Music News and Events of 1963

One of the reasons that I consider 1963 a standout is for the great array of notable debuts (and musical diversity):

Jimmy Gilmer and The Fireballs (vocal debut, had instrumental hits before), The Kingsmen, Barbara Lewis, Allan Sherman, The Ronettes, Lesley Gore, Lou Christie, The Chiffons, The Essex, Major Lance, Martha and The Vandellas, Barbra Streisand (album debut), Ruby and The Romantics, The Supremes, The Tymes, Marvin Gaye, Garnet Mims and The Enchanters, Rufus Thomas, "Little" Stevie Wonder, The New Christy Minstrels, Shirley Ellis, Jack Jones, Nino Tempo and April Stevens, Wayne Newton, The Rip Chords, The Surfaris, Paul and Paula, and Dionne Warwick.

LaVern Baker had her last top 40 hit, "See See Rider" (no. 34).

Bobby "Blue" Bland (known as just Bobby Bland at this time) had a double-sided hit, "Call On Me" (no. 22) backed by/ "That's The Way Love Is" (no. 33).

"Why Do Lovers Break Each Other's Hearts ?" (no. 38) was the last top 40 hit for Bob B. Soxx and The Blue Jeans.

"Prisoner Of Love" was the first top 20 hit for James Brown.

Johnny Cash returned to the top 40 with "Ring Of Fire" (no. 17).

The Cookies hit the top 10 for the first time with "Don't Say Nothin' Bad (About MyBaby)", a no. 7 smash. (Last year's "Chains" hit at no. 17).

Dale and Grace (Dale Houston and Grace Broussand) had a no. 1 smash, "I'm Leaving ItUp To You".

The Dixiebelles, with Cornbread and Jerry, went "(Down At) Papa Joe's" for a no. 9 smash.

Fats Domino's last top 40 hit was "Red Sails In The Sunset" (no. 35). "Walkin To NewOrleans", a no. 6 smash in 1960, was his first and last top 10 hit of the decade. Other popular hits were "My Girl Josephine" (no. 14, 1960) and "Let The Four Winds Blow" (no. 15, 1961). Before his first pop hit, Domino had a string of R + B hits from 1950-1954.

The Dovells (featuring Len Barry) returned to the top 10 with "You Can't Sit Down", a no. 3 smash. This would be their last top 40 hit.

Duane Eddy's last top 40 hit was "Boss Guitar" (no. 28).

Shirley Ellis made her top 40 debut with "The Nitty Gritty", a no. 8 smash (Dec).

The Fleetwoods had their last top 40 hit "Goodnight My Love" (no. 32).

Inez Foxx and brother Charlie had a no. 7 smash with "Mockingbird".

"Sugar Shack" was a no. 1 smash (for five weeks!) and the year's biggest hit for Jimmy Gilmer and The Fireballs.

"On Top Of Spaghetti" was a top 20 hit (no. 14) for Tom Glazer and The Do-Re-MiChildren's Chorus. This was a parody of "On Top Of Old Smokey".

Australian Rolf Harris had a no. 3 smash with "Tie Me Kangeroo Down, Sport". (Did American record buyers really understand this song?)

The Impressions had their first top 10 hit, "It's All Right", a no. 4 smash.

Etta James had one of her highest charting top 40 hits, "Pushover" (no. 25). Actually, she placed much higher on the R + B charts; all her top 40 hits placed in the 30s, except for "Pushover" and her biggest top 40, which occurred in 1967.

"Only In America" (no. 25) became one of Jay and The Americans' classic songs. This was originally offered to The Drifters.

The Jaynettes had a no. 2 smash with "Sally, Go Round The Roses".

Jack Jones had his first top 40 hit with "Wives And Lovers" (no. 14).

Kitty Kallen had her last top 40 hit, "My Coloring Book" (no. 18).

Ben E. King took the dramatic "I (Who Have Nothing)" to no. 29. (In 1962, "Don't PlayThat Song (You Lied)" was a no. 11 hit.) "I" would be King's last top 40 hit until 1975.

The Kingsmen had their first top 40, the no. 2 smash, "Louie Louie". This was originally recorded by Richard Berry.

Patti LaBelle and The Blue Belles, under this new group name, had their first top 40 hit, "Down The Aisle (Wedding Song)" (no. 37). As The Blue-Belles, their first top 40 was 1962's "I Sold My Heart To The Junkman" (no. 15). At least, they're credited on the record label. But a group called The Starlets may have actually recorded "Junkman".

Barbara Lewis had her first top 40 hit, "Hello Stranger", a no. 3 smash. Legend has it that The Dells sang backup!

Little Eva had her last two top 40 hits: "Let's Turkey Trot" (no. 20) and "Swinging On AStar", as a duet with Big Dee Irwin (no. 38).

Los Indios Trabajaras(The Working Indians, I believe) took the instrumental "Maria Elena" to no. 6.
The Marketts saw their instrumental, "Out Of Limits" become a no. 3 smash.

Wayne Newton had his first top 40 hit, "Danke Schoen" (no. 13).

The Olympics had their last top 40 hit, "The Bounce" (no. 40).

Jan Bradley had her first, and only, top 40 hit with "Mama Didn't Lie" (no. 14). I believe Curtis Mayfield wrote and produced this.

Lloyd Price had his last top 40 hit, "Misty" (no. 21).

The Raindrops, which consisted of famed songwriter/producers Jeff Barry and EllieGreenwich and her sister Laurie, had a no. 17 hit, "The Kind Of Boy You Can't Forget". They also had "What A Guy". Besides continuing as a songwriter/producer, Ellie Greenwich did a solo effort in the late '60s, "I Want You To Be My Baby" or "Want YouTo Be My Baby".

The Rocky Fellers were a father and his four sons, who had a no. 16 hit with "Killer Joe".

"Everybody" was a no. 3 smash for Tommy Roe.

The Ronettes were a trio of two sisters, Veronica "Ronnie" Bennett, Estelle Bennett, and a cousin, Nedra Talley. They made their top 40 debut with "Be My Baby", a no. 2 smash. The group started out as resident dancers in 1961 at New York's Peppermint Lounge and appeared in "Twist Around The Clock". In August of that year, the trio signed with Colpix Records and released four unsuccessful songs. Legend has it that after a Peppermint Lounge show in 1963, Ronnie Bennett walked into a bar and saw PhilSpector sitting at the piano. Their eyes locked. Spector asked her to sing. And rock-and-roll history was made. (And love. Spector was instantly smitten and later married Ronnie.) I think that the Ronettes were, and still are, the most beautiful female group ever. The Royalettes are, and were, the second most beautiful, in my opinion. Find some pictures; take a look!) And I think that was part of their appeal, but just a part, for this group also had talent and several classic songs.

Kyu Sakamoto had a megahit with "Sukiyaki", a no. 1 smash for three weeks.

Allan Sherman had a no. 2 smash with "Hello Muddah, Hello Fadduh!" (A Letter FromCamp)". This was an adaption of Ponchielli's "Dance Of The Hours".

A Belgian nun, Soeur Sourire (The Singing Nun), had a no. 1 smash for four weeks with "Dominique".

Jimmy Soul also had a no. 1 smash, "If You Wanna Be Happy". I really love the lyrics here, don't you? If you really think about it, there was a lot of truth to them!

Ray Stevens had a top 20 hit with "Harry The Hairy Ape" (no. 17).

The Supremes had their first top 40 hit, "When The Lovelight Starts Shining ThroughHis Eyes" (no. 23).

Rufus Thomas (father of Carla and a famous R + B DJ) had a top 10 smash, "WalkingThe Dog" (at no. 10). This was actually the follow-up to Thomas' first song, "The Dog" or "Do The Dog".

Doris Troy also had a no. 10 smash with "Just One Look". She later became a very much-in-demand backup singer, particularly in England.

Dionne Warwick had her first top 40 hit, "Don't Make Me Over" (no. 21).

In April, "You Beat Me To The Punch" by Mary Wells became the first Motown record to receive a Grammy nomination.

Peter, Paul and Mary sang "Blowin' In The Wind" at the 1963 March On Washington.

Motown recorded Martin Luther King Jr.'s June 23rd speech before 125,000 demonstrators in an historic civil rights march in Detroit. This was released on Aug. 28th, the day of King's "I Have A Dream" speech. The album "Great March To Freedom" was the company's first spoken-word recording. The spoken-word label, Black Forum, was not as aggressively promoted, for business reasons. The bottom line was to sell those pop records!

In Sept., American Bandstand went from a daily show to a weekly one, airing now on Saturday.

Barbra Streisand and Elliot Gould were married.

The Whiskey-A-Go-Go opens in Los Angeles.

Dinah Washington was found dead from an overdose of sleeping pills at her home in Detroit.

Frank Sinatra Jr. was freed from a kidnapping after a $240,000 ransom is paid.

Across the ocean, The Beatles' second single, "Please Please Me" topped the British charts, causing a new sensation; it launched the Beat Boom and put Mersey Beat on the map. The single was rush-released in America, but failed to click here.

Country star Patsy Cline died in a plane crash. Over 30 years later, her albums still continue to sell well in the U.S. and England.

Many folk singers protested the exclusion of Pete Seeger and The Weavers from TV's Hootenanny program.

Across the ocean, Beatles manager Brian Epstein was also managing Billy J. Kramerand The Dakotas, who now had two back-to-back no. 1s on the British charts, and Gerry and The Pacemakers, who had three no. 1s.

Cliff Richard sang his British no. 1 hit, "Summer Holiday" on the Ed Sullivan Show, but it failed to click in the U.S.

Del Shannon did a cover of the Beatles' UK no. 1 hit, "From Me To You".

The first Monterey Folk Festival was held. Headliners included Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, and Peter, Paul and Mary. These three artists also joined 200,000 civil rights demonstrators for the March On Washington.

Across the ocean, The Beatles' debut album, "Please Please Me" was a no. 1 smash for 30 weeks! The single "She Loves You" had record advance orders and sold over a million in the UK.

Also across the ocean, the pop music TV show, Ready, Steady, Go, was launched.

Still across the ocean, many classic American R + B songs were being covered by British groups.

Little Stevie Wonder became the first singer to hit no. 1 on both the singles and albums charts with "Fingertips, Part 2" and "The 12 Year Old Genius", respectively.

In the States, the album, "Introducing The Beatles" went unnoticed at this time.

The top albums chart now included both mono and stereo LPs.

Across the ocean, after the folk-pop trio, The Springfields (remember "Silver Threadsand Golden Needles"?) split up, one of its members, Dusty Springfield, had instant solo success with "I Only Want To Be With You".

Still across the ocean, The Beatles caught The Rolling Stones at the Crawdaddy Club in London and recommended them to ex-publicist Andrew Loog Oldham.

British Decca signs The Rolling Stones. The record label had previously turned down The Beatles.

Over six million guitars were sold.

Across the ocean, the British media invent a new word, "Beatlemania".

In the States, it was a big year for girl groups and female singers.

The biggest new dance craze was The Monkey. The Bossa N ova was also popular, but The Dog was considered "nasty." (I don't think the kids were allowed to do this dance on "Bandstand".)

Across the ocean, The Rolling Stones, on their first British tour, were just the supporting act for Little Richard, Bo Diddley, and The Everly Brothers.

Folk music joined with the Civil Rights movement.

Surf music was red-hot.

At year's end in the States, Peter, Paul and Mary held the top two places on the albums chart.

Bob Dylan sold out Carnegie Hall.

Across the ocean, Cynthia Lennon gave birth to a son, Julian.

The Motown sound is becoming popular in the U.S. and England.

A coffee house circuit of folk clubs spreads from Greenwich Village to almost every major city and college campus in the past five years.

The first two Beatles singles in the U.S. bombed: "She Loves You" on Swan and "Please Please Me" on Veejay.

Bobby Darin becomes the first pop/rock star to be nominated for an Oscar, for BestSupporting Actor for "Captain Newman, M.D".

The year's popular albums included:

"The First Family"- Vaughn Meader "My Son, The Folk Singer", My Son, The Celebrity", and "My Son, The Nut"- Allan Sherman "West Side Story"- Soundtrack "Jazz Samba"- Stan Getz and Charlie Bryd "Girls! Girls! Girls!" , "It Happened At The World's Fair", and "Elvis' Golden Records, Vol. 3"- Elvis Presley "Moving", "In The Wind", and "Peter, Paul and Mary"- Peter, Paul and Mary "Songs I Sing On The Jackie Gleason Show"- Frank Fontaine "Moon River And Other Great Movie Themes" and "Days Of Wine And Roses"- Andy Williams "Richard Chamberlain Sings"- Richard Chamberlain "Kingston Trio" and ""Best Of The Kingston Trio"- The Kingston Trio "Lawrence Of Arabia"- Soundtrack "Surfin' U.S.A."- The Beach Boys "The James Brown Show"- James Brown "The 12 Year Old Genius"- Little Stevie Wonder "Trini Lopez At PJ's"- Trini Lopez "Bye Bye Birdie"- Soundtrack "Ingredients In A Recipe For Soul"- Ray Charles "Second Barbra Streisand Album"- Barbra Streisand "The Singing Nun"- The Singing Nun "Joan
Baez In Concert" , "Joan Baez, Vol. I", and "Joan Baez, Vol. II"- Joan Baez "I Left My Heart In San Franciso" and "I Wanna Be Around"- Tony Bennett "Oliver"- Original Cast "Modern Sounds In Country and Western Music, Vol. I" and Modern Sounds In Country and Western Music, Vol. II"- Ray Charles "Roy Orbison's Greatest Hits"- Roy Orbison "The Barbra Streisand Album"- Barbra Streisand "The Sound Of Music"- Original Cast "Sincerely Yours"- Robert Goulet