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May, 1900 — The inventor of the 78 r.p.m. record, Emile Berliner, sees the French painter France Barraud's work "His Master's Voice" portraying the artist's dog Nipper listening to an early gramophone. Britain's Gramophone Company had bought the U.K. rights to the art in 1899 and Berliner soon acquires the U.S. rights for the company's U.S. affiliate, the Victor Talking Machine Company, which RCA buys in 1929. RCA uses the image on its record labels until 1968.
May, 1903 — National Magazine publishes an interview with Thomas Edison, who, when asked about his favorite invention, replies, "The phonograph...by all means!...My ambition is to have it so perfect that it will reproduce your Boston symphonies to perfection, giving the distinct intonation of every instrument."
May 1, 1948 — Wynonie Harris enters the R&B hit parade with a cover of Roy Brown's "Good Rockin' Tonight." Harris' version reaches #1, while Brown's goes to #13. Six years later, Elvis Presley covers the song at the start of his legendary career, which is heavily influenced by black jump blues artists like Harris and Brown.
1955 — A St. Louis guitarist named Chuck Berry is signed to Chess Records in Chicago after bluesman Muddy Waters recommends him to the label.
1963 — The Rolling Stones sign a management deal with Andrew Loog Oldham, who removes the apostrophe from their name (they had been The Rollin' Stones, named after Muddy Waters' 1950 recording "Rollin' Stone").
1966 — The Beatles play their last concert (not counting their informal Apple Records rooftop appearance in 1969) in their native England when they appear at a show put on by the New Musical Express. The last song is "I'm Down."
May 2, 1960 — American Bandstand host Dick Clark testifies before the U.S. Congress about the payola scandal, in which many disc jockeys accepted money to play certain records. Before the hearings, Clark divests many of his interests in the songs he plays on the program. Congress is satisfied and clears him of charges.
May 3, 1903 — Bing Crosby is born Harry Lillis Crosby, Jr. in Tacoma, Washington. In the late 1920s, he is the first white singer to adopt an African-American jazz vocal style. Gary Giddens' biography of "Der Bingle"quotes bandleader Artie Shaw as saying, "Bing could swing," and a former CBS Radio employee of the early 1930s declares, "He was the first ballad singer who had rhythm."
May 4, 1959 — The first Grammy Awards for best recordings are held in Los Angeles. No rock 'n' roll record wins for Best Record of the Year (that honor goes to "Volare" by Italian singer Domenico Modugno), but for some reason, The Champs' "Tequila" takes home Best Rhythm and Blues Performance.
May 5, 1945 — Bluesman Arthur "Big Boy" Crudup debuts on the R&B chart with "Rock Me Mamma," reaching #3. He becomes another influence on Elvis Presley, who covers Crudup's 1947 song "That's All Right" for his first record in 1954, retitled "That's All Right Mama."
1986 — Atlantic Records founder Ahmet Ertegun announces that the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame will be built in Cleveland, Ohio.
May 7, 1953 — Clyde McPhatter signs with Atlantic Records in New York City as the lead singer for a new group, The Drifters.
1954 — McPhatter is drafted into the U.S. Army, but is lucky to be stationed in Buffalo, New York, allowing him to take the bus down to The Big Apple on weekends for gigs with the group.
Sources:
Eight Days a Week (Ron Smith)
On This Day in Black Music History (Jay Warner)
Chronology of American Popular Music, 1900-2000 (Frank Hoffman)
Birthdays Singers and Song Writers
The Battle of New Orleans Johnny Horton," 1814 Took A little Trip down the Mighty Miss I Sip. "
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