Rock 'n' Roll History for
May 30


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1956 - ClassicBands.com

May 30
Time magazine prints an article entitled Teener's Hero, which tries to explain Elvis Presley's mystique. After a drawn-out description of his singing style, the writer says of Presley's appeal: "his movements suggest, in a word, sex."

1963 - ClassicBands.com

May 30
Lesley Gore makes her first TV appearance, performing "It's My Party" on American Bandstand. The song topped the Billboard Hot 100, the Cashbox Best Sellers list and the UK Official Charts.

1964 - ClassicBands.com

May 30
"Love Me Do" became The Beatles' fourth US number one hit. The version released in America is one that had session drummer Andy White playing drums while Ringo played the tambourine. The British single was a take on which Ringo played the drums. An easy way to distinguish between the two versions is Starr's version does not include a tambourine.

1966 - ClassicBands.com

May 30
Anne Murray signed a contract with the CBC-TV show Singalong Jubilee. She would be paid $71.50 for each appearance on the show, and $99 if she soloed.

May 30
Dolly Parton marries Carl Thomas Dean, the owner of a Nashville asphalt road-paving business. The pair celebrated their 50th anniversary in 2016.


1968 - ClassicBands.com

May 30
The Beatles began recording what became known as the White Album, a two disc set whose official title was simply "The Beatles". The first track they lay down is "Revolution". With sales of 300,000 the LP would spend 22 weeks on the UK charts, far fewer than the 149 weeks for "Sgt. Pepper". In America, it spent 215 weeks on the Billboard 200, selling over 12 million copies.

1970 - ClassicBands.com

May 30
Ray Stevens achieved the first of his two Billboard number one hits when "Everything Is Beautiful" reached the top. His second came almost exactly four years later with "The Streak".

1972 - ClassicBands.com

May 30
John Ryanes of The Monotones passed away. The group had one big hit, "Book Of Love", which reached number 5 in the US in 1958.

1973 - ClassicBands.com

May 30
As the follow-up to 1970's critically acclaimed "All Things Must Pass", George Harrison releases his fourth studio album, "Living in the Material World". It will become his second US number one LP, and was certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America two days after it was issued. The main single, "Give Me Love (Give Me Peace on Earth)", would top the Billboard Hot 100, pushing Paul McCartney And Wings' "My Love" to second spot.

1978 - ClassicBands.com

May 30
Led Zeppelin began work on their final album, "In Through the Out Door". One other Zeppelin album was released after that; "Coda", but it was composed of early recordings and outtakes.


1980 - ClassicBands.com

May 30
Carl Radle, bass guitarist for Derek And The Dominos, died of kidney failure. After The Dominos split, he continued to work with other artists such as George Harrison, Joe Cocker and J.J. Cale. He was just 37 years old.

1992 - ClassicBands.com

May 30
Paul Simon married Edie Brickell of The New Bohemians. He was previously married to Peggy Harper from 1970 to 1975 and actress Carrie Fisher (Princess Leia in Star Wars) from 1983 to 1984.

1999 - ClassicBands.com

May 30
Three thousand people had to be evacuated from Royal Albert Hall in London where Kenny Rogers was about to perform, after a bomb threat was made. No bomb was found and no injuries were reported.

2002 - ClassicBands.com

May 30
Diana Ross voluntarily entered a Malibu drug and alcohol rehabilitation center called Promises to "clear up some personal issues" before embarking on a Summer concert tour.

2003 - ClassicBands.com

May 30
British record producer Mickie Most, who is credited with producing more number one hits world-wide than any other producer, died of peritoneal mesothelioma, a rare form of cancer. He was 64. During a long career he recorded with The Animals, Herman's Hermits, Donovan, Lulu, The Yardbirds, The Nashville Teens, Hot Chocolate, Kim Wilde and many others.

2009 - ClassicBands.com

May 30
81-year-old music legend Fats Domino made a rare appearance at a charity event in New Orleans that raises funds to rebuild schools and playgrounds damaged by Hurricane Katrina. Although he did not perform, The Fat Man watched his old friends Little Richard, B.B. King and Chuck Berry hit the stage and waved at the 3,000-strong crowd.

2010 - ClassicBands.com

May 30
Anita Humes, lead singer for The Essex on their 1963 hits "Easier Said Than Done" (#1) and "A Walkin' Miracle" (#12), passed away at the age of 69.


2012 - ClassicBands.com

May 30
According to Nielsen SoundScan, sales of Bee Gees albums jumped 339% during the week following Robin Gibb's death. Their best selling album, "The Ultimate Bee Gees", re-entered the Billboard 200 chart at #49, selling 9,000 copies.

2015 - ClassicBands.com

May 30
Julie Harris, an Academy Award-winning costume designer who outfitted The Beatles for their films A Hard Day's Night and Help!, passed away at the age of 94. She was once quoted as saying, "I must be one of the few people who can claim they have seen John, Paul, George and Ringo naked."

2017 - ClassicBands.com

May 30
Olivia Newton-John postponed her North American tour to fight a recurrence of breast cancer. The 68-year-old singer had been in remission since 1992.

May 30
Bob Seger's "Greatest Hits" album, released in 1994, is certified Diamond by the Recording Industry Association of America for sales of 10 million copies.


2022 - ClassicBands.com

May 30
Songwriter Paul Vance, who co-wrote some of Rock 'n' Roll's most memorable hits songs, passed away at the age of 92. Among his more successful tunes were Perry Como's "Catch a Falling Star" (#3 in 1958), "Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polkadot Bikini" by Brian Hyland, (#1 in 1960), "What Will My Mary Say" by Johnny Mathis (#9 in 1963), "Tracy" by The Cuff Links (#9 in 1969), "Playground In My Mind" by Clint Holmes (#2 in 1972), and "Run Joey Run" by David Geddes (#4 in 1975).



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