January 1
Buzz Clifford begins tour to
promote Baby Sittin' Boogie.
January 2
Aretha Franklin launches her switch to
secular music at the Showboat in Philadelphia tonight.
January 4
Etta James is at the Counterpoint in
Chicago. Bobby Rydell appears on the Perry Como Show.
January 6
Bill Doggett headlines the wekly
revue at the Howard Theater in Washington, D.C. Also appearing are the Drifters. Ruth
Brown and Gary U.S. Bonds.
January 10
Buzz Clifford sings "Baby Sittin'
Boogieon American Bandstand.
January 11
Frankie Avalon opens for Joey Bishop at the
Dunes Hotel and Casini in Las Vegas.
Fats Domino begins a nine day tour of Texas and Oklahoma
that grosses $50,000.
January 13
Sam Cooke appears at New York's Apollo
Theater with the Shells opening for him.
James Brown and the Fabulous Flames are at the Howard
Theater in Washington, D.C.
January 14
Saturday Prom features the Playmates and
Johnny and the Hurricanes.
January 14
Mickey and Sylvia appear on American
Bandstand. It is reported that Jerry Lee Lewis and the American Federation of Musicians
have reached an agreement.
Supposedly Lewis had owed the Union $10,000 in back dues.
In retalition the A.F.M had banned Lewis from playing in Union controlled venues in Las
Vegas.
January 20
Jerry Butler headlines the Regal Theater in
Chicago. Also appearing are Dee Clark, the Miracles, the Shirelles and LaVern Baker, Clyde
McPhatter, Little
Anthony, Ben E. King and the Shells.
January 21
Dale Hawkins opens at the Rocket Room In
Washington. The Ventures perform on Saturday Prom.
January 24
Johnny Burnette sings "Little Boy Sad" on American
Bandstand.
January 25
Ricky Nelson "Your the Only One" on The
Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet.
January 26
Dodie Stevens, Bobby Rydell and Chubby Checker
complete a tour of Australia.
Frankie Lymon sings Silhouttes in American Bandstand.
January 27
Carla Thomas makes her television debut on
American Bandstand and performs "Gee Whiz (Look at His Eyes).
Gene Vincent plays The Gaiety Ballroom in Grimsby, Great Britain.
January 28
Brook Benton ends his month long tour in Orlando,
Florida. Saturday Prom is broadcast from the Winter Carnival in St. Paul, Minnesota.
Appearing are Freddy
Cannon, JoAnn Campbell, Buzz Clifford and the String-A-Longs.
January 31
Bobby Darin and Friends, an hour long special, airs on NBC-TV.
Late January
The Everly Brothers are reported to be in Hollywood taking acting classes.
Aretha Franklin is booked to play the Library portion of the Playboy Club in Chicago.
Bill Doggett is at Pep's Musicasl Lounge in Philadelphia.
Feb 1
The Belmonts are American Bandstand's
musical guests.
February 3
The Show of Stars Boby Rydell, Chubby
Checker and Dodie Stevens swing through Oahu, Hawaii.
Brook Benton, the Shirelles, Maxine Brown and the Dynamics
are at the Howard Theater.
February 4
Johnny Burnette under goes an appendectomy
at Hollywood Hospital. This will cause the postponment of his European tour and an
estimated lose of $10,000 in
bookings.
February 6
Dion is a guest on American Bandstand and
sings "Havin' Fun."
February 7
Bobby Rydell in his hometown of
Philadelphia receives 1960s Outstanding Entertainer Award from the Sons of Italy at
Palumbo's resteraurant.
Early February
Johnny Tillotson begins a three week tour of Ohio, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Illinois.
Fabian is at the Arenta Colesium in Manilla, Philippines.
Gene Vincent begins tour in London to begin a tour of England.
Bill Haley and His Comets are touring Mexico, but also visit Chile, Peru and Ecuador.
February 8
The Ramrods perform (Ghost) Riders in the Sky" on American Bandstand.
February 10
Gene Pitney appears in Montreal for two days.
Februay 11
Gene Pitney and the Shirelles guest on Saturday Prom.
February 12
Bobby Rydell begins a six week European tour.
Paul Anka is on CBS-TV's Ed Sullivan Show.
February 15
While relaxing Jackie Wilson is shot by a female
fan who then attempts suicide. Wilson claims he was trying to take the gun when it went
off. The bullet hits him
in the stomach. He is taken to Roosevelt
Hospital. The bullet is in a position where it can't be removed and is left lodged in his
back.
Billy Ward and the His Dominoes are at Miami's Eden Roc Hotel.
Mid-February
The Bombers, formerly the Jive Bombers, are at the Pillow Talk in New York City.
February 17
The Coasters, Ike and Tina Turner Chuck Jackson and the Capris are at Washington's Howard Theater.
February 19
Bill Black's Combo appears on The ed Sulivan Show.
In London, Bobby Rydell appears on British TV's Sunday Night at the Palladium.
Dave "Baby" Cortez is at the Randolph Social Club in Philadelphia.
February 21
The Shirelles sing "Will You still Love Me Tomorrow" and "Dedicated To the One I Love" on American Bandstand.
February 22
Ray Charles sings "Georgia on My Mind on NBC-TV's Perry Como Show.
February 24
Sam Cooke is at the Apollo for a week. Opening acts are Little Anthony and the Imperials and Aretha Franklin.
Brook Benton begins a sixteen day tour of England.
Bobby Rydell is the headliner at France's first annnual rock and roll festival Festival du Rock.
February 23
Elvis Presley headlines two shows at the Ellis
Auditorium in Memphis. These are his first concerts since 1957 and raise $50,00 for
charities in Memphis and
Tupelo.
February 27
Fats Domino begins a wek at Sciolla's Club in Philadelphia.
March 3
Bobby Rydell ens Europen Tour In England.
James Brown is at the Apollo.
Sam Cooke at the Royal Theater in Baltimore.
Jimmy Charles Headlines the Howard Theater. Also on the bill are the Bobettes, the Clovers, the Vibrations and Jimmy Jones.
Early March
Chuck Berry is touring around Jamaica in the British west Indies.
Gene Pitney is touring the West Coast.
Freddie Bell and the Bellboys are at Riverside Hotel in Reno.
The Pono-Tails are appearing at the Holiday Inn and Casino in Reno.
March 7
Sam Cooke is at the Howard Theatre along with the Rochelles and the Candles.
LaVern Baker headlines the Apollo
March 13
The Capris sing "There's A Moom Out Tonight" on American Bandstand.
Mid-March
Danny and the Juniors begin European Tour.
The Coasters are appearing at the Summit in Holywood.
March 15
Gene McDaniels performs "A Hundred Pounds of Clay" on American Bandstand.
March 16
The Echoes sing "Baby Blue" on American Bandstand.
March 17
Chubby Checker headlines Chicago's Regal theater.
Also on the bill are Joe Jones, the Drifters, Maxine Brown, Chuch Jackson, Jimmy Charles
and the Blue
Notes.
Sam Cooke goes to the British West Indies for concerts in Jamaica, Kingston, Trinidad and Montego Bay. Ticket sales are estimated at $45,000
March 20
Elvis starts work on Blue Hawaii.
March 24
Bobby Rydell is playing the Lotus Club in Washington, D.C.
March 23
In Honolulu to film Blue Hawaii. Elvis
performs a benefit show with all the proceeds going to build a memorial to the sailors
when the USS Arizona was sunk at
Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. This will be
Presley's last live concert and raises $52,000.
A major rock and roll show at the Paramount in Newark, New Jersey features the Shrelles, the Olympics, Shep and the Limelites and Lenny Miles.
March 28
The Larks and Chuck Jackson are guests on American Bandstand.
March 29
March 29 is declared Brenda Lee Day by Decca Records and Governor Ernest vandiver of Georgia. A 125,000 copies are sold of "Emotions" today.
March 31
Jocko's Rocketship Revue at the Apollo Theater
features Clyde McPhatter. the Blue Note, Baby Washington, Shep and the Limelites,, Bobby
Freeman and
the Larks.
Bob Luman is discharged from the Army.
April 2
The Biggest Show of Stars for 61 begins at the Uline
Arena in Washington, DC. The tour includes headliners Fats Domino, the Shirelles, and
Chubby Checker.
Also the Drifters, Bo Diddley, Ben E. King, the
Shells and Chuck Jackson.
April 3
Jimmy Jones performs at the Asbury Park Covention Hall in New Jersey.
April 4
Fabian returns to South Side High in Philadelphia to receive his high school dipolma. He graduates with a B+ average,
April 5
The Paris Sisters sing "Be My Boy" on American Bandstand.
April 7
The Poni-Tails are at the Twin Coaches Lounge in Pittsburgh.
Gene Pitney is on American Bandstand
April 8
Ray Charles begins a twenty stop tour at the McCormick Place in Chicago. His two days in Chicago gross $34,000 with tickets costing up to $4.00
April 10
Del Shannon performs "Runaway" on American Bandstand.
April 12
James Darren appears on Bob Hope's NBC-TV special Darren sings "Gidget Goes Hawaiian" and "Wild About That Girl."
Freddy Cannon is on American Bandstand.
April 11
Jerry Butler, Dee Clark, Maxine Brown, and the Marcels are at the Howard Theater.
April 15
The Ray Charles revuse stops at Detroit's Music Hall and then Cleveland Music Hall grosses $22,000 on $4.00 tickets.
Mid-April
Duane Eddy is on location in Tuscon, Arizona filming "Thunder of Drums."
April 17
Dion appears at the Casino Royal in Washington.
Neil Sedaka is at the Blinstrub's Club in Philadelphia.
JoAnn Campbell is on American Bandstand.
April 20
Paul Evans and Johnny Preston open for six days at
the Armata Coliseum in Manila, Philippines, that wil draw 36,000 fans A brief swing
through Australia
follows. In all, they are seen by 1000,000
Pat Boone's TV special features Fabian.
April 21
Ernie-K-Doe, Jimmy Jones and Freddie Scott appear
at Pittsburgh's Carnegie Music Hall. The Flamingos, the Olympics and the Dells are at
Chicago's Regal
Theater for a week.
April 25
Johnny Maestro sings "Model Girl" on American Bandstand.
April 27
The Roomates sing "Glory of Love" on American Bandstand.
April 28
The Biggest Show of Stars for 61 stops in St. Louis and the next day at Chicago's McCormick Place. The two dates brings in $25,000
The Flamingos, Jerry Butler, the Miracles, Maxine Brown, the Vibrations and Shep and the Limelites are ayt the Uptown Theater in Philadelphia.
Late April
Sam Cooke appears for a week at the Flame Show Bar in Detroit.
May 1
Bobby Rydell makes his debut as a nightclub performer at Sciolla's Club in Philadelphia.
Danny and the Juniors are at Casino Royal in Washington, DC for a week.
Neil Sedaka sings "Litle Devil" on American Bandstand.
Johnny Preston is in Philadelphia to begin a 30 day tour to promote "I Feel Good."
May 3
Fats Domino plays the Syria Mosque in Pittsburgh.
May 4
Neil Sedaka begins a tour of the Philippines and Australia.
Paul Revere and the Raiders make their national TV debut on American Bandstand and sing "Like Long Hair."
May 5
Ral Donner is on American Bandstand.
Early May
Bobby Darin is touring Japan.
May 8
For his 21st birthday Ricky Nelson is granted his wish to be called professionally Rick.
Fat Domino is performing at the Showboat in Philadelphia.
Gene McDaniels begins a tour in Minneapolis to promote his new album.
May 10
Danny and the Juniors are on American Bandstand.
May 12
Gene McDaniels opens at the Village Vanguard in New York City.
May 13
Sam Cooke has a SRO for his show at the Keil
Auditorium. Also appearing are Hank Ballard and the Midnighters, Clyde McPhatter, Aretha
Franklin and the
Olympics.
Gene Vincent returns to England. He becomes the first American to appear on the British variety television program Thank Your Lucky Stars.
Mid-May
Jerry Lee Lewis is performing every Sunday at Lil' Rebel Room in Memphis while he is on vacation at his home in Hernando, just across the state line in Mississippi.
Freddy Cannon is recuperating from tonsillectomy.
Jackie Wilson is leaving the hospital after recovering from the gunshot wound he sufferred on 2/15/61
May 17
Dion is at the International Club in New York City.
May 19
Jerry Lee Lewis is at the Regal theater in Chicago.
May 21
Gene Vincent begins an eight day tour through South africa.
May 23
Little Caesar and the Romans sing "Those Oldies But Goodies" on American Bandstand.