MAY DAY! MAY DAY! (a "Beefed Up" Encore Presentation)
From the late, great Ron Smith’s excellent Rock And Roll Calendar Book “Eight Days A Week:Births, Deaths And Events Each Day In Oldies History,” here are some highlights for May 1st through the years …
1868:The REAL Tom Dooley (actually, Tom Dula) is hanged for the murder of his lover, Laura Foster
1929: "Country Gentleman" Sonny James is born
1939:Judy Collins is born
1944:Rita Coolidge is born
1954:Ray Parker, Jr. is born
1956:Little Willie John records “Fever”
1957:The Kingston Trio form(They will record … and have a #1 Hit with “Tom Dooley” a year later!)
DON'TCHA JUST LOVE IT WHEN ALL THIS STUFF TIES IN TOGETHER?!?!?
Also on this date, Elvis Presley appears on the cover of the very first issue of “16 Magazine”
1966:The Beatles perform their last scheduled British concert at Empire Pool in Wembley (They would take to the Apple Records rooftop in 1969 to film a segment for their film "Let It Be" ... but this NME Winners Poll Concert was their last scheduled performance in Great Britain. They would quit touring all together after their appearance at Candlestick Park in San Francisco on August 29th later this year)
1967:Elvis Presley marries Priscilla Beaulieu in Las Vegas ... they would divorce five years later. Their daughter Lisa Marie would be born nine months to the day later on February 1st, 1968.
1968: John Lennon and Paul McCartney attend a Billy Haley concert at Royal Albert Hall in London
1969:Bob Dylan guests on Johnny Cash’s TV show on ABC
1973:The Carpenters perform for United States President Richard Nixon and German Chancellor Willy Brandt at The White House
Also on this date, “Marvin Gaye Day” is declared in his home town of Washington, D.C.
1979:Elton John becomes the first rock star to perform in Israel
2006:Johnny Paris of Johnny and the Hurricanes dies of sepsis and pneumonia
May 1st #1 Records:
1955 - Cherry Pink And Apple Blossom White - Perez Prado
