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1955 in music

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1 Events
2 Albums released
3 No. 1 hit singles
4 Top hits on record
5 Top R&B and Country Hits on record
6 Published popular music
7 Classical music
8 Opera
9 Musical theater
10 Musical films
11 Musical television
12 Births
13 Deaths
14 External Charts

[edit] Events

January 1 - RCA victor announces a marketing plan called "Operation TNT." The label drops the list price on LP's from $5.95 to $3.98, EP's from $4.95 to $2.98, 45 EP's from $1.58 to $1.49 and 45's from $1.16 to $.89. Other record labels follow RCA's lead and begin to drop prices as well.
January 7 - "Rock Around the Clock" by Bill Haley and the Comets first appears on the British charts.
January 8 - Elvis Presley's third Sun Records single, "Milk Cow Blue Boogie" / "You're a Heartbreaker" released.
January 14 - In New York City, Alan Freed produces the first rock and roll concert.
February 19 - Dot Records introduces a new singer, Pat Boone, with an advertisement in Billboard magazine calling him "a great new voice"
February 26 - For the first time since they were introduced in 1949, 45 rpm discs begin to outsell the old standard 78s
Kay Starr leaves Capitol to sign with RCA
The Patti Page Show premieres on NBC
The Frankie Laine Show premieres on CBS
March 15 - Colonel Tom Parker becomes Elvis Presley's manager
March 19 - The film Blackboard Jungle premieres in New York City. The film features Bill Haley and the Comets' "Rock Around the Clock" over the opening credits -- the first use of a rock and roll song in a major film. This event causes a groundswell of sales for the recording and is credited with helping to launch in earnest the Rock and Roll Era.
March 22 - Decca Records signs DJ Alan Freed as an A&R man.
April 1 - Elvis Presley's fourth Sun Records single: "Baby Let's Play House" / "I'm Left, You're Right, She's Goen" released.
April 17 - Imperial Records releases "Ain't That a Shame" by Fats Domino
May 13 - First riot at an Elvis Presley concert takes place in Jacksonville, FL
May 14 - Bo Diddley makes his US R&B chart debut with his single "Bo Diddley".
May 21 - Chuck Berry records his first single, "Maybelline" for Chess Records in Chicago.
May 22 - Bridgeport, CT authorities cancel a rock concert to be headlined by Fats Domino for fear of a riot breaking out.
June 4 - "Ain't That a Shame" by Fats Domino beings an 11 week stretch on top of the US R&B charts.
July 9 - "Rock Around the Clock" becomes the first Rock and roll single to reach Number One on the American charts
July 23 - Chess Records release debut single by Chuck Berry, "Maybelline". Also that same day Chess releases Muddy Waters's "Mannish Boy"
August 17 - Elvis Presley's last Sun Records single - "I Forgot to Remember to Forget" / "Mystery Train" - released.
August 19 - WINS radio station in New York City adopts policy of not playing white cover versions of black R&B songs.
August 20 - Chuck Berry's "Maybelline" reaches #1 on R&B charts, ending 11 week reign of "Ain't That a Shame" by Fats Domino.
August 31 - Sidney Turner of London fined for "creating an abominable noise" for blasting "Shake, Rattle, and Roll" at top volume.
September 3 - Little Richard records "Tutti Frutti" with significantly cleaned up lyrics (originally "Tutti Frutti, good booty" among other things.
September 26 - "America's Sweethearts," Eddie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds marry.
October 15 - Elvis Presley plays concert in Lubbock, Texas. Opening act is local duo Buddy and Bob. Buddy was future rock star Buddy Holly.
November 12 - Billboard magazine DJ poll names Elvis Presley as the most promising new country/western singer.
November 22 - Colonel Tom Parker signs Elvis Presley to RCA Records.
November 26 - "Sixteen Tons" by Tennessee Ernie Ford tops the Billboard pop charts.
December 15 - Sun Records releases "Folsom Prison Blues" by Johnny Cash.
Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel's musical careers begin as they copyright a song, "The Girl For Me," with the Library of Congress and begin singing together as a duo while still in high school in New York, New York.
Mirella Freni makes her debut as Micaela in Carmen at Modena.
Eddie Cochran's musical career begins.
Al Green's musical career begins at the age of nine.
Clyde McPhatter launches a solo career
Renato Carosone and Nicola Salerno meet and start their songwriting partnership
Italian singers Natalino Otto and Flo Sandon's wed.

[edit] Albums released

Day Dreams - Doris Day
Doris Day In Hollywood - Doris Day
Eddie Fisher Sings Academy Award Winning Songs - Eddie Fisher
Especially For You... - Teresa Brewer
Exactly Like You - The Ames Brothers
Four Brothers - The Ames Brothers
Happy Holidays - Jo Stafford
The Hi-Lo's, I Presume - The Hi-Lo’s
I Cry For You - Johnnie Ray
I Love You - Eddie Fisher
I’m In The Mood For Love - Eddie Fisher
In A Blue Mood - Kay Starr
In the Land of Hi-Fi - Sarah Vaughan
In the Wee Small Hours - Frank Sinatra
Jazz Spectacular - Frankie Laine & Buck Clayton
Love After Midnight - Patti Page
Love Me or Leave Me - Doris Day
Lovers' Laine - Frankie Laine
Memory Songs - Jo Stafford
Moments To Remember - The Four Lads
Music Ala Carte - The Crew Cuts
The One, The Only Kay Starr - Kay Starr
Rock with Bill Haley and the Comets - Bill Haley & His Comets
Romance On The Range - Patti Page
Satch Plays Fats - Louis Armstrong
Shake, Rattle and Roll - Bill Haley & His Comets
So Smooth - Perry Como
Soft And Sentimental - Jo Stafford
Songs from Pete Kelly's Blues - Ella Fitzgerald, Peggy Lee
Voice Of Our Choice - Guy Mitchell

[edit] No. 1 hit singles

These singles reached the top of Billboard magazine's charts in 1955.

First week	Number of weeks	Title	Artist
January 22, 1955	2	"Let Me Go, Lover"	Joan Weber
February 5, 1955	1	"Hearts of Stone"	Fontane Sisters
February 12, 1955	6	"Sincerely"	McGuire Sisters
March 26, 1955	5	"The Ballad Of Davy Crockett"	Bill Hayes
April 30, 1955	8	"Unchained Melody"	Les Baxter
July 9, 1955	10	"Rock Around The Clock"	Bill Haley & his Comets
September 3, 1955	5	"Yellow Rose Of Texas"	Mitch Miller
October 8, 1955	1	"Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing"	The Four Aces
October 15, 1955	1	"Yellow Rose Of Texas"	Mitch Miller
October 22, 1955	1	"Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing"	The Four Aces
October 29, 1955	1	"Autumn Leaves"	Roger Williams
November 5, 1955	4	"Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing"	The Four Aces
November 26, 1955	7	"Sixteen Tons"	Tennessee Ernie Ford

[edit] Top hits on record

"Ain't That A Shame" - Pat Boone
"Arrivederci Roma" - Georgia Gibbs
"Band Of Gold" - Don Cherry
"A Blossom Fell" - Nat King Cole
"Cherry Pink And Apple Blossom White" – Perez Prado
"Cool Water" - Frankie Laine
"Croce Di Oro" - Patti Page
"Cry Me A River" - Julie London
"Dance With Me, Henry" - Georgia Gibbs
"Danger! Heartbreak Ahead" - Jaye P. Morgan
"Darling, Je Vous Aime Beaucoup" - Nat King Cole
"Earth Angel" - The Crew Cuts
"Gum Drop" - The Crew Cuts
"The Great Pretender" - The Platters
"Hawk-Eye" - Frankie Laine
"He", recorded by
- Al Hibbler
- McGuire Sisters
"Heart" - Eddie Fisher
"How Important Can It Be?" - Joni James
"Hummingbird", recorded by
- Frankie Laine
- Les Paul and Mary Ford
"I Hear You Knocking" – Gale Storm
"I Need You Now" - Eddie Fisher
"I Want You To Be My Baby" - Georgia Gibbs
"If I Give My Heart To You", recorded by
- Doris Day
- Denise Lor
"In The Beginning" - Frankie Laine
"It's A Sin To Tell A Lie" - Somethin' Smith & The Redheads
"Let Me Go, Lover" - Joan Weber
"Let's Go Fishin'" - Frankie Laine & Jimmy Boyd
"Love Is A Many-Splendored Thing" - The Four Aces featuring Al Alberts
"Love Me Or Leave Me" - Doris Day
"Maybelline" - Chuck Berry
"Melody of Love" - Billy Vaughn
"Memories Are Made Of This" - Dean Martin
"Moments to Remember" - The Four Lads
"My Friend" - Frankie Laine
"Never Look Back" - Doris Day
"Only You (And You Alone)" - The Platters
"Playmates" - The Fontane Sisters
"Rock Around The Clock" - Bill Haley & the Comets
"Rock And Roll Waltz" - Kay Starr
"Same Old Saturday Night" - Frank Sinatra
"Seventeen" - The Fontane Sisters
"Sincerely" – McGuire Sisters
"Sixteen Tons", recorded by
- Tennessee Ernie Ford
- Frankie Laine
"Smack Dab In The Middle" - The Mills Brothers
"Song Of Seventeen" - Petty King
"Stars Fell On Alabama" - Frankie Laine & Buck Clayton
"Suddenly There's A Valley" - Gogi Grant
"Teenage Prayer" – Gale Storm
"That Old Feeling" - Frankie Laine & Buck Clayton
"That Old Feeling" - Patti Page
"Tweedle Dee" - Georgia Gibbs
"Unchained Melody", recorded by
- Les Baxter
- Roy Hamilton
- Al Hibbler
"A Woman In Love" - Frankie Laine
"The Yellow Rose Of Texas" - Mitch Miller & The Gang

[edit] Top R&B and Country Hits on record

"Ain't That A Shame" - Fats Domino
"Earth Angel" - Penguins
"Flip, Flop & Fly" - Joe Turner
"Tweedle Dee" - LaVern Baker
"Folsom Prison Blues" - Johnny Cash

[edit] Published popular music

"Adelaide" w.m. Frank Loesser
"Ain't That A Shame" w.m. Antoine Domino & Dave Bartholomew
"Ain't That Lovin' You Baby" w.m. Jimmy Reed
"All At Once You Love Her" w. Oscar Hammerstein II m. Richard Rodgers
"Arrivederci Roma" w. (Eng) Carl Sigman m. Renato Ranucci
"Ballad Of Davy Crockett" w. Tom Blackburn m. George Bruns
"Banana Boat (Day O)" trad West Indies arr. William Attaway and Irving Burgie (aka Lord Burgess)
"Band Of Gold" w. Bob Musel m. Jack Taylor
"The Bible Tells Me So" w.m. Dale Evans
"Black Denim Trousers And Motorcycle Boots" w.m. Jerry Leiber & Mike Stoller
"Blue Monday" w.m. Antoine "Fats" Domino & Dave Bartholomew
"Blue Star" w. Edward Heyman m. Victor Young
"Blue Suede Shoes" w.m. Carl Perkins
"Bo Diddley" w.m. Ellas McDaniel
"Charlie Brown" w.m. Jerry Leiber & Mike Stoller
"Christmas Alphabet" Buddy Kaye, Jules Loman
"Dance With Me Henry" w.m. Johnny Otis, Hank Ballard & Etta James aka "Wallflower"
"Domani" w. Tony Velona m. Ulpio Minucci
"Don't Be Angry" w.m. Nappy Brown, Rose Marie McCoy & Fred Mendelsohn
"Dreamboat" w.m. Jack Hoffman
"Dungaree Doll" w. Ben Raleigh m. Sherman Edwards
"Folsom Prison Blues" w.m. Johnny Cash
"The Great Pretender" w.m. Buck Ram
"Hallelujah I Love Her So" w.m. Ray Charles
"He" w. Jack Mullan m. Jack Richards
"He's a Tramp" w.m. Peggy Lee and Sonny Burke. Introduced by Peggy Lee in the animated film Lady and the Tramp
"Heart" w.m. Richard Adler & Jerry Ross
"Hey, Mister Banjo" w.m. Freddy Morgan & Norman Malkin
"I Hear You Knocking" w.m. Dave Bartholomew & Pearl King
"I Never Has Seen Snow" w. Truman Capote & Harold Arlen m. Harold Arlen
"I'm In Love Again" w.m. Antoine Domino & Dave Bartholomew
"In The Wee Small Hours Of The Morning" w. Bob Hilliard m. Dave Mann
"Innamorata" w. Jack Brooks m. Harry Warren Introduced by Dean Martin in the film Artists And Models
"It's Almost Tomorrow" w. Wade Buff m. Gene Adkinson
"Jamaica Farewell" w.m. Lord Burgess
"Jim Dandy" w.m. Lincoln Chase
"Ko Ko Mo (I Love You So)" w.m. Forest Wilson, Jake Porter & Eunice Levy
"Learnin' The Blues" w.m. Dolores Vicki Silvers
"Life Could Not Better Be" w.m. Sylvia Fine & Sammy Cahn. Introduced by Danny Kaye in the film The Court Jester.
"Little One" w.m. Cole Porter
"Love and Marriage" w. Sammy Cahn m. James Van Heusen
"Love Is A Many-Splendored Thing" w. Paul Francis Webster m. Sammy Fain
"Maybelline" w.m. Chuck Berry, Russ Frato & Alan Freed
"Memories Are Made Of This" w.m. Terry Gilkyson, Rich Dehr & Frank Miller
"Mind If I Make Love To You" w.m. Cole Porter
"Moments To Remember" w. Al Stillman m. Robert Allen
"Mr. Wonderful" w.m. Jerry Bock, George David Weiss & Larry Holofcener
"My Boy - Flat Top" w.m. Boyd Bennett & John Young Jr
"No, Not Much" w. Al Stillman m. Robert Allen
"Once-A-Year Day" w.m. Richard Adler & Jerry Ross from the musical The Pajama Game
"An Occasional Man" w.m. Ralph Blane & Hugh Martin. Introduced by Gloria DeHaven in the film The Girl Rush
"Paper Roses" w. Janice Torre m. Fred Spielman
"Pet Me Poppa" w.m. Frank Loesser
"Pete Kelly's Blues" w. Sammy Cahn m. Ray Heindorf
"Relax-Ay-Voo" Sammy Cahn & Arthur Schwartz
"Robin Hood" w.m. Carl Sigman. Theme song of the Television series starring Richard Greene.
"The Rock And Roll Waltz" w. Dick Ware m. Shorty Allen
"Rock-A-Beatin' Boogie" w.m. Bill Haley
"Same Old Saturday Night" w. Sammy Cahn m. Frank Reardon
"See You Later Alligator" w.m. Robert Guidry
"Seven-And-A-Half Cents" w.m. Richard Adler & Jerry Ross
"The Siamese Cat Song" w.m. Peggy Lee & Sonny Burke. Introduced by Peggy Lee in the animated film Lady and the Tramp.
"A Sleepin' Bee" w. Truman Capote & Harold Arlen m. Harold Arlen. Introduced in the musical House of Flowers by Diahann Carroll, Ada Moore, Dolores Harper and Enid Mosier
"Smokey Joe's Café" w.m. Jerry Leiber & Mike Stoller
"Softly, Softly" Pierre Dudan, Paddy Roberts & Mark Paul
"Something's Gotta Give" w.m. Johnny Mercer. Introduced by Fred Astaire in the musical film Daddy Long Legs.
"Speedoo" w.m. Esther Navarro
"Stereophonic Sound" w.m. Cole Porter from the musical Silk Stockings
"A Story Untold" Leroy Griffin
"Suddenly There's A Valley" w.m. Chuck Meyer & Biff Jones
"The Tender Trap" w. Sammy Cahn m. James Van Heusen. Introduced by Frank Sinatra in the film The Tender Trap.
"Theme From "East Of Eden"" m. Leonard Rosenman
"Tina Marie" w.m. Bob Merrill
"Tutti Frutti" w.m. Richard Penniman, D. La Bostrie & Joe Lubin
"Two Lost Souls" w.m. Richard Adler & Jerry Ross. Introduced by Gwen Verdon and Stephen Douglass in the musical Damn Yankees
"Unchained Melody" w. Hy Zaret m. Alex North
"Wake The Town And Tell The People" w. Sammy Gallop m. Jerry Livingston
"The Wallflower" (aka "Dance With Me Henry") w.m. Johnny Otis, Hank Ballard & Etta James
"Whatever Lola Wants" w.m. Richard Adler & Jerry Ross. Introduced by Gwen Verdon in the musical Damn Yankees. Gwen also performed the song in the 1958 film version.
"Why Do Fools Fall In Love?" w.m. Frankie Lymon & George Goldner
"A Woman In Love" w.m. Frank Loesser
"You Don't Know Me" w.m. Cindy Walker & Eddy Arnold
"You're Sensational" w.m. Cole Porter. Introduced by Frank Sinatra in the musical film High Society

[edit] Classical music

Arthur Bliss - Violin Concerto
Henry Cowell - Symphony No. 12
George Crumb - Diptych for orchestra
George Crumb - Sonata for solo cello
Mario Davidovsky - Quintet for Clarinet and Strings
Mario Davidovsky - Suite Sinfonica Para "El Payaso" for orchestra
Einar Englund - Piano Concerto No. 1
Ferenc Farkas - Bukki Varlatok
Hans Werner Henze - Symphony No. 4
Alan Hovhaness - Symphony No. 2 Mysterious Mountain
Witold Lutosławski - Dance Preludes (2nd version for clarinet and chamber group)
Bohuslav Martinů - The Epic of Gilgamesh
Bohuslav Martinů - Oboe Concerto
Darius Milhaud - Symphony No. 5
Darius Milhaud - Symphony No. 6
Luigi Nono - Il Canto Sospeso, for soli, chorus, and orchestra
Luigi Nono - Incontri, for 24 instruments
Walter Piston - Symphony No. 6
Edmund Rubbra - Piano Concerto
John Serry, Sr. - American Rhapsody
Alexandre Tansman - Concerto for Orchestra
Alexandre Tansman - Capriccio for Orchestra
Michael Tippett - Sonata for Four Horns
Ernst Toch - Symphony No. 3
Ralph Vaughan Williams - Symphony No. 8
William Walton - Johannesburg Festival Overture
Franz Waxman - Sinfonietta for Strings and Timpani
Iannis Xenakis - Pithoprakta for orchestra

[edit] Opera

Carlisle Floyd - Susannah
Dmitri Kabalevsky - Nikita Vershinin

[edit] Musical theater

The Amazing Adele Philadelphia production
Ankles Aweigh Broadway production
Catch A Star Broadway production
Damn Yankees (Richard Adler and Jerry Ross) - Broadway production
Kismet London production opened at the Stoll Theatre on April 20 and ran for 648 performances
The Pajama Game (Richard Adler and Jerry Ross) - London production opened at the Coliseum on October 13 and ran for 501 performances
Phoenix '55 Broadway production
Pipe Dream (Rodgers & Hammerstein) - Broadway production
Plain And Fancy Broadway production
Romance in Candlelight London production opened at the Piccadilly Theatre on September 15 and ran for 53 performances
Seventh Heaven Broadway production opened at the ANTA Playhouse on May 26 and ran for 44 performances
Shoestring Revue Broadway production
Silk Stockings Broadway production
Wonderful Town (Leonard Bernstein, Betty Comden and Adolph Green) - London production opened at the Princes Theatre on February 24 and ran for 207 performances

[edit] Musical films

Artists And Models released November 7 starring Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis
The Benny Goodman Story
Daddy Long Legs
Gentlemen Marry Brunettes
The Girl Rush starring Rosalind Russell, Fernando Lamas, Eddie Albert and Gloria DeHaven.
It's Always Fair Weather

King's Rhapsody starring Anna Neagle and Erroll Flynn

[edit] Musical television

Heidi television production
Our Town television production
Together With Music television production

[edit] Births

January 3 - Helen O'Hara, British musician
January 8 - Mike Reno, Loverboy
January 13 - Fred White, Earth Wind and Fire
January 13 - Trevor Rabin, Yes
January 17 - Steve Earle
January 19 - Simon Rattle, conductor
January 26 - Eddie Van Halen, musician
January 27 - Richard Young, Kentucky Headhunters
February 18 - Riff Regan, real name Miles Tredinnick, lead singer in London.
February 23 - Howard Jones
March 2 - Jay Osmond, The Osmonds
March 10 - Bunny DeBarge, DeBarge
March 15 - Dee Snider, Twisted Sister
March 31 - Angus Young, AC/DC
April 13 - Louis Johnson, The Brothers Johnson
April 17 - Pete Shelley Buzzcocks
April 21 - Ebiet G. Ade
May 9 - Anne Sofie von Otter
May 12 - Kix Brooks, Country singer Brooks & Dunn
May 20 - Steve George, Mr. Mister
May 20 - Zbigniew Preisner, composer
May 21 - Stan Lynch, Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers
May 28 - John McGeoch, Magazine, PiL, and Siouxsie & the Banshees, (d. 2004)
May 29 - Pascal Dusapin, French composer
May 30 - Nicky Headon, The Clash
June 7 - Joey Scarbury
June 23 - Glenn Danzig, lead singer for Danzig
June 26 - Mick Jones, The Clash
July 4 - John Waite
July 18 - Terry Chambers, XTC
July 21 - Howie Epstein, Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers
August 9 - Benjamin Orr, The Cars
August 17 - Colin Moulding, XTC
August 29 - Diamanda Galás
September 3 - Steve Jones, The Sex Pistols
September 9 - Ivan Smirnov
September 13 - Andreas Staier, classical harpsichordist and fortepianist
September 28 - George Lynch, Dokken
October 2 - Philip Oakey, Human League
October 7 - Yo-Yo Ma, cellist
October 10 - David Lee Roth, Van Halen
October 21:
- Fred Hersch, American jazz pianist
- Rich Mullins (+ 1997)
October 25 - Matthias Jabs, The Scorpions
October 29 - Kevin Dubrow, Quiet Riot
November 21 - Kyle Gann, composer, teacher and critic
November 23 - Ludovico Einaudi, Italian composer and pianist
November 30 - Billy Idol
December 6 - Bright Sheng, composer
December 15 - Paul Simonon, The Clash

[edit] Deaths

February 14 - Charles Cuvillier, composer of operettas
March 12 - Charlie Parker, Jazz saxophonist, heart failure
May 4 - George Enescu, composer
July 25 - Isaak Dunayevsky, conductor and composer
August 5 - Carmen Miranda, singer
November 11 - Jerry Ross, songwriter
November 22 - Joseph Guy Ropartz, composer and conductor
November 27 - Arthur Honegger, composer
date unknown - Oskar Adler, violinist and music critic
date unknown - Bessie Brown, blues singer
date unknown - Willy Burkhard, composer
date unknown - Harry Parr Davies, composer and songwriter
date unknown - Vernon Isley, original Isley brother, killed in an accident aged 13
date unknown - Annette Mills, partner of "Muffin the Mule"