March 1st is a big day at SUN RECORDS; in 1951, 1952, 1953 and 1957!

March 1, 1951:

Sam Phillips records "Rocket 88" with singer Jackie Brenston and Ike Turner's band.

He hasn’t started SUN RECORDS yet, so he records it for Chess records.

This recording is widely considered the first rock and roll record.

March 1, 1952:

Sam Phillips launches his own label, Sun Records,

 

 with the release of "Drivin' Slow" 

by saxophonist Johnny London

March 1, 1953: WDIA disc jockey Rufus Thomas' "Bear Cat," an answer record to Big Mama Thornton's "Hound Dog," becomes Sun's first national hit.

March 1, 1957:

 "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On," the second single by Jerry Lee Lewis, is released on Sun Records…

R.I.P. SAM

THANKS FOR THE MUSIC…

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January 10: Jerry Lee Lewis, John Lennon/Yoko Ono, and ? and the Mysterians: The Best of Times & The Worst of times in the EVOLUTION OF ROCK ‘n ROLL…

January 10, 1959: Jerry Lee Lewis has his only UK #1 single with "Great Balls Of Fire".

January 10, 1981: John Lennon and Yoko Ono's "Double Fantasy" LP goes Platinum a little over a month after Lennon's assassination. The album would be number one in the US for eight weeks.

January 10, 2007:  A fire razed the Clio, Michigan home of ? and The Mysterians leader Rudy Martinez, destroying all of his priceless memorabilia. He did not have insurance on the house and was forced into living at a nearby mobile home.

TROPICAL JON: MY IDOL, MR. GENE KRUPA

Gene Krupa (January 15, 1909 – October 16, 1973)

According to Wikipedia: (Gene Krupa)  was an influential  drummer and and composer, known for his highly energetic and flamboyant style. NO KIDDING!!!--This cat was not only "energetic and flambouant"

--He was the innovator of the BIG BEAT SOUND (IMHO)!!!

GENE KRUPA SAMPLE: CLICK ON HERE

Gene started out in 1927 with Eddie Condon and Rod McKenzie. Krupa made his first recordings in 1927. His use of a "full drum kit" on the Condon recordings was really innovarive at the time . Eddie Condon describes what happened in the Okeh Records studio on that day (in 'We Called It Music' - pub: Peter Davis, 1948):

Mezzrow (Milton "Mezz" Mezzrow) was helping Krupa set up his drums. 'What are you going to do with those?' Rockwell (Okeh's 'A&R' man in the 1920s) asked. 'Play them,' Krupa said simply. Rockwell shook his head. 'You can't do that,' he said. 'You'll ruin our equipment. All we've ever used on records are snare drums and cymbals. (From Wikipedia)

HEY--The rest is HISTORY!!!

SING SING SING--CHECK IT OUT!!!

MY FAVORITE GENE KRUPA MOVIE CLIP--BALL OF FIRE 1941

(CLICK HERE TO) CHECK OUT THIS GENE KRUPA VS. BUDDY RICH BATTLE!!! 

Detroit's FAVORITE rock drummer, Johnny "Bee" Badanjek (far right) likes Gene, too!!!

(Photo used with permission, Thanks, Bee)