Music History 1960

What happened in The year 1960 ?

In the early sixties Elvis was still the top selling artist with his 1960 number one singles “Stuck on You” – “It’s Now or Never” – “Are You Lonesome Tonight”.
The Kingston Trio had the number one album in the U.S. at the start of the sixties with “Here We Go Again”.
The Everly Brothers changed their record label.
Freddy Cannon made history with “The Explosive! Freddy Cannon” the first rock n’ roll album to top the U.K. Charts.
The BBC banned “Tell Laura I Love Her” by Ricky Valance.

January 1960

In 1960 Elvis was still a conscript in the U.S. services and was promoted to sergeant
Eddie Cochran and Gene Vincent began their U.K. Rock n’ Roll tour at the Granada, Ipswich..
Bobby Darin and Connie Francis performed as a duo on the Ed Sullivan Show.
Sam Cooke signed with RCA Records.
The Platters appeared at the City Hall, Sheffield.
Duane Eddy, Santo and Johnny, Eddie Cochran, Johnny Restivo, Crash Craddock, and the Diamonds began the All American Rock Spectacular in Australia, they appeared in Melbourne on 27- 28th January.

February 1960

Jesse Belvin the R & B singer songwriter died in a head on car crash collision.
Cliff Richard, Eddie Cochran, Alma Cogan, Emile Ford & The Checkmates, Gene Vincent, Lonnie Donegan & his Skiffle Goup and Craig Douglas all appeared at the New Musical Express Annual All-Star Poll Winners Concert.
Boy Meets Girl the U.K. pop music Television show finished, it first aired in September 1959.
The Everly Brothers signed a lucrative recording contract with Warner Brothers, their first release on the label was “Cathy’s Clown”.

Elvis left the army in March 1960 after two years service, the one and only time he stepped onto British soil is when his plane stopped to refuel at Prestwick Airport. Scotland when he was returning to America from Germany.
Bryan Johnson representing the United Kingdom came second in the Eurovision song contest with “Looking High, High, High”.

April 1960

In April RCA Victor were the first record company to release Mono and Stereo records simultaneously. “Stuck on You” was the first recorded by Elvis Presley.
Jack Good’s ABC television show Wham! Debuted.
Dick Clark's movie “Because They're Young” premiered in New York, with appearances by James Darren and Duane Eddy.
Travelling to London to board a transatlantic flight home, Eddie Cochran was in a car crash and was fatally injured and died in hospital the next day.
Duane Eddy & The Rebels, Clyde McPhatter, Bobby Darin, Emile Ford & The Checkmates and Bob Miller & The Millermen appeared at the Odeon, Leeds.
The Everly Brothers began their first European tour at the New Victoria Theatre in London.
The gold selling album Elvis is Back was released

May 1960

Ben E. King left the Drifters to go Solo.
The owner of the Jacaranda club Allan Williams began to manage the Beatles.
The American Triple Star Show at the Gaumont Bradford featured Conway Twitty, Freddy Cannon, and Johnny Preston.

June Gene Vincent, Freddy Cannon, Jerry Keller, Lance Fortune, Georgie Fame and Nero & the Gladiators appeared at the Gaumont, York.
ABC television cancelled Jack Good’s Wham!.
Johnny and the Hurricanes began their U.K.tour.
Paul Anka appeared at New York's Copacabana nightclub.

July 1960

Decca postponed the release of Ray Peterson’s “Tell Laura I Love Her”.
Muddy Waters and Nina Simone appeared at the Newport Jazz Festival, Newport, Rhode Island

August 1960

The Quarrymen had changed their name to Johnny and the Moondogs, The Silver Beetles which then developed into the Beatles. In August Pete Best left the Blackjacks and joined to play the drums for the group. The Beatles made their first appearances at the Indra Club in Hamburg West Germany and when that closed they moved to the Kaiserkellar club. Later that year under the German child protection laws George Harrison at the age of 17 was deported for being underage and Paul McCartney and Pete Best were arrested for arson.

September 1960

In the U.S. in September a law was passed which banned payments or gifts in exchange for record airplay (Payola).
Ricky Nelson began his Australian tour.

October 1960

Joan Baez released her first album in October called Joan Baez.
The Drifters, Ruth Brown, Little Anthony and the Imperials appeared at Chicago's Tivoli Theater.
Jimmy Jones, Mark Wynter, Brook Brothers, Kenny Lynch toured with Tony Marsh their compere.
G.I. Blues the eleventh album by Elvis Presley was released and reached number one in the album charts in both the U.S. and the U.K. a platinum selling record.

November 1960

In Texas the Country singer Johnny Horton died in a head on car crash.
Artists on “The Rock ‘n Trad Spectacular” included Billy Fury, Joe Brown, Tommy Bruce, Dickie Pride, The Valentine Girls and Nelson Keene.
Brenda Lee, Chubby Checker and the Casuals began a tour in Hawaii.

December 1960

Elvis Presley is number one In the U.S. & U. K. Singles charts with “It’s Now or Never”.
Elvis’s first none musical film was released Flaming Star.
Bobby Darin married Sandra Dee in New Jersey.

Formed in 1960

The Del-Phis later changed their name to Martha & the Vandellas.

They were the Impacts then the Versatones changed their name to the Ventures.

Tommy Bruce & the Bruisers.

Jay and the Americans.

The Mavericks changed their name to the The Pacifics and then The Merseybeats.

The Hi-Lites formed then later renamed the Chi-Lites.

The Barron Knights.

Jeff and the Atlantics.

Screaming Lord Sutch & the Savages.

The Searchers.

The Chiffons.