January 1
Savannah
Churchill appears at the Offbeat Club in Omaha. In Detroit King Pleasure starts one week
at the Flame Show Bar with club regular LaVern
Baker, Across
town, Joe Morris and Laurie Tate are at Uncle Tom' Cabin until the 4th.
Willie Mabon and
Big Maybelle front the Gene Ammons Combo for a week at the Earle Theater in Philadelphia.
Mabon's current hit, "I Don't Know," has
recently
been covered by Buddy Morrow (pop) and Tennessee Ernie Ford (C&W).
January 2
Sarah
Vaughn and the Four Tunes headline the revue at New York's Paramount Theater for a week.
Little
Richard makes his first New Orleans stop with a two-week appearance at the Dew Drop Inn.
He is in the middle of his record breaking coast to
coast tour
with his combo, the Famous Six.
January 5
Joe Morris
is at the Sportoree Club in Youngstown, Ohio.
Chuck
Willis entertains in Detroit at Uncle Tom's Cabin for three days.
January 7
The Royals
are hit with a $10,000 lawsuit while on tour in Columbus, Georgia, which alleges that
advertisements for the group show pictures of the "5"
Royales.
The Royals are permanently enjoined against "compensating" the "5"
Royales.
January 8
Earl Bostic
plays a benefit at Douglas High School in Thomasville Georgia, to help raise funds to
build an annex for the Archibald Memorial Hospital,
which
admits only Black patients.
Early January
Charles Brown
is currently on the West Coast for a series of one-night stands. It is rumored that he
will disband his trio at the end of the month and start
over
with a full orchestra.
Aladdin Records
announces it will reactivate the firm's R&B label, Score
MGM Records is
actively acquiring R&B talent. Signed recently are Boots Randolph, Teddy Williams, the
Crickets, Al King, Paula Watson an Beluah
Bryant.
January 9
Billy Kenny and
His Ink Spots open in Brooklyn at the Country Club.
The new Ink Spots
backed by Johnny Otis's Orchestra open at the Earle Theatre in Philadelphia.
Lavern Baker is
held over at the Flame Show Bar in Detroit.
Willie Mabon
starts a week engagement at Emerson's in Philadelphia
January 11
Dinah Washington
is the guest performer for the Sunday night dance at the Elk's Ballroom in Los Angeles.
January 15
Fats Domino and
the Clovers embark on a two-week tour of the Virginia area with a show in Roanoke.
Mid-January
New York has a
new night spot featuring r&b and jazz talent, the Bandbox, located next door to the
Birdland on the former site of the Iceland Restaurant.
The Delta Rhythm
Boys are currently on a successful tour of Canada and the Midwest
January 16
The "5"
Royales, Willie Mabon and Gene Ammon's start a one-week engagement at New York's Apollo
Theater.
The Griffen
Brothers begin a southern tour in Miami. They will then work their way up the East Coast.
Lavern Baker
entertains at the Booker T. Washington Restaurant in Washington for two weeks.
Rose Murphy plays
a ten-day engagement in Rochester at William's Club.
Louis Jordan's
Combo is on hand for three days at Billy Berg's 5-4 Ballroom in Los Angeles.
The Five Keys
open for a week at the Royal Theater in Baltimore, After the engagement, they are of on a
tour of the Southeast.
The new Ink Spots
and the Johnny Otis Orchestra open for a week at Washington's Howard Theater.
Big Maybelle
shares the bill at Detroit's Flame Show Bar with Varetta Dillard
January 17
"Hi Yo
Silver," the original "B" side of the Treniers Pong-Tang" has been
withdrawn due to copyright infringement claimed by the interests of the Masked
Man. The
new "B" side will be "Moon Dog."
January 18
Shirley and Lee
and the Four Blazes play the Elks Ballroom in Los Angeles.
January 19
Ivory Joe Hunter
starts at the Warren Grill in Worchester, Massachusetts.
Earl Bostic opens
at Pep's Musical Bar in Philadelphia
January 23
Following their
successful week at the Apollo in New York, the "5" Royales are off on an
extended tour of the South.Following the "5" Royales into the
Apollo are Ruth Brown
and Tiny Bradshaw's Combo
Louis Jordan is back at the 5-4 Club in Hollywood for the next three days
Lionel Hampton graces the stage at the Howard heater in Washington for a week.
The Earle Theater in Philadelphia offers the patrons the talents of the "new" Ink Spots and Johnny Otis's Orchestra.
In Detroit, Uncle Tom's Cabin hosts Lynn Hope for an extended stay.
January 30
Willie Mabon,
Illinois Jacquet and Bette Mc Laurin share the bill at the Regal Theater in Chicago for
this week. Jacquet's recording of Port of Rico has
gone over the
100, 000 mark in sales.
January 31
Ivory Joe Hunter
starts a one-nighter tour through Texas that will run until March 1st.
February 1
The
Fats Domino/Clover tour ends its Virginia circuit with a show in Virginia Beach
Louis
Jordan takes the "Biggest Show of 1953" to the West Coast through January 10th.
February 6
The
Earle Theater in Philadelphia plays host to the Clovers for on week.
Billy
Kenney and his Ink Spots start a week's club date at the Stanley Theater in Pittsburgh.
Sharing the headline is Ella Fitzgerald.
The Howard Theater in Washington presents the Orioles, Ruth Brown and the Paul Williams Orchestra for a week.
In New York, the Apollo Theater offers the talents of Billy Ward and His Dominoes and Arnett Cobb's Orchestra for one week
At
the Graystone in New Orleans, Bobby Marchan, "the Bronze Balladeer," performs as
the supporting act for "Wiggles, the Acrobatic Dancer." Also in
town,
Joe Turner is at the Dew Drop Inn for the next two weeks.
February 7
Willie Mabon starts a week at the Riveria Club in St. Louis with Bette McLaurin
Early February
United Records signs Billy Ford, the Dozier Boys and Debbie Andrews. Ford was most recently with RCA Victor
The
Biharis brothers, owners of RPM and Modern Records, have started a new label, Music
Masters, which will specialize in extended-play releases with
four songs
instead of the usual two.
The
Emitt Slay Trio is currently at the Plantation Room in Detroit. The group is a recent
acquisition of Savoy Records, which released it's first record this
week.
February 9
Varetta
Dillard spends the week at the Cavakas Club in Washington.
February 11
Little Walter and Eddie Boyd wrap up their tour in Texas. They are scheduled for two week
of one-night stands through the South and then two weeks
in Chicago.
February 12
Buddy
Johnson, sister Ella, and his orchestra entertains at New York's Savoy Ballroom.
February 13
The
Ink Spots, featuring Bill Kenney, are at the Town Casino in Cleveland.
The Clovers are the headliner for a week at the Howard Theater in Washington. Also on the bill are Red Sanders and Big Jay McNeeley.
Billy Ward and His Dominoes with Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson open at the Earle Theater in Philadelphia for a week.
Charles Brown is the featured attraction at the 5-4 Ballroom in Los Angeles for this weekend.
The Apollo offers the patrons the talents of the Orioles with Betty Carter and the Paul Williams Orchestra for the week's entertainment in New York.
February 14
Marie
Adams, Arthur Prysock and Edgar Blanchard;s Orchestra start a string of play dates.
In
New Orleans, Lloyd Price is featured at the Palace Theater before embarking on a tour of
the Mideast. Across town, Guitar Slim returns to the Club
Desire for two days.
Billy Eckstine performs at the Sands Hotel in Las Vegas for two weeks
Mid-February
Bill Doggett is
playing Pep's Musical Bar in Philadelphia.
February 19
Bull
Moose Jackson and his orchestra open at the Savoy Ballroom in New York.
February 20
Big
Maybelle is the headliner at the Royal Theater in Baltimore
Mabel Scott starts a week in Philadelphia at the Earle Theater. Also on the bill are George Kirby and the Tiny Bradshaw Combo.
Roy Milton opens the weekend at the 5-4 Club in Los Angeles.
Billy Ward and His Dominoes, boxer-turned-singer Sugar Ray Robinson and Louis Armstrong
star at the "Blue Ribbon of Stage Shows" at the Detroit
Fox
Theater for a week.
Earl Bostic and Lloyd Price start a week's engagement at the Regal Theater in Chicago.
February 21
RCA Victor
announces the signing of one of the premier acts in the rhythm and blues field, the
Robins, Also signed are Boots Brown and Milt Trenier of
the
Treniers vocal group.
February 22
Linda
Hayes and Amos Milburn share the bill at Los Angeles' Elks Ballroom for the evening.
February 26
Savannah
Churchill is at the Club Alabam in Los Angeles for two weeks
February 27
Ruth Brown, Billy Eckstine and Count Basie, billed as the "Biggest Show of 53,"
start a long tour in Greensboro, North Carolina. The package will be on
the road for six weeks.
In Los Angeles, Charles Brown plays a weekend date at the 5-4 Ballroom.
Billly Ward and His Dominoes headline the bill at the Howard Theater in Washington.
Sharing the spotlight are Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson and Bette
McLaurin
The week's entertainment at New York's Apollo Theater is headlined by Wynonie Harris. Also
on the bill are Larry Darnell and the Red Saunders
Orchestra.
Late February
Chance Records announces that they have signed the Flamingos and several other rhythm and
blues hopefuls.March 2
Ruth Brown and Billy Eckstine play Charleston, South Carolina. As they continue to tour
during the week, they will be in Kingston, North Carolina, Roanoke,
Virginia, Charlotte, North Carolina, Northfolk, Virginia, Charleston, West Virginia and
Nashville, Tennessee.
March 4
Big Jay McNeeley and Errol
Garner are featured at Birdland in New York for a month.
March 5
Savannah Churchill opens at
the Club Alabam in Los Angeles
March 6
Bette McLaurin is scheduled
for a week's engagement at the Royal Theater in Baltimore.
In New Orleans Smiley Lewis shares the stage with Dave Bartholomew's band for the first two weeks at the Pelican Club.
Johnny Otis and his orchestra headline the weekend at the 5-4 Club in Los Angeles
Lloyd Rice plays Reynolds Hall in Philadelphia on his one-nighter tour
Big Maybelle is booked into New York's Apollo Theater for a week.
Early March
Johnny Ace and Willie Mae
Thornton currently on tour as part of the Duke/Peacock Records package.
March 8
T-Bone-Walker and Pee Wee Crayton
entertain at the Elks Ballroom in Los Angeles.March 9.
The Ruth Brown/Billy
Eckstine tour continues with a performance in Atlanta this evening. Other shows this week
include Greenville, South Carolina,
Jacksonville, Florida, New
Orleans, and Memphis. The show in Atlanta is so successful that over 2,000 are turned away
at the door.
March 13
The Clovers with Choker
Campbell's Orchestra are off on a tour of the Midwest. This will be followed by a southern
tour, the dates in Texas and California.
Linda Hayes joins the
Swallows on stage at the Apollo Theater this week in New York. On opening night she is
robbed of $5,000 jewels and musical
arrangements from her
dressing room. Later that night, thieves break into her car.
Floyd Dixon and Margie Day
appear at the Northwest Casino in Washington, D.C., for two days. Also in Washington, Big
Maybelle appears as part of the
"Broadway
Revels" revue at the Howard Theater this week.
Johnny Otis returns to the
Los Angeles 5-4 Club for the weekend. The Palace Theater in New Orleans presents Johnny
Ace and Willie Mae Thornton for
four performances today.
March 15
Earl Bostic plays for the
Sunday night dance at the Elks Ballroom in Los Angeles.
Mid-March
At Detroit's Fox Theater,
Billy Ward and His Dominoes rendition of "The Bells," featuring Clyde McPhatter,
steals the show from such seasoned performers
as Louis Armstrong and Sugar
Ray Robinson and leads to a TV appearance on Ed Sullivan's show.
Marie Adams and Arthur Prysock are booked through the South. She will son join the Johnny Otis Orchestra for more touring.
Little Richard, the Tempo Toppers and the Duce of Rhythm have signed with Peacock Records
The six largest Record
companies (Capitol, Columbia, Decca, Mercury, M-G-M and RCA Victor) report their combined
output of pop singles has
decreased thirty-seven
percent over a year ago, while the number of rhythm and blues singles has increased by
fifteen percent.
March 16
The Ruth Brown/Billy Eckstine
picks up in Houston for the evening. The one-nighters continue in Texas with shows in
Galveston, Beaumont and Austin
during the week. The orioles
start a three-week tour through the Northeast and the South
March 20
Eddie Boyd and Little Walter
open for four nights at Atlanta's Royal Peacock Club.
Fats Domino Concludes his swing through Texas.
Buddy Johnson Brings his orchestra and his sister Ella to the Apollo Theater in New York for the week.
Charles Brown is the weekend's entertainment at the 5-4 Club in Los Angeles
Mable Scott plays the first of two weekend stands at the Pelican Club in New Orleans.
March 21
The Orioles one-nighter at the
Audubon Ballroom in New York is so successful that they gross $1000 above their guaranteed
percentage.
Floyd Dixon and Margie Day headline the Carolina Ballroom at Huntspoint, New York.
March 23
Ruth Brown and Billy Ecksine
wrap up their tour of the Southwest this week. with a performance tonight in Dallas. Other
dates this week are San Antonio
(24th), Fort Worth
(25th), Amarillo (26th), Oklahoma City ( (27th), Tulsa (28th), Kansas City (29th) an
Wichita, Kansas (30th).
Amos Milburn opens at Pep's Musical Bar in Philadelphia following a successful eleven-state tour. of the West Coast, Midwest and Eastern Seaboard.
March 26
Charles Brown entertains at the El
Sombero Club in Los Angeles.
In Philadelphia, the Earle Theater closes its doors. Eventually it will be torn down
March 27
Dinah Washington fronts the
Joe Morris Orchestra for the weekend at the 5-4 Club in Los Angeles.
March 28
Winnie Harris, Larry Darnel and
Valetta Dillard stop in New Orleans for a show at the Palace Theater while on Tour in the
South.
March 29
Roy Milton is the houseguest
for the Sunday night dance at the Elks Ballroom in Los Angeles.
March 30
Charles Brown is of on a tour of
the Southwest starting in Lubbock, Texas. The tour is completely booked through the
Closing date in Tulsa, Oklahoma on
April 25th.
Late March
Specialty Records buys out
Champion records of Jackson, Mississippi. Specialty sets up a Jackson office with Johnny
Vincent, previous owner of
Champion, as the district manager.
The Marylanders are booked into the Royal Theater in Baltimore for a week.
April 3
Eddie Boyd starts his first bookings in
the Northeast with a show in Boston. He is co-starring with Linda Hayes on a tour that
will continue through April 26th
Ruth Brown plays the Northwest Casino in Washington, D.D. this weekend
Errol Garner and Big Maybelle headline the Regal Theater revue in Chicago.
New York's Apollo Theater presents the Ravens for patrons this week
The Robins are featured performers at the 5-4 Ballroom in Los Angeles
Buddy and Ella Johnson with the Du-Droppers open for a week at Washington's Howard Theater
April 4
Louis Jordan joins "The Biggest Show of
53" at Los Angeles' Olympia Arena to kickoff a tour that will be on the road through
mid-May.
April 5
Ruth Brown plays a one-night stand in Newark,
New Jersey
Eddie Boyd and Linda Hayes with the Lynn Hope Orchestra start three nights of play dates in the Washington-Baltimore area/
In Los Angeles, a day long Easter Sunday
show in South Park features Little Caesar, the Robins, Bumps Blackwell and others.Also in
Los Angeles that
evening, T-Bone Walker and Lowell Fulson
perform at the Elks Ballroom.
Billy Wright and Gatemouth Brown play for Sunday dancers at the Labor Union Hall in New Orleans.
April 6
Following her show in Patterson, New
Jersey, Ruth Brown takes a well deserved three-week vacation.
LaVern Baker opens at the Palace Theater in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.
Bette McLaurin is at the Powelton's Club in Philadelphia.
April 8
Billy Eckstine starts a two-week layover at the
Bandbox In New York with the Count Basie Band.
April 10
Savannah Churchill starts a two-week
engagement at the Flame Show Bar in Detroit.
Boxing champ Joe Louis, the Five Keys and the Hal Singer Combo entertain ticket holders at the Apollo Theater in New York for a week.
In New Orleans, Annie Laurie opens with Professor Longhair for two weekends at the Pelican Club.
April 11
Amos Miburn, Linda Hayes and the Orioles
bring in $2500 for one show in Newark, New Jersey.
April 12
"The Big Show of 53" featuring Louis Jordan play a on-nighter in Minneapolis, followed the next night by a show in North Bend, Indiana.
Floyd Dixon and Margie Day stop for a show in New Orleans at the San Jacinto Club.
Steve Gibson and His Redcaps, with singer
Damita Jo play a date at the Social Club in Erie, Pennsylvania. The next night they open
at the Rendezvous in
Philadelphia.
Mid-April
As the current glut of "answer "
songs continue unabated, the copyright holders of the original songs are starting to
question the practice on legal grounds.
Record companies, in a rush to jump on the
latest fad, have bee neglecting to obtain license from many of the original publishers
that would allow them to
release all of the parodies.
Revent record company signings in include
the Blenders;enders with M-G-M, southern blues singer James Allen with Brunswick, the
Cincinnatians with Coral
and Jubilee Records' signing of twelve-year-old
blues singer Andrew Wideman, who was discovered on NBC-TV's "Star Time" show.
The Buccaneer's recording of "Fine Brown Frame" on Southern Records has been purchased by Rainbow Records.
April 16
Amos Melbourne, Linda Hayes and the Orioles are
on stage at the Laurel Gardens in Newark, New Jersey.
April 17
Fats Domino holds forth at the 5-4 Club
in Los Angeles for the weekend before leaving the West Coast to tour Louisiana, Georgia
and Florida.
There is a "Battle of the Blues" show featuring Wynonie Harris, Larry Darnell and Varetta Dillard this week at the Howard Theater in Washington, D.C..
New York's Apollo Theater offers King Pleasure and Betty Carter fronting the Count Basie Orchestra.
April 19
Percy Mayfield and Mercy Dee perform for the
Sunday crowd at the Elks Ballroom in Los Angeles.
Charles Brown brings his tour to New Orleans Labor Union Hall.
Joe Houston opens at the Rainbow Club in Denver.
April 20
Bette McLaurin travels to Lawson's Place
in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.
April 23
Louis Jordan and the "Big Show of
53" are in Buffalo for the evening, followed by a performance on the 25th in
Rochester.
April 24
Earl Bostic starts a stint at the 5-4 Ballroom
in Los Angeles.
Little Esther and the "5" Royales perform with Arnett Cobb's orchestra for a week at the Regal Theater in Chicago.
At the New York's Apollo Theater, the entertainment for this week includes Sarah Vaughn and the Erskine Hawkins Orchestra.
Charlie Fuqua and the "new" Ink Spots perform at the Moscombe Club in Hollywood.
Smiley Lewis and Dave Bartholomew's combo,
both just returned from New Orleans from a tour of Mississippi, Texas and Louisiana, open
for the weekend
at the Pelican Club. They are held over for the
next weekend.
April 25
Charles Brown, Amos Milburn, Chuck Willis,
Guitar Slim, Margie Day and Paul Williams Combo bring in $5,7000 for a single performance
in Kansas City.
April 26
Ruth Brown, along with Billy Eckstine,Tommie
Rogers and Johnny Hodges, open for a week at the YMCA Circus in St. Louis. The proceeds go
to
local underprivileged children.
Oscar McLollie, Effie Smith and Pee Wee Crayton are the evenings entertainment at the Elks Ballroom in Los Angeles.
April 27
The Emitt Slay Trio is at the Farm Dell
Club in Dayton, Ohio.
April 30
Lowell Fulson, T-Bone Walker and Lloyd
Glenn open a month long southwestern tour with a show in Houston that takes in $5,600.
May 1
Floyd Dixon begins a an engagement at the 5-4
Club in Los Angeles.
Lynn Hope plays her first date at the Hunts Point Palace in the Bronx/
Savannah Churchill opens at the Stagecoach Club in Hackensack sack, New Jersey.
Fats Domino has to cancel one-nighters in Louisiana, Alabama and Georgia due his sickness.
Pearl Bailey is this week's attraction at the Howard Theater in Washington, D.C..
The Apollo Theater presents Joe Louis and Al Hibbler this week in New York.
May 4
Varetta Dillard goes into the Downbeat Club In
providence, Rhode Island.
Early May
The Orioles are currently at Philadelphia's at Peps' Musical Bar.
Joe Liggen's Honeydrippers entertain at the Rainbow Ballroom in Denver.
B.B. King and Bill Harvey are currently on tour of northern Michigan and Ohio.
May 8
Arthur Prysock is booked into the Orchid Room
In Kansas City, Missouri.
Mabel Scott starts an eight-week run at the DeLia Club in Chicago.
Little Walter appears at th5-4 Club in Los
Angeles/ for the weekend. New York's Apollo Theater presents Earl "Fatha" Hines
and his combo with Etta
James and the Diamonds for the week.
May 10
Roy Milton and Earl Bostic are the
night's attractions at the Elks Ballroom in Los Angeles
May 11
The "5" Royales, Little Esther,
Jimmy Forest and Sonny Stitt play a one-nighter at the Graystone Ballroom in Detroit.
May 15
Amos Milburn, Tiny Grimes, Screamin' Jay
Hawkins and comedienne Jackie "Moms" Mabley open at the Howard Theater in
Washington for a week.
Louis Jordan and His Tympany Five make a week-long stopover at New York's Apollo Theater.
LaVern Baker opens at the Royal Theater in Baltimore for a week, followed by a week of one-nighters in Virginia.
Oscar McLollie shares the stage with the Four Plaid Throats for a weekend at the 5-4 Club in Los Angeles.
Mid-May
Savoy Records has recently signed the Falcons from New York and the Carols, both from Detroit.
Lou Krefitz, sales manager for
Atlantic Records, is leaving the company to manage the Clovers. Meanwhile Ahmet Ertegun,
owner of Atlantic is in Canada
setting up distribution for the label.
The label recently signed Hal Paige and Chuck Norris.
H-Bomb Ferguson is at the Whispering Pines Inn near Heightstown, New Jersey.
TNT Tribble is enjoying an indefinite run at the Flamingo Club in Washington
The Gale Agency is negotiating with
the Joe Louis Band for a package tour in July that will include Ruth Brown, the Clovers,
Wynonie Harris and the Erskine
Hawkins Band.
The Five Keys ate the inaugural act at the El Sambo Club, Jacksonville, Florida's newest night spot.
May 16
Sax Kari and Gloria Irving start a southern
tour booked Through June 7th
Sonny Boy Williamson and Wini Brown front Hal Singer's Orchestra for a one-night stand at the Palace Theater in New Orleans.
May 18
Ruth Brown entertains at the Town Casino in New
Orleans.
Big Maybelle starts at the Orchid Room in Kansas City.
May 20
Margie Day joins Paul Williams Orchestra in
Locklin, Ohio.
Ruth Brown opens for a week in New York at the Bas\andbox Club with Illinois Jacquet's Combo.
May 21
Billy Ward and His Dominoes appear at the Fox
Theater in Detroit for the third time in as many months. During the week they again stop
the show and
headliner Lionel Hampton can not perform.
May 22
Varetta Dillard is welcomed for a week of
performances at Weeke's in Atlantic City.
The Ink Spots featuring Bill Kenney are playing a week's worth of one-night stands around Duluth, Minnesota.
May 23
Lowell Fulson, T-Bone Walker and Lloyd Glenn
close their tour of the Southwest with a performance in Albuquerque.
May 24
Roy Brown is the evening's entertainment at the
Elks Ballroom in Los Angeles.
May 28
Ruth Brown, the Orioles and Sunny Stitt start a
series of personal appearances with a performance at Glen Cove, Long Island.
Other shows for this week include the Armory
in Troy, New York (29th), the St. Nicholas Arena in New York City ( 30th) and Turner's
Arena in
Washington (31st).
May 29
T-Bone Walker is scheduled for three days at
the 5-4 Ballroom in Los Angeles.
Louis Jordan and LaVern Baker start a week's engagement at the Howard Theater in Washington.
Lionel Hampton and His Orchestra entertain patrons at New York's Apollo this week.
Joe Louis and Hal Singer Make the Regal Theater in Chicago their home for the week.
May 30
Winnipeg's Don Carlos Club plays host for the week to
the Ink Spots featuring Bill Kenney.
May 31
Tiny Grimes plays for the dance at the Met
Ballroom in Philadelphia
Late May
Jerry Wexler, formerly director of publicity
with Big Three Publishers, joins Atlantic Records as a partner to work with Ahmet Ertegun
in all areas of the
business. Another Atlantic executive partner,
Herb Abramson, is currently serving in the U.S. Army as a dentist.
Herald records has signed the Embers to the label.
Sceamin' Jay Hawkins, formerly vocalist with
Tiny Grimes, has joined Johnny Sparrow and his Bows and Arrows for an engagement at the
Powelton Cafe in
Philadelphia.
June 1
Wynonie Harris surrenders to Richmond,Virginia
authorities. He has bee sought since May 7th when he was indicted as an accessory in an
April 13th
robbery of $580 from singer Larry
Darnell's vault. Harris is released on $1000 bail and is finally cleared of all
charges in late June.
June 5
Willie Mabon headlines the revue this week at New
York's Apollo Theater.
In Cleveland, Billy Ward and His Dominoes, Joe Louis and Bill Haley and His Comets play a one-nighter promoted by Bill Randle.
The Lee Allen Combo is featured as the house band at the Dew Drop Inn for the next month in New Orleans.
June 6
Lynn Hope starts a week of dates in Bermuda,
coinciding with the ceremonies surrounding the celebration of the coronation of
Queen Elizabeth II, He has
signed an exclusive contract with
Philadelphia's Showboat Lounge for all of 1954.
Buddy Johnson is in the South for a month of one-nighters that will end in Texas.
The Four Tunes open in the Maroon Club in Montreal for the month of June.
Alan "Moondog" Freed is back at work as a deejay at WJW in Cleveland following recovery from an April auto accident.
Flair Records, another West Coast subsidiary of the R.P.M./Modern Company, enters the rhythm and blues field.
June 9
Ruth Brown returns to New York's Bandbox, the
site of her record breaking engagement last month. Also on the Bill are Woody Herman and
the Jackie
Davis Trio.
June 12
Chance Records' Johnny Sellers is at the New
Era Club in Nashville.
The Clovers are involved in an auto accident while traveling from Houston to Midland, Texas. Only guitarist Harold Winley requires medical attention.
Floyd Davis is this week's entertainment at the 5-4 Ballroom in Los Angeles.
The Howard Theater in Washington hosts Joe Louis Revue featuring Hal "Cornbread" Singer and the Nicholas Brothers.
LaVern Baker fronts the Tito Puente Combo for a week at New York's Apollo Theater.
Lionel Hampton is the headliner at the Uptown Theater in Philadelphia for the week.
The Uptown is starting a policy of combining liver revues with movies to replace the Earle Theater, which closed March 26th and has since been demolished.
June 13
Shirley and Lee front Stomp Gordon's Band for the
evening at New Orlean's Palace Theater.
June14
Roy Brown plays a one-night stand in Los Angeles at
the Elks Ballroom.
The San Jacinto Cafe Club in New Orleans offers a blues battle between Guitar Slim and Smiley Lewis.
June 15
Ruth Brown performs at the Hi Hat Club in
Boston for a week. The Flamingos start an engagement at Gleason's in Cleveland.
Mid-June
While on a talent search in New Orleans, Lee Magid of
Savoy Records records Huey Smith, Billy Wright and Earl and Willie Johnson.The Treniers
are
currently headlining at Philadelphia's Sciolla
Cafe.
June 18
T-Bone Walker is at the 5-4 Club in Los Angeles
for the weekend.
Al Hibbler starts a two-week engagement at Detroit's Flame Show Bar.
Louis Jordan and His Tympany Five start a week at the Regal Theater in Chicago.
June 21
Edna McGriff and the Crickets headline the dance at
the Bedford YMCA in Brooklyn.
The Clovers and Marvin Phillips entertain at the Elks Ballroom in Los Angeles.
Dinah Washington opens at Carr's Beach Resort in Annapolis, Maryland.
June 22
Ruth Brown plays at week at Pep's Musical Bar in Philadelphia.
June 26
Lloyd Price appears for three days at the 5-4
Club in Los Angeles.
The Vocaleers are on stage at the Apollo Theater in New York for the week.
The Uptown Theater in Philadelphia plays host to the Joe Louis Revue.
July 1
The Four Tunes begin an engagement at the Martinique
Club in Wildwood, New Jersey.
June 3
Ruth Brown, Sonny Stitt and the Crickets are
currently at the Apollo.
The Orioles start a two-week tour with the Clovers and Paul Williams Band through the Midwest. The first night's show is in Louisville, Kentucky.
Tiny Bradshaw, Wini Brown and Sarah McLawler are on stage this week at the Howard Theater in Washington.
Sarah Vaughn plays the Three Rivers in in Three Rivers, New York.
Arthur Prysock starts a two-week run at the Midtown Hotel in St. Louis.
The Jackson Brothers and Pee Wee Crayton start a three-day engagement at the 5-4 club in Los Angeles.
July 4
Decca Records announces that it is stepping up the number
of rhythm and blues records it will be releasing. Scheduled for immediate release are
five,
including material by Little Donna Hightower and the
Shadows.
July 5
Johnny Otis and Marie Adams entertain at the Elks
Ballroom in Los Angeles for the regular Sunday night dance.
July 6
Fats Domino brings his band to the Showboat in
Philadelphia.
Early July
The "5" Royales with Charlie
"Little Jazz" Ferguson and his all-girl Orchestra are on a summer-long tour
beginning with a show In Parkesly, West Virginia. They
will wind up on the West Coast in September.
Alberta Adams signs with Chess Records.
Herald Records, a new label from New York, reports strong East Coast action for its new release by the Embers, "Paradise Hill."
July 9
"The Biggest Rhythm and Blues Show" starts its
record-breaking tour and dance in Revere, Massachusetts at the Rollaway Ballroom. Featured
performers
are Joe Louis, Ruth Brown, Wynonie Harris, Lester
Brown and Buddy Johnson's Orchestra.
Over 2,000 are turned away at the door. The next night a
Newark, New Jersey the crowds remain overwhelming. The tour will run six weeks and will
become the largest grossing r&b tour to date. In
Cleveland almost 20,000 turn out and in Detroit the gate is $18,700.
July 10
Dinah Washington makes a stopover at the Howard
Theater in Washington for a week.
July 11
Bill Doggett is entertaining at Pep's Club in
Philadelphia.
July 12
Roy Brown is the featured entertainer at the
regular Sunday night dance at the Elks Ballroom in Los Angeles.
July 13
The Graystone Ballroom in Detroit hosts a rhythm and
blues battle of the vocal groups between the Orioles and Clovers.
July 14
The Orioles and Clovers wind up a successful two weeks on
the road with a performance in Cincinnati. The Clovers immediately join "The Biggest
Rhythm
and Blues Show" tour.
July 15
Billy Eckstine starts a two-week run at the Birdland
in New York.
Mid-July
A check of the summer season at the Wildwood, New
Jersey finds the Treniers at the Riptide, the Four Tunes at the Martinique and Lionel
Hampton at the
Surf Club, as well as a fine showing of jazz artists
at several other nightspots.
In Atlantic City, the vacation season has the Five
Keys at the Weeke's Cocktail Lounge. Also in town are Billy Ford and His Thunderbirds at
the Fort Pitt
Club, Jimmy Tyler and Wild Bill Davis at the Club Harlem,
the Charioteers at the Dude Ranch and a number of jazz artists booked into other
after-hours clubs.
Vivian Carter, deejay on WGRY, Gary Indiana, starts a
new label, Vee-Jay, in partnership with Jimmy Bracken. First artists to be signed are
Mississippi blues
singer Jimmy Reed and the Spaniels, a vocal group from
Gary, Indiana.
July 17
Roy Brown opens for three days at the 5-4 Club in Los
Angeles.
The "Biggest Rhythm and Blues Show"
continues its record breaking tour with a show in Boston tonight. Other dates include
Baltimore (19th), Cleveland
(20th) the Olympia Stadium in Detroit 9
21st), Flint, Michigan (21st), Evansville, Indiana (24th) and St. Louis (25).
Jul 18
Charles Brown delights the patrons at the San Jacinto Club in New
Orleans for the Evening.
July 19
The Orioles are this week's entailment at the Orchid
Club in Kansas City.
July 20
Wille Mabon opens at the Celebrity Club in
Providence, Rhode Island.
July 21
Little Walter begins a two week engagement at the
Royal Peacock in Atlanta.
July 24
Big Jay McNeeley begins three-day stint at the 5-4
Club in Los Angeles.LeVern Baker returns to the Flame Show Bar in Detroit as a headliner.
July 26
Percy Mayfield entertains at the Elks Ballroom Sunday
night dance in Los Angeles.
July 27
Amos Milburn opens in Youngstown, Ohio at Sportoree's
Club
Billie Holiday, Tiny Bradshaw and Roy Milton share the bill at the Graystone Ballroom in Detroit this evening.
The "Biggest Rhythm and Blues Show" continue
rolling across the land with a show tonight in Kansas City. Other dates this week include
Tulsa (28th)
Oklahoma City (29th) and two Texas shows: Amarillo ( 30th)
and Austin (31st).
July 30
Champion Jack Dupree starts a two-day stand at New
Orleans's Dew Drop Inn.
July 31
Fats Domino and the Orioles start at tour of the
Southwest with a performance in Oklahoma City.
Chuck Willis and the Griffin Brothers set of on a package tour with a show in Mobile, Alabama.
Floyd Dixon appears at the 5-4 Club in Los Angeles for three nights.
T-Bone Walker is booked for a three-night engagement at Detroit's Flame Show Bar.
Late July
The Prisonaires, a vocal group completely
comprised of inmates of the Tennessee State Penitentary in Nashville, record several sides
for Sam Phillips Sun
Records in Memphis.
Joe Morris, formerly with Atlantic, has signed with Herald Records, His first release will be "Shake a Hand" featuring vocalist Faye Adams.
Buddy Lucas, a longtime orchestra leader with Jubilee, has gone over to RCA Victor where his initial release will be "Greedy Pig."
August 2
Louis Jordan stops at the
Elks Ballroom in Los Angeles for the evening.
In New Orleans Jack Dupree moves across town to play the San Jacinto Ballroom.
August 4
Following is engagement at
the Royal Peacock in Atlanta, Little Walker takes to the road for a series of shows in
Florida and along the Eastern Seaboard.
August 7
Chuck Higgins and his six-piece
combo take over the 5-4 Club in Los Angeles for the weekend.
Jack Dupree returns to New Orleans' Dew Drop Inn for another three-week stay.
Early August
Recent acquisitions by record
companies include the Charioteers by Tuxedo; Lightin' Hopkins and Savannah Churchill by
Decca; and LaVern Baker, who
had previously recorded with
Todd Rhodes; Orchestra on King, by Atlantic.
Billy Ward and His Dominoes bring in a full house at Wolhurst Club in Littleton, Collard.
August 9
Willie Mae Thornton and Johnny Ace
Play the Elks Ballroom in Los Angeles.
Ray Charles is featured at the
San Jacinto Club in New Orleans for the evening. Also, the "Big Rhythm and Blues
Show" featuring Joe Louis, Ruth Brown,
Wynonie Harris, the Clovers, the
Buddy Johnson Orchestra and Lester Young Combo are in town fore one show at the Municipal
Auditorium (over 4,000
attend).
August 12
The Fats Domino/Orioles
tour continues its two weeks of one-nighters with a show in Amarillo, Texas.
August 13
Charles Ferguson and
his All-Girl Band are involved in an auto accident in Cleveland that kills the
nineteen-year-old bassplayer. Ferguson is on the critical
list. The band
has bee on tour with the "5" Royales was in route to Tyler Texas for another
show. The "5" Royales, traveling in another vehicle, are not
injures. The tour
is booked solidly until December.
August 14
Alan Fred celebrates
the second anniversary of his "Moondog"radio show over Cleveland's WJW with a
dance at the Armory in Cleveland in Akron, Ohio.
Featured attractions of
the show, which broadcasts live over WJW, are the Five Satins with Rene Hall's Band. The
next night Freed takes the show to the
Stambaugh Auditorium in
Youngstown, Ohio.
The Apollo Theater in New York presents Billie Holiday and the Duke Ellington Orchestra for the week.
August 15
The Du Droppers with the Joe
Morris Band start a series of one-night stands.
The Fourth Annual
"World Series of Blues" tales place in the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles. The
performers include Willie Mae Thornton, Johnny Ace,
Roy Milton, Chuck Higgins,
the Flairs, the Robins, Johnny Witherspoon and Helen Humes.
Mid-August
The Dominoes start their
second engagement at the Bandbox in New York.
LaVern Baker sets sail for Europe, where she is booked for a six-month tour.
August 16
Roy Milton entertains
at the Saturday night dance at the Elks Ballroom in Los Angeles.
August 17
T-Bone Walker, Margie Day and
the Paul Williams Orchestra start a week's engagement at the Celebrity Club in Providence,
Rhode Island.
Dinah Washington, Earl Bostic, the Royals, Arthur Prysock, Edna McGriff and Buddy Lucas's Orchestra play the Graystone Ballroom in Detroit.
August 18
Fats Domino and the Orioles
wind up their tour of the Southwest. Domino is off to the West Coast while the Orioles
return to the East.
August 21
The Orioles are booked into the
Apollo Theater in New York for a week. Also on the bill are Leslie Uggams and the Lucky
Millender Combo.
Lynn Hope opens for two weeks at the Royal Peacock in Atlanta.
Willie Mae Thornton and Johnny Ace are at the 5-4 Ballroom in Los Angeles.
Ray Charles entertains at the Dew Drop Inn for the three-day weekend.
August 22
T-Bone Walker goes out on a
tour of the East Coast.
August 29
Thurston Harris, the
Lamplighters, Dootsie Williams's Combo inaugurate the New Harlem Club in Los Angeles.
August 30
Fats Domino sets off on
a three-week tour of California.
Johnny Otis and Marie dams are the evenings entertainment at the Elks Club in Los Angeles.
Late August
Late summer talent scouts in
the field include Ahmet Ertegun and Jerry Wexler of Atlantic Records in New Orleans and
Don Robey of Duke Records in
California.
The hot new radio show in Memphis is the "cool Train" every Saturday over WDIA. Host is Rufus Jr., of Sun Records/
The Four Blazes are currently touring Michigan.
September 4
Percy Mayfield plays the Labor Day weekend dance at the 5-4 Club in Los Angeles.
Willie Mabon, Bullmoose Jackson and Varetta Dillard open for a week at Washington's Howard Theater.
The Apollo Theater presents Arthur Prysock and and Bette McLaurin fronting Illinois Jacquet;s Combo for a week.
September 6
The Ravens and Joe Houston Combo perform at the Elks Ballroom in Los Angeles.
Early September
RCA Victor's R&B chief, Danny Kessler, is in New Orleans on a talent hunt.
September 8
Louis Jordan makes a stopover at the Stateline Country Club at Lake Tahoe.
September 11
Ruth Brown and Billy Eckstine start a short eight day tour of the West Coast.
The revue at New York's Apollo Theater features the talents of the Clovers, Edna McGriff and the Lucky Millender Combo.
Louis Jordan stops for the weekend at Los Angeles' 5-4 Club.
September 14
Duke Ellington, Billy Ward and His Dominoes and the Royals play a one-night stand at
Detroit's Graystone Ballroom.
Mid-September
Earl Bostic is holding down a spot at the Capitol Lounge in Chicago. Also in the Windy
City are the Four Blazes at the Club Baghdad at the start of a
national tour. A new nightspot, The Toast of the Town. has opened and is scheduled the
following entertainers for the rest of the year: Arthur Pyrsock,
T-Bone Walker, Wynonie Harris, B.B. King, Edie Boyd and Ivory Joe Hunter.
September 16
The Orioles, Margerie Day, T-Bone Walker and Paul Williams Orchestra open at the Howard
Theater in Washington for the week.
Fats Domino and his six-piece band wind up a West Coast tour with a three-day weekend performance at the Sands Hotel in Las Vegas.
Billy Ward and His Dominoes start a week's engagement at New York City Apollo
Theater. Also on the bill are Mable Scott and the house band of
Lucky Millender.
September 20
The Ink Spots and the Joe Liggins and His Honeydrippers play the Saturday nigh dance at
Los Angeles' Elks Ballroom, while across town, Ruth
Brown and Billy Eckstine entertain at the Shrine Auditorium.
September 25
The following artists are part of the Pittsburgh Couirier's "operation Music"
held at the Philadelphia Academy of Music: Ruth Brown, Billy Ward and His
Dominoes, Dinah Washington, Joe Louis, Billie Holiday, the Ray-O-Vacs and Buddy Johnson.
The highlight of the evening is the presentation of the
Bessie Smith Award, given by the Pittsburgh Courier to Ruth Brown as top blues
singer. Proceeds of the show go to the NAACP legal fund.
The Orioles with Margie Day and the Paul Williams Orchestra open for a week at the Royal Theater in Baltimore.
While on the West Coast, Fats Domino renews his recording contract with Imperial Records for another nine years.
Chuck Willis is the house guest at the Palace Theater in New Orleans for the evening.
September 27
The Elks Ballroom in Los Angeles hosts a "Battle of the Blues Bands with Jimmy
Witherspoon. Pee Wee Crayton, Charles Brown and Jimmy Wilson
entertaining for the evening.
September 29
Billy Ward and His Dominoes start an engagement at the Bandbox in New York.
September 30
Charles Brown and Johnny Moore's Three Blazers begin another tour of Texas and Louisiana,
which will run through October 22nd.
Louis Jordan embarks on a tour of the West Coast and Western Canada that will include stops in Los Angeles, Seattle, New York City and Montreal
October 1
The
Clovers, Rosco Gordon, Little Esther and Chuck Willis set off on a fifteen-day-tour of the
South.
October 2
Louis opens
at the 5-4 Ballroom in Los Angeles for a three-day weekend.
Ruth Brown starts at the Howard Theater in Washington in a revue entitled "Atlantic City Follies."
Lloyd Price headlines the revue at New York's Apollo Theater for the week. Also on the bill is Annisteen Allen.
October 3
In a press
conference in Washington, Ruth Brown announces she is launching a movement to eliminate
substandard housing and restaurants regularly
provided for
Black entertainers who appear on many one-nighters and theater circuits.
Lowell Fulson plays the Club Paradise in Biloxi, Mississippi, as part of a one-nighter tour.
October 4
Tiny
Bradshaw entertains the dancers at the Elks Ballroom in Los Angeles.
Early October
Danny Kessler,
R&B chief for RCA Victor returns to New York with recordings by the Robins and the
Jackson Brothers. In addition, during his trip to
New Orleans he
signed Sonny Terry, Square Walton and Sam Butters to the label.
October 9
The 5-4 Ballroom
in Los Angeles hosts Little Willie Littlefield for three days.
Edna McGriff makes a three-day stop in New Orleans' Dew Drop Inn.
Savannah Churchill starts a two-week stand at the Flame Showbar in Detroit.
Ruth Brown opens for a week at the Royal Theater in Baltimore.
Clyde McPhatter and the Drifters, blind jazz pianist George Shearing and the Lucky Millender band are at the Apollo Theater for a week in New York.
October 10
Joe Turner
starts a six-week string of one-nighters through Texas. Following this tour, he will work
the Louisiana-Mississippi area into January.
October 11
Fats
Domino makes his debut at the Audubon Ballroom.
Sonny Thompson and Lulu Reed entertain at the Elks Ballroom in Los Angeles.
October 12
The
"5" Royales, Willie Mabon and the Flamingos join the big band of Woody Herman at
the Graystone Ballroom in Detroit for a one-nighter.
October 13
Al Hibbler opens
for three weeks at The Toast of the Town in Chicago.
Mid-October
Recent
record signings include Tommy Ridgely Professor Longhair, both of New Orleans, with
Atlantic and the Wanders and Babs Gonzales with Savoy.
Atlantic
Records and Herald Records are feuding over the talents of Faye Adams. Atlantic claims
that Herald has no right to issue her records since she
was signed
to Atlantic using her given name, Fay Scruggs. Herald claims that Atlantic's' release of
"sweet Talk" was only meant to capitalize on Herald's
success
with "Shake a Hand."
October 16
Wynonie
Harris and Varetta Dillard open at the Apollo in New York for a week.
Mabel Scott and Arthur Prysock are at the Regal Theater in Chicago this week.
Marvin Phillips and the Flairs start a three-day engagement at the 5-4 Ballroom in Los Angeles.
The new show at the Howard Theater in Washington this week features Joe Morris and His Orchestra with Faye Adams and Al Savage.
In New Orleans, Ivory Joe Hunter spends the three-day weekend at the Dew Drop Inn.
October 17
For the
first time in ten months, the are no answer records on the R&B charts. This craze
started with with answers to "I Don't Know: by Willie Mabon,
which was
released in November, 1952.
October 18
Amos,
Milburn, Ruth Brown, Fats Domino, Margie Day and the Paul Williams Band make a one-night
stand at the Laurel Gardens in Newark, New
Jersey.
Charles Brown with Johnny Moore's' Three Blazers play for the evening's entertainment at the Labor Union Hall in New Orleans.
October 19
B.B. King,
Bill Harvey and Gladys Hill appear at the Texas State Fair in Dallas.
October 22
Billy
Kenney and the Ink Spots are at the Saville Theater in Montreal.
Savannah Hill plays the Farmdell Club in Cleveland.
October 23
Johnny Ace makes
his New York debut on the stage of the Apollo Theater for a week. Also on the bill are
Willie Mae Thornton, Little Junior Parker and
the Tab Smith
Combo.
Ruth Brown joins the Five Keys and the Woody Herman band on a ten-day tour of the Midwest.
Ray Charles is booked for three days in the New Orleans area.
Sugar
Ray Robinson, Billy Ward and His Dominoes, T-Bone Walker and the Count Basie Orchestra
play the Baltimore Coliseum. Other dates for this
tour
include the Mosque in Richmond (27th), the Vet in Philadelphia (28th), and the Uline Arena
in Washington (November 1).
The Royal Theater in Baltimore plays host to Faye Adams and the Joe Morris Orchestra.
October 30
The Tempo
Toppers featuring Little Richard are appearing for two days in Oklahoma, City.
Jimmy Wilson and Linda Hayes play the weekend at the 5-4 Ballroom in Los Angeles.
October 31
Mabel Scott
makes a stopover at Detroit's Flame Show Bar.
Late October
In another
story on Chance, J.O.B., former subsidiary of Chance has been taken over by Joe Brown.
Duke Records signs Joseph "Mr. Google Eyes" August, who bills himself as Seattle's only blues singer.
The
Charms recording of "only Heaven Knows" is transferred from Rockin' Records to
Deluxe Records. Both companies are owned by Cincinnati's
major
independent label, King Records.
Johnny Otis and his Orchestra with Marie Adams are currently on tour.
Lee
Magdid leaves Savoy Records to start his own label, Central Records.First talent signed
with the new company included Emmett Hobson. Georgia
Lane and
the Ray-O-Vacs.
Leonard Chess of Chess Records is presently on a trip to New Orleans, Atlantic and Nashville in search of new talent.
November 1
Closing out their short tour, Ruth Brown, the Five Keys and Woody Herman appear in
Indianapolis.
November 2
The Orioles are booked into Kansas City's Orchid Room for one week.
Ruth Brown, Charles Brown and Buddy Johnson's Orchestra open for three days at the Flame Show Bar in Detroit.
November 3
The Royals are at the Trecaveria Club in Columbus, Ohio.
November 4
Chuck Willis joins Milt Buckner for a series of one-nighters.
November 6
Charles Brown and Johnny Moore's Three Blazers with the Lucky Millender's Orchestra
headline the week-long show at the Howard Theater in
Washington.
Tiny Bradshaw brings his orchestra to the 5-4 Ballroom in Los Angeles.
Arthur Prysock starts a week long engagement at Detroit's Flame Show Bar.
November 7
Louis Jordan is currently entertaining at the Cafe Society in New York.
Early November
Sonny Wilson performing with Billy Ward and His Dominoes on tour with Sugar Ray Robinson
collapses during a show in Charlotte, North Carolina.
He is rushed back to his hometown of Detroit for major surgery.
Amos Milburn disbands his combo, billed as the Aladdin Chickenshackers and will appear as
a solo act performing with someone else's combo in
theaters and on tour.
Roy Hamilton from Jersey City signs a recording contract with Okeh, a subsidiary of
Columbia Records. However, he is switched to "pop" division of
Columbia, Epic Records, prior to his first release.
Cozy Cole, jazz drummer, is putting together a new combo to be called the All Stars.
Otis Blackwell appears at the Northeast Ballroom in Washington.
Monte Bruce starts Bruce Records in New York.
The Treniers start a one month layover at the Club Society in New York.
November 13
Joe Morris' Combo with Faye Adams, the Orioles and Mr. Stringbean appears in Little Rock.
The group is booked through Christmas week on tour of
the South, Texas, Florida and East Coast.
In New York the Five Keys headline the revue at the Apollo Theater this week.
November 14
Guitar Slim is welcomed for one night at the New Orleans' Caffin Theater. In nearby
Kenner, Louisiana, Tommy Ridgely appears at Ruby's Inn.
November 15
The "Rhapsodies of 54" Tour featuring Billy Ward and His Dominoes and Count
Basie play one show at the Booker T. Auditorium in New Orleans.
Mid-November
The new Ink Spots featuring Charles Fuqua report that they are booked solid for the next
year. The group recently signed a recording deal with King
Records.
Lynn Hope is currently at Gleason's in Cleveland following a one-night stand at that city's Paradise Ballroom.
Tab Smith opens at Philadelphia's Pep's Musical Bar, where he will alternate with a nightly deejay show, Jocko Henderson's "Song Train" on WDAS.
Fats Domino is currently playing at the Showboat in Philadelphia.
Johnny Otis signs with Peacock Records as a recording artist. He has previously bee active
with the label as arranger and songwriter. He has recorded
under his own name most recently for Mercury..
Starmaker Records, affiliated with WDIA radio in Memphis, is another new label on the scene. Recent releases have been by Danny Day and Moohah.
Jules Bihari announces he is starting a new label, Crown Records, in Los Angeles. New artists will include saxophonist Joe Houston.
November 17
Louis Jordan holds forth at the Birdland in New York for two weeks.
November 18
The Orioles, Faye Adams and Joe Morris' Combo play Atlanta.
November 20
Gene Ammons, the Ebonaires and the TNT Tribble Combo start a week at the Howard Theater in
Washington.
Al Hibbler opens his two-week stay at the Flame Show Bar in Detroit.
In New York, Lucky Millender's Combo, normally assigned duty as house band at the Apollo
Theater, is this week's headline attraction, sharing the bill
with
Sugar Chile Robinson.
November 22
Roy Milton headlines a "Battle of the Blues" featuring Pee Wee Crayton and Lil
Greenwood at New Orleans' Labor Union Hall.
November 23
Dinah Washington travels to the Cafe Society in New York for a week.
November 24
The Five Keys and Chuck Willis joins Milt Bruckner for another series of one-nighters
along the Eastern seaboard.
Recovered after a three week hospital stay for exhaustion, Ruth Brown joins Margie Day and
Paul Williams and His Orchestra for a week-long tour
through
the Midwest and the South. After the tour she plans to rest at home for six weeks.
November 25
Johnny Otis and Marie Adams play a five-day engagement at the 5-4 Ballroom in Los Angeles.
November 27
Louis Jordan opens at the Uptown Theater in Philadelphia for a week.
Ella Fitzgerald and the Wanders headline the revue at New York's Apollo Theater this week.
November 28
Billy Ward and His Dominoes, Count Basie and Sugar Ray Robinson are scheduled to perform
for the benefit Thanksgiving Music Festival in Quincy,
Illinois. The two shows are scheduled for 8 P>M and 10 P,M. Ward is furious when the
promoter withholds their share and inexplicably pulls a gun on
Robinson. He calms down before events can lead to a tragedy.
B.B. King and Willie Mae Thornton play a Thanksgiving dance in Houston.
In Meridian, Mississippi, the Thanksgiving dance features Little Richard and the Tempo Toppers and Raymond Taylor's Duce of Rhythm.
Late November
The Griffin Brothers are booked on a tour of West Virginia.
Nellie Lutcher is appearing at the Crown Propeller Lounge in Chicago. where Muddy Waters
and Rudy Green appear on alternate nights as her
co-performers.
December 2
Johnny Ace. Willie Mae Thornton and Little Junior's Blue Flames play Hattiesburg,
Mississippi, as the first date on their current one-nighter tour.
December 4
In Los Angeles, the Robins headline an extended engagement of the "Sugar Hill
Revue" at the Club Oasis.
Buddy Johnson and His Orchestra with Ella Johnson and Clyde McPhatter and the Drifters headline the show at New York's Apollo Theater.
Bull Moose Jackson starts a three-week engagement at the Flame Show Bar in Detroit.
The Orioles are booked into Washington's Howard Theater for a week.
December 7
The Clovers and Tiny Bradshaw's Combo play a one-nigh stand at the Graystone Ballroom in
Detroit.
Early December
Amos Milburn joins Charles Brown and Choker Campbell on a tour of the South that is booked
through January.
The Bandbox Club in New York switches from R&B to jazz to Latin music with a series of
mambo orchestras and acts, giving into an increasing fad in
music.
Fats Domino continues to play to full houses on his current tour of the South.
December 11
The Ravens start the first of four weekend dates at the 5-4 Ballroom in Los Angeles.
Thurston Harris and the Lamplighters join the Ravens for opening
weekend.
December 14
Ruth Brown holds court during her week-long engagement at Gleason's in Cleveland.
Mid-December
Alan "Moondog" Freed is currently being heard over WNJR in Newark, New Jersey,
via tap recording. The station recently switch to eighteen hours of
R&B and jazz airtime a day.
Ahmet Ertegun and Jerry Wexler of Atlantic Records are back in New York recording both new and established artists.
Gatemouth Brown and Al Grey Combo are currently touring Florida.
December 15
Percy Mayfield joins the Ravens at the 5-4 Ballroom in Los Angeles for the weekend
December 21
Fats Domino starts a tour with the Clovers, who are just off a two-week vacation.
December 24
PewWee Crayton, Little Willie Littlefield and Linda Hayes play the Christmas Eve Dance at
the Elks Ball room in Los Angeles.
December 25
T-Bone Walker works the Christmas Day dance at the Cosmopolitan Hotel in Los Angeles.
The Flamingos share the bill with the Duke Ellington Orchestra for the week at Chicago's Regal Theater.
Sugar Chile Robinson, Annisteen Allen and Lucky Millender open at the Howard Theater in Washington.
December 26
Billboard Magazine reports that the R&B record sales account for less than five
percent of all disk business. Atlantic Records is still the biggest label in
the field followed by King Records.
December 27
T-Bone Walker opens at the Club Alimony in Los Angeles.
December 28
The Four Tunes begin a two-week engagement at the Brown Derby Club in Toronto.
Dinah Washington plays the Graystone Ballroom in Detroit.
December 31
The Orioles, Dizzy Gillespie and Wild Bill Davis help bring the New Year in New York with
a Rockland Palace Show.
Billy Ward and His Dominoes are at Woolhurst Club in Denver.
Mel Walker and Mabel Scott play the Elks Ballroom's New Year's Eve Dance in Los Angeles.