From the MCRFB music calendar:
Events on this date: MAY 2
1956: In a definite sign of the times, five records — Elvis Presley’s “Heartbreak Hotel,” Little Richard’s “Long Talll Sally,” Carl Perkin’s “Blue Sued Shoes,” The Platters’s “(You’ve Got) The Magic Touch,” and Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers’ “Why Do Fools Fall In Love” — occupy Billboard’s R&B and Pop Top 10, the first time so many records had “crossed-over” at the same time.
1958: Chuck Berry hits the Chess Records studio to record “Carol.”
1960: Ben E. King, the Drifters second lead-singer, also leaves the group to pursue a solo career with Atco Records.
1960: Ray Peterson records “Tell Laura I Love Her.”
1960: Elvis Presley begins filming on his fifth movie, G.I. Blues.
1964: After 51 weeks at the top, the Beatles finally relinquish the No. 1 album position in the UK — to the Rolling Stones’ self-titled debut LP.
1964: The Rolling Stones enters the charts with their single, “Not Fade Away.”
1964: The Beatles Second Album hits No.1 on the Billboard album charts.
1965: Ed Sullivan breaks a vow he made the year before and books the Rolling Stones back on his long-running CBS-TV variety show — but not before keeping the band in the studio all day, in order to keep from inciting the fans. The Stones perform four songs on the show: “The Last Time,” “Little Red Rooster,” “Everybody Needs Somebody To Love” and the Stones album instrumental “2120 South Michigan Avenue.”
1967: The Beach Boys announce they are scrapping their anticipated Pet Sounds followup album, Smile. After decades of imagined Smile albums, assembled from bootlegs and released recordings, founder and resident genius Brian Wilson finally releases a finished version of the project in 2005.
1968: The Box Tops’ “Cry Like A Baby” is certified gold by RIAA.
1969: The Who debut their much-discussed rock opera Tommy by playing the finished album for the press at London’s Ronnie’s Jazz Club. Ten years later to the day, they would premiere their new film, Quadrophenia, in New York City.
1969: Elvis Presley finishes filming on his 31st and final motion picture, Change Of Habit.
1972: In New York City, Bruce Springsteen auditions for Columbia Records A&R head John Hammond, who is so impressed he immediately arranges a set that night at the Gaslight Club for his fellow execs.
1975: Apple Records officially ends its life as a record label, though it will be revived as a Beatles-only label in 2004.
2009: Motown’s rarest 45, Frank Wilson’s “Do I Love You (Indeed I Do),” set a world’s record by selling for nearly $40,000 at a London auction house. The unreleased single is one of only two copies known to exist.
2009: Bob Dylan takes a day off from his UK-European tour and, along with 13 other tourists, takes a bus trip to visit John Lennon’s childhood home in Liverpool, newly opened for the public. His presence was not recognized during the entire bus entourage and visit.
Deaths: Benny Benjamin (famed-Motown drummer), 1969; Les Harvey (Stone The Crows); 1972.
And that’s just a few of the events which took place in pop music history, on this day…. MAY 2.
