamonds
appear on ABC-TV
September 21
Scotty Moore, electric guitar, and Bill Black, bass
who have been with Elvis Presley through his entire career, quit over a dispute over
wages.
September 27
Jerry Lee Lewis headlines the Apollo Theater. During
his nine minutes on stage he played four songs.
October 4
Jackie Wilson sings Reet Petite on "American
Bandstand
October 6
The Everly Brothers appear on CBS-TV's "The Ed
Sullivan Show"
October 13
In Sydney, Australia Little Richard announces he is
quitting Rock and roll. He plans to be baptized in to the Seventh Day Adventist Church
October 17
Jailhouse Rock, Elvis Presely's third motion
picture premiers at the Loew's State Theater in Memphis. As a high school student Presley
had been an usher
there. The movie opens at theaters on Nov 8
October 18
Little Richard fulfills his recording contract with
Specialty Records by recording a half dozen songs in a three hour session at Master
Recorders. It will be six
years before he records again.
October 26
Gene Vincent appears on "American Bandstand
November 4
Jerry Lee Lewis sings his latest release "Great
Balls of Fire on "American Bandstand
November 8
After three years in show business, Chuck Berry makes
his television debut lip-syncing his recording of "Rock and Roll Music" on
"American Bandstand".
November 15
Billy Haley and His Comets make a rare television
appearance on "The Big Record" on CBS-TV
November 17
Gene Vincent and His Blue Caps sing "Lotta
Lovin'" and "Dance to the Bop" on CBS-TV's "The Ed Sullivan Show"
November 27
Bill Haley and His Comets sing "(You Hit the
Wrong Note) Billy Goat on "American Bandstand".
December 1
Buddy Holly and the Crickets make their television
debut on "The Ed Sullivan Show"singing "That will Be the Day and
"Peggy Sue"
December 5
The Diamonds introduce a new dance called The Stroll
on "American Bandstand" Kids form two lines while a couple strolls down the
middle
December 7
The Everly Brothers appear on NBC-TV's "The
Perry Como Show"
December 8
The Platters appear CBS-TV's "The Ed Sullivan
Show"
December 12
Jerry Lee Lewis 22, marries 13 year old second
cousin Myra Gale Brown in Hernando, Mississippi while still married to to another woman
December 14
Gene Vincent and His Blue Caps Play in Dallas on the
"Big D Jamboree"
December 16
Gene Vincent and Bobby Helms appear on "American
Bandstand".
December 19
Elvis Presley receives his draft notice to report for
two years of service in the US Army on Jan 20, 1958.
December 22
Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers perform on "The Ed
Sullivan Show
RCA Victor announces a price hike for 45 rpm singles from 89 to 98 cents. Mercury and Imperial follow as all record companies eventually will do.