Rock Music 1956

Jan '56

"The Great Pretender" is the follow up to "Only You" by The Platters and becomes the second Rock and Roll song to top the Pop Charts.

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Jan '56

On Jan. 27th RCA releases Heartbreak Hotel, the first Elvis single to go to #1. His national TV debut is Jan. 28th on The Dorsey Brothers Stage Show. (more) (video)

On his way to NY to appear on the Ed Sullivan show, Carl Perkins is seriously injured in a car accident, spending several months in the hospital.

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Mar '56

Alan Freed's Rock and Roll Dance Party is the first regularly broadcast nationwide rock and roll show on the radio. (more)

Apr '56

Jun '56

Elvis debuts "Hound Dog" on the Milton Berle TV show and creates a national stir with his suggestive hip movements.

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Roy Orbison records his debut single "Ooby Dooby" at Sun Studios.

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Feb '56

Cincinnati label Federal Records releases "Please, Please, Please" a #5 hit on the R&B charts for James Brown. (more) (video)

Capitol Records signs up- and-coming rockabilly singer Wanda Jackson and releases "I Gotta Know" which goes to #15 on the Country Charts.

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Jul '56

Gene Vincent and the Blue Caps have a #7 pop hit with "Be Bop A Lula" which goes on to sell 2 million copies.

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Sep '56

Screaming Jay Hawkins has a hit with "I Put A Spell On You" which goes on to sell a million copies. (more)

After winning Ted Mack's Amateur Hour, Memphis band Johnny Burnette & The Rock and Roll Trio are signed to Coral Records. Their version of "Train Kept a Rollin" may be the first use of feedback on a rock record. (more)

The movie "The Girl Can't Help It" features bombshell Jayne Mansfield along with great rock performances by Little Richard, Fats Domino, Eddie Cochran and Gene Vincent

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Dec '56

1956 goes down in history as "the year of Elvis". As he breaks chart records with nine singles in the Hot 100 chart at once. This record would stand until the Beatles break it in 1964. (more)

Bill Haley, The Platters and Alan Freed appear in the low budget movie "Rock Around the Clock". The movie is a financial success and is a model for future "teen" movies. (more)

Jul '56

On Philadelphia's afternoon music show, American Bandstand, host Bob Horn is replaced by Dick Clark after Horn is fired following a drunk driving arrest. (more)

Dec. 4, '56

Elvis Presley, Carl Perkins, Johnny Cash and Jerry Lee Lewis enjoy an impromptu jam session at Sun Studios - the Memphis newspaper dubs it "The Million Dollar Quartet". (more)