1952, After Atlantic Records bought Ray Charles’ contract from Swingtime, Charles recorded his first session for Atlantic, cutting four songs. Over the next seven years, he would record such classics as ‘Mess Around,’ ‘I Got a Woman,’ ‘Hallelujah, I Love Her So’ and ‘What’d I Say.’
1959, Craig Douglas was at No.1 on the UK singles chart with his version of the Sam Cooke hit ‘Only Sixteen’. Born Terence Perkins, he was employed as a milkman before becoming a professional singer and was known as the ‘Singing Milkman’.
1953, Guy Mitchell was at No.1 on the UK singles chart with ‘Look At That Girl’ his second No.1 this year. As an international recording star of the 1950s he sold over six million singles.
1956, Elvis Presley surprised his mother with a gift of a pink Cadillac. The car remained in the Presley family and eventually went on display at Graceland.
1954, To coincide with the release of his second Sun single, ‘Good Rockin’ Tonight’, Elvis Presley along with Bill Black and Scotty Moore made their first appearance at The Grand Old Opry. The audience reaction was so poor, the Opry’s manager, Jim Denny told Elvis that he should go back to driving a truck.
