8 January:MIKE RENO = Canadian musician, drummer, and lead singer with Loverboy
13 January:FRED WHITE = American musician, member of Earth Wind & Fire {1974-1984}
17 January:STEVE EARLE = American rock, country and folk singer-songwriter, record producer, author and actor
19 January:SIR SIMON RATTLE = English conductor
23 January:BILL T MILLER = Native American singer/songwriter and artist
26 January:EDDIE VAN HALEN = Dutch-American musician, songwriter and producer, member of Van Halen
27 January:RICHARD YOUNG = American musician, member of Kentucky Headhunters {1968–1982, 1986–present}
9 February:JIMMY PURSEY = English singer and record producer, founder and frontman of Sham 69
18 February:MILES TREDINECK aka RIFF REGAN = British lead singer of London
22 February:JON BRANT = American bassist with Cheap Trick
23 February:HOWARD JONES = English musician, singer, and songwriter
2 March:JAY OSMOND = American singer and songwriter, member of The Osmonds
4 March:BOON GOULD = English musician and one of the four founding members of Level 42
10 March:BUNNY DeBARGE = American soul singer–songwriter, best known as the lone female sibling of the Motown family group DeBarge
15 March:DEE SNIDER = American singer-songwriter, screenwriter, radio personality, and actor, member of Twisted Sister
28 March:REBA McENTIRE = American singer, songwriter, actress and record producer
31 March:ANGUS YOUNG = Scottish-born Australian guitarist with AC/DC
13 April:LOUIS JOHNSON = American musician and bass guitarist, member of The Brothers Johnson = [died: 2015]
14 April:SIMON CROWE = Irish drummer with The Boomtown Rats
17 April:PETE SHELLEY = English singer, songwriter and guitarist, best known as the leader of Buzzcocks
7 May:STEVE DIGGLE = English guitarist and vocalist in the punk band Buzzcocks {1976-81, 1989-present} and Flag of Convenience {1982–1989}
9 May:ANNE SOFIE VON OTTER = Swedish operatic mezzo-soprano
12 May:KIX BROOKS = American country music artist, actor, and film producer best known for being one half of the duo Brooks & Dunn
20 May:
STEVE GEORGE = American keyboard player, member of Mr. Mister
ZBIGNIEW PREISNER = Polish film score composer
21 May:STAN LYNCH = American musician, songwriter and record producer, member of Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers {1975-1994}
29 May:PASCAL DUSAPIN = French composer
30 May:TOPPER HEADON = English drummer with The Clash {1977-1982}
7 June:JOEY SCARBURY = American singer
8 June:JON KING = English musician, songwriter, member of Gang Of Four
23 June:GLENN DANZIG = American singer, songwriter and musician, founder of Danzig
26 June:MICK JONES = English musician, singer and songwriter best known as the lead guitarist, co-lead vocalist, cofounder and songwriter for The Clash {1976-1983}
28 June:THOMAS HAMPSON = American opera singer
10 July:STAN MUNSEY = American songwriter-musician, member of Shenandoah
18 July:TERRY CHAMBERS = English drummer and founding member of XTC
21 July:HOWIE EPSTEIN = American musician, member of Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers {1982-2002} = [died: 2003]
25 July:JEM FINER = English musician, artist and composer. He was one of the founding members of The Pogues
30 July:CHRISTOPHER MILLER bka RAT SCABIES = English musician, drummer for The Damned {1976–1977, 1978–1996}
17 August:COLIN MOULDING = English bassist and founding member of XTC
25 August:JOHN McGEOCH = Scottish guitarist, member of Magazine {1977-1980}, Visage {1979-1981}, Siouxsie and the Banshees {1980-1982} and PiL {1986-1992} = [died: 2004]
28 August:BERES HAMMOND = Jamaican reggae singer
29 August:DIAMANDA GALÁS = American singer, composer, pianist and performance artist
3 September:STEVE JONES = English rock and roll guitarist and singer, member of The Sex Pistols
9 September:IVAN SMIRNOV = Russian guitarist
13 September:ANDREAS STAIER = German classical harpsichordist and fortepianist
2 October:PHILIP OAKEY = English singer, songwriter and producer. He is best known as the lead songwriter, frontman and co-founder of the English synthpop band The Human League
7 October:YO-YO MA = Chinese American cellist
16 October:LEONID DESYATNIKOV = Russian composer
21 October:
FRED HERSCH = American jazz pianist
RICH MULLINS = American singer-songwriter = [died: 1997]
25 October:MATTHIAS JABS = German guitarist and songwriter, member of The Scorpions
29 October:KEVIN DUBROW = American heavy metal singer, best known as the lead vocalist of the heavy metal band Quiet Riot {1975-1987, 1990-2007} = [died: 2007]
21 November:KYLE GANN = American professor of music, critic, and composer
23 November:LUDOVICO EINAUDI = Italian composer and pianist
30 November:WILLIAM MICHAEL ALBERT BROAD bka BILLY IDOL = English musician, singer, songwriter, and actor
6 December:
BRIGHT SHENG = Chinese-American composer, conductor, and pianist
EDWARD TUDOR-POLE = English singer, TV presenter and actor
15 December:PAUL SIMONON = English bass guitarist with The Clash
date unknown:
SUSAN ADDISON = English trombone alto, tenor, sackbut player
Timeline of Musical Events
1 January: RCA victor announces a marketing plan called "Operation TNT." The label drops the list price on LPs from $5.95 to $3.98, EPs from $4.95 to $2.98, 45 EPs from $1.58 to $1.49 and 45's from $1.16 to $.89. Other record labels follow RCA's lead and begin to drop prices as well.
7 January: "Rock Around the Clock" by Bill Haley & His Comets first appears on the British charts.
14 January: In New York City, ALAN FREED produces the first rock and roll concert.
19 February: Dot Records introduces a new singer, PAT BOONE, with an advertisement in Billboard magazine calling him "a great new voice"
26 February:
For the first time since their introduction in 1949, 45 rpm discs begin to outsell standard 78s.
KAY STARR leaves Capitol to sign with RCA
15 March:Colonel Tom Parker becomes ELVIS PRESLEY's manager
19 March: The film 'Blackboard Jungle' premieres in New York City. The film features Bill Haley & His Comets' "Rock Around the Clock" over the opening credits—the first use of a rock and roll song in a major film.
22 March: Decca Records signs DJ ALAN FREED as an A&R man.
26 March:BILL HAYES tops the US charts for five weeks with "The Ballad of Davy Crockett" and starts a (fake) coonskin cap craze.
13 May: First riot at an ELVIS PRESLEY concert takes place in Jacksonville, FL
21 May:CHUCK BERRY records his first single, "Maybelline" for Chess Records in Chicago.
22 May: Bridgeport, CT authorities cancel a rock concert to be headlined by FATS DOMINO for fear of a riot breaking out.
June: The newly-formed Netherlands Chamber Orchestra gives its first performance at the Holland Festival.
9 July: "Rock Around the Clock" becomes the first Rock and roll single to reach Number One on the American charts.
13 July: The Beaux Arts Trio make their debut at the Berkshire Music Festival.
19 August: WINS radio station in New York City adopts policy of not playing white cover versions of black R&B songs.
31 August: A Londoner is fined for "creating an abominable noise" for playing "Shake, Rattle, and Roll" at top volume.
3 September:LITTLE RICHARD records "Tutti Frutti" with significantly cleaned up lyrics (originally "Tutti Frutti, good booty" among other things).
26 September: "America's Sweethearts," EDDIE FISHER and DEBBIE REYNOLDS marry.
15 October:ELVIS PRESLEY plays a concert in Lubbock, Texas. Opening act is local duo Buddy and Bob. Buddy is future rock star BUDDY HOLLY.
12 November: Billboard magazine DJ poll names ELVIS PRESLEY as the most promising new country/western singer.
20 November:BO DIDDLEY makes his debut TV appearance on Ed Sullivan's "Toast Of The Town" show on CBS.
22 November:Colonel Tom Parker signs ELVIS PRESLEY to RCA Records.
December: The Temperance Seven is founded, with three members.
15 December: Sun Records releases "Folsom Prison Blues" by JOHNNY CASH.
Also in 1955:
PAUL SIMON and ART GARFUNKEL copyright a song, "The Girl For Me", with the Library of Congress and begin singing together as a duo while still in high school in New York, New York.
MIRELLA FRENI makes her debut as Micaela in Carmen at Modena.
Nine-year-old AL GREEN forms a gospel quartet, the Green Brothers.
CLYDE McPHATTER launches a solo career.
Renato Carosone and Nicola Salerno meet and start their songwriting partnership
Italian singers NATALINO OTTO and FLO SANDON's wed.
SHIVKUMAR SHARMA gives his first public performance in Bombay.
ALOYS and ALFONS KONTARSKY begin performing as a piano duo.
Published Popular Music
"Adelaide" = lyrics & music by FRANK LOESSER
"Ain't That A Shame" = lyrics & music by ANTOINE DOMINO & DAVE BARTHOLOMEW
"Ain't That Lovin' You Baby" = lyrics & music by JIMMY REED
"All At Once You Love Her" = lyrics by OSCAR HAMMERSTEIN II; music by RICHARD RODGERS
"Arrivederci Roma" = English lyrics by CARL SIGMAN; music by RENATO RANUCCI
"Ballad Of Davy Crockett" = lyrics by TOM BLACKBURN; music by GEORGE BRUNS
"Band Of Gold" = lyrics by BOB MUSEL; music by JACK TAYLOR
"The Bible Tells Me So" = lyrics & music by DALE EVANS
"Black Denim Trousers And Motorcycle Boots" = lyrics & music by JERRY LEIBER & MIKE STOLLER
"Blue Monday" = lyrics & music by ANTOINE "FATS" DOMINO & DAVE BARTHOLOMEW
"Blue Star" = lyrics by EDWARD HEYMAN; music by VICTOR YOUNG
"Blue Suede Shoes" = lyrics & music by CARL PERKINS
"Bo Diddley" = lyrics & music by ELLAS McDANIEL
"Charlie Brown" = lyrics & music by JERRY LEIBER & MIKE STOLLER
"Christmas Alphabet" = by BUDDY KAYE, JULES LOMAN
"Dance With Me, Henry" aka "Wallflower" = lyrics & music by JOHNNY OTIS, HANK BALLARD & ETTA JAMES
"Day-O (The Banana Boat Song)" = traditional West Indies arranged by WILLIAM ATTAWAY and IRVING BURGIE (aka LORD BURGESS)
"Domani" = lyrics by TONY VELONA; music by ULPIO MINUCCI
"Don't Be Angry" = lyrics & music by NAPPY BROWN, ROSE MARIE McCOY & FRED MENDELSOHN
"Dreamboat" = lyrics & music by JACK HOFFMAN
"Dungaree Doll" = lyrics by BEN RALEIGH; music by SHERMAN EDWARDS
"Folsom Prison Blues" = lyrics & music by JOHNNY CASH
"Forever Darling" = lyrics by SAMMY CAHN; music by BRONISLAU KAPER. Introduced by DESI ARNAZ in the 1956 film 'Forever, Darling'
"The Great Pretender" = lyrics & music by BUCK RAM
"Hallelujah I Love Her So" = lyrics & music by RAY CHARLES
"He" = lyrics by JACK MULLAN; music by JACK RICHARDS
"He's a Tramp" = lyrics & music by PEGGY LEE and SONNY BURKE. Introduced by PEGGY LEE in the animated film 'Lady and the Tramp'
"Heart" = lyrics & music by RICHARD ADLER & JERRY ROSS
"Hey, Mister Banjo" = lyrics & music by FREDDY MORGAN & NORMAN MALKIN
"I Hear You Knocking" = lyrics & music by DAVE BARTHOLOMEW & PEARL KING
"I Never Has Seen Snow" = lyrics by TRUMAN CAPOTE & HAROLD ARLEN; music by HAROLD ARLEN
"I'll Never Stop Loving You" = lyrics by SAMMY CAHN; music by NICHOLAS BRODSZKY. Introduced by DORIS DAY in the film 'Love Me or Leave Me'.
"I'm In Love Again" = lyrics & music by ANTOINE DOMINO & DAVE BARTHOLOMEW
"In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning" = lyrics by BOB HILLIARD; music by DAVE MANN
"Innamorata" = lyrics by JACK BROOKS; music by HARRY WARREN Introduced by DEAN MARTIN in the film 'Artists and Models'
"It's Almost Tomorrow" = lyrics by WADE BUFF; music by GENE ADKINSON
"Jamaica Farewell" = lyrics & music by LORD BURGESS
"Jim Dandy" = lyrics & music by LINCOLN CHASE
"Ko Ko Mo (I Love You So)" = lyrics & music by FOREST WILSON, JAKE PORTER & EUNICE LEVY
"Learnin' The Blues" = lyrics & music by DOLORES VICKI SILVERS
"Life Could Not Better Be" = lyrics & music by SYLVIA FINE & SAMMY CAHN. Introduced by DANNY KAYE in the film 'The Court Jester'.
"Little One" = lyrics & music by COLE PORTER
"Love and Marriage" = lyrics by SAMMY CAHN; music by JAMES VAN HEUSEN
"Love Is A Many-Splendored Thing" = lyrics by PAUL FRANCIS WEBSTER; music by SAMMY FAIN
"Maybelline" = lyrics & music by CHUCK BERRY, RUSS FRATO & ALAN FREED
"Memories Are Made Of This" = lyrics & music by TERRY GILKYSON, RICH DEHR & FRANK MILLER
"Mind if I Make Love to You?" = lyrics & music by COLE PORTER
"Moments To Remember" = lyrics by AL STILLMAN; music by ROBERT ALLEN
"Mr. Wonderful" = lyrics & music by JERRY BOCK, GEORGE DAVID WEISS & LARRY HOLOFCENER
"My Boy - Flat Top" = lyrics & music by BOYD BENNETT & JOHN YOUNG Jr
"No, Not Much" = lyrics by AL STILLMAN; music by ROBERT ALLEN
"Once-A-Year Day" = lyrics & music by RICHARD ADLER & JERRY ROSS from the musical 'The Pajama Game'
"An Occasional Man" = lyrics & music by RALPH BLANE & HUGH MARTIN. Introduced by GLORIA DeHAVEN in the film 'The Girl Rush'
"Paper Roses" = lyrics by JANICE TORRE; music by FRED SPIELMAN
"Pet Me Poppa" = lyrics & music by FRANK LOESSER
"Pete Kelly's Blues" = lyrics by SAMMY CAHN; music by RAY HEINDORF
"Relax-Ay-Voo" = by SAMMY CAHN & ARTHUR SCHWARTZ
"Robin Hood" = lyrics & music by CARL SIGMAN. Theme song of the Television series starring RICHARD GREENE.
"The Rock And Roll Waltz" = lyrics by DICK WARE; music by SHORTY ALLEN
"Rock-A-Beatin' Boogie" = lyrics & music by BILL HALEY
"Same Old Saturday Night" = lyrics by SAMMY CAHN; music by FRANK REARDON
"See You Later Alligator" = lyrics & music by ROBERT GUIDRY
"Seven-And-A-Half Cents" = lyrics & music by RICHARD ADLER & JERRY ROSS
"The Siamese Cat Song" = lyrics & music by PEGGY LEE & SONNY BURKE. Introduced by PEGGY LEE in the animated film 'Lady and the Tramp'.
"A Sleepin' Bee" = lyrics by TRUMAN CAPOTE & HAROLD ARLEN; music by HAROLD ARLEN. Introduced in the musical ’House of Flowers by DIAHANN CARROLL, ADA MOORE, DOLORES HARPER and ENID MOSIER
"Smokey Joe's Cafe" = lyrics & music by JERRY LEIBER & MIKE STOLLER
"Softly, Softly" = by PIERRE DUDAN, PADDY ROBERTS & MARK PAUL
"Something's Gotta Give" = lyrics & music by JOHNNY MERCER. Introduced by FRED ASTAIRE in the musical film 'Daddy Long Legs'.
"Speedoo" = lyrics & music by ESTHER NAVARRO
"Stereophonic Sound" = lyrics & music by COLE PORTER from the musical 'Silk Stockings'
"A Story Untold" = by LEROY GRIFFIN
"Suddenly There's A Valley" = lyrics & music by CHUCK MEYER & BIFF JONES
"(Love Is) The Tender Trap" = lyrics by SAMMY CAHN; music by JAMES VAN HEUSEN. Introduced by FRANK SINATRA in the film 'The Tender Trap'.
"Theme From "East Of Eden"" = music by LEONARD ROSENMAN
"Tina Marie" = lyrics & music by BOB MERRILL
"Tutti Frutti" = lyrics & music by RICHARD PENNIMAN, D. LA BOSTRIE & JOE LUBIN
"Two Lost Souls" = lyrics & music by RICHARD ADLER & JERRY ROSS. Introduced by GWEN VERDON and STEPHEN DOUGLASS in the musical 'Damn Yankees'
"Unchained Melody" = lyrics by HY ZARET; music by ALEX NORTH
"Wake The Town And Tell The People" = lyrics by SAMMY GALLOP; music by JERRY LIVINGSTON
"The Wallflower" (aka "Dance With Me Henry") = lyrics & music by JOHNNY OTIS, HANK BALLARD & ETTA JAMES
"Whatever Lola Wants" = lyrics & music by RICHARD ADLER & JERRY ROSS. Introduced by GWEN VERDON in the musical 'Damn Yankees'. GWEN also performed the song in the 1958 film version.
"Why Do Fools Fall in Love" = lyrics & music by FRANKIE LYMON & GEORGE GOLDNER
"A Woman in Love" = lyrics & music by FRANK LOESSER
"You Are My Love" = lyrics & music by JIMMIE NABBIE
"You Don't Know Me" = lyrics & music by CINDY WALKER & EDDY ARNOLD
"You're Sensational" = lyrics & music by COLE PORTER. Introduced by FRANK SINATRA in the musical film 'High Society'
Classical Music
ARTHUR BLISS
Violin Concerto
HENRY COWELL
Symphony No. 12
GEORGE CRUMB
Diptych for orchestra
Sonata for solo cello
MARIO DAVIDOVSKY
Quintet for Clarinet and Strings
Suite Sinfonica Para "El Payaso" for orchestra
EINAR ENGLUND
Piano Concerto No. 1
FERENC FARKAS
Bukki Varlatok
GERALD FINZI
Cello Concerto
HANS WERNER HENZE
Symphony No. 4
ALAN HOVHANESS
Symphony No. 2 Mysterious Mountain
WITOLD LUTOSLAWSKI
Dance Preludes (2nd version for clarinet and chamber group)
BOHUSLAV MARTINU
The Epic of Gilgamesh
Oboe Concerto
DARIUS MILHAUD
Symphony No. 5
Symphony No. 6
LUIGI NONO
Il Canto Sospeso, for soli, chorus, and orchestra
Incontri, for 24 instruments
WALTER PISTON
Symphony No. 6
EDMUND RUBBRA
Piano Concerto
JOHN SERRY, Sr.
American Rhapsody
KARLHEINZ STOCKHAUSEN
Klavierstücke V–VIII
ALEXANDRE TANSMAN
Concerto for Orchestra
Capriccio for Orchestra
MICHAEL TIPPETT
Sonata for Four Horns
ERNST TOCH
Symphony No. 3
RALPH VAUGHAN WILLIAMS
Symphony No. 8
WILLIAM WALTON
Johannesburg Festival Overture
FRANZ WAXMAN
Sinfonietta for Strings and Timpani
IANNIS XENAKIS
Pithoprakta for orchestra
Opera
CARLISLE FLOYD
Susannah
LUKAS FOSS
Griffelkin (opera in three acts, libretto by A. Reed after H. Foss, premiered on November 6, 1955, on NBC television)
DMITRI KABALEVSKY
Nikita Vershinin
Musical Theatre
THE AMAZING ADELE
Philadelphia production
ANKLES AWEIGH
Broadway production
CATCH A STAR
Broadway production
DAMN YANKEES
(Richard Adler and Jerry Ross)
Broadway production
KISMET
London production opened at the Stoll Theatre on April 20 and ran for 648 performances
THE PAJAMA GAME
(Richard Adler and Jerry Ross)
London production opened at the Coliseum on October 13 and ran for 501 performances
PHOENIX '55
Broadway production
PIPE DREAM
(Rodgers & Hammerstein)
Broadway production
PLAIN AND FANCY
Broadway production
ROMANCE IN CANDLELIGHT
London production opened at the Piccadilly Theatre on September 15 and ran for 53 performances
SEVENTH HEAVEN
Broadway production opened at the ANTA Playhouse on May 26 and ran for 44 performances
SHOESTRING REVUE
Broadway production
SILK STOCKINGS
Broadway production
WONDERFUL TOWN
(Leonard Bernstein, Betty Comden and Adolph Green)
London production opened at the Princes Theatre on February 24 and ran for 207 performances
Please address any comments concerning this page to The Music Maestro
Mark Chard BSc, PLY
Page created: 14th August 2011
Last edited: 10th February 2024
