McConnellsburg, PA

1962: After signing with Parlophone Records three months after their first audition, the Beatles began their second recording session at EMI Studios in London for a second attempt at recording their debut single, “Love Me Do.” It was drummer Ringo Starr’s first session with the group. 1964: The Animals made their live debut in America … Continue reading Today in Rock & Roll History: September 4th →

1952: Ray Charles signed with Atlantic Records. Later that year his first single with the label, “Roll with Me Baby,” was released. Five years later, the label released Charles’ self-titled first LP. 1956: During his third day of sessions at Radio Recorders in Hollywood, Elvis Presley recorded “Ready Teddy,” “First in Line,” and “Rip It … Continue reading Today in Rock & Roll History: September 3rd →

1957: “That’ll Be the Day” by Buddy Holly and the Three Tunes was released. Recorded in July of 1956 for Decca Records, Decca did not issued any recordings from the session until Holly’s re-recording of the song with The Crickets became a hit. 1957: The Everly Brothers released “Wake Up Little Susie,” the second single … Continue reading Today in Rock & Roll History: September 2nd →

1953: Buddy Holly and Bob Montgomery auditioned for radio station KDAV’s Sunday Party program in Lubbock, Texas. The duo soon started a slot on Sunday afternoons that became known as The Bob and Buddy Show. 1961: Aretha Franklin’s recording of “Rock-a-Bye Your Baby with a Dixie Melody” was released as a single from her second … Continue reading Today in Rock & Roll History: September 1st →

1958: Ricky Nelson kicked off his musical concert career with a show at Steel Pier in Atlantic City, NJ, where he set an all-time attendance record for the venue, performing in front of 44,221 people over two days. 1962: Jan & Dean released their version of “Who Put the Bomp (in the Bomp, Bomp, Bomp),” … Continue reading Today in Rock & Roll History: August 31st →

1959: “Bad Girl” by the Miracles became the first record released on the Motown Records label, albeit locally as Motown did not yet have national distribution. The record was licensed to Chess Records for release nationwide. Having already had a handful of regional R&B hits, “Bad Girl,” became the Miracles first national chart hit, reaching … Continue reading Today in Rock & Roll History: August 30th →

1958: Cliff Richard’s debut single, “Move It,” was released. Written by Ian Samwell and recorded by Cliff Richard and the Drifters, the band that later became known as The Shadows, it was originally intended to be a B-side. The single reached #2 in the UK and is credited with being one of the first authentic … Continue reading Today in Rock & Roll History: August 29th →

1960: As rock and roll came to dominate the music scene, popular country radio program Louisiana Hayride was broadcast for the last time on Shreveport, Louisiana station KWKH before its cancellation. KWKH continued to use the Louisiana Hayride name for packaged music tours throughout the 1960s. 1964: “Have I the Right,” the debut single by … Continue reading Today in Rock & Roll History: August 27th →

1963: An estimated 250,000 people attended the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom in Washington D.C., which advocated for the civil and economic rights of African Americans. In addition to Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech at the Lincoln Memorial calling for an end to racism, musicians Peter, Paul & Mary … Continue reading Today in Rock & Roll History: August 28th →

1964: “Oh, Pretty Woman” by Roy Orbison and the Candy Men was released. The single became Orbison’s second and final #1 on the Billboard Hot 100. The next day, the single entered the Billboard Hot 100 and later becoame Orbison’s second and final #1 on the chart. 1966: Donovan released his third studio album, Sunshine … Continue reading Today in Rock & Roll History: August 26th →