1961 in music.html



Events

• January 15 - Motown Records signs The Supremes
• January 20 - Francis Poulenc's Gloria is premiered in Boston
• February 12 - The Miracles' "Shop Around" becomes Motown's first million-selling single
• February 13 - Frank Sinatra forms his own record label, Reprise Records, which would later release recordings by The Beach Boys, Ella Fitzgerald, The Kinks and Jimi Hendrix.
• February 14 - The Platters file a lawsuit against Mercury Records for breach of contract after the record company refuses to accept recordings on which Tony Williams does not sing lead. The group's lawsuit contends that their contract does not require Williams to sing lead
• March 21 - The Beatles perform at the Cavern Club for the first time
• March 25 - Elvis Presley performs a benefit show at the Block Arena in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. The show raised $62,000 for the U.S.S. Arizona memorial fund.
• April 23 - Judy Garland's concert at Carnegie Hall.
• April 29 - Luciano Pavarotti makes his operatic debut as Rodolfo in La Bohème.
• June 14 - Patsy Cline is hospitalized from a head-on car collision. While in the hospital, the song "I Fall to Pieces" becomes a big Country/Pop crossover hit for Cline.
• June 25 - The Bill Evans Trio completes a two-week stay at The Village Vanguard in New York. It was the last time this trio would play before virtuoso bassist Scott LaFaro's death 10 days later. The five sets they played on the 25th were recorded, and the resulting two albums, Sunday at the Village Vanguard and Waltz for Debby are considered among the finest live jazz recordings ever.
• July 17 - Billboard magazine first publishes an "Easy Listening" chart, listing songs that the magazine determined were not rock & roll records. The first #1 song on this chart was "The Boll Weevil Song" by Brook Benton. This chart would eventually be renamed a number of times and is currently called the Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks chart.
• December 8 - Beach Boys release their debut 45rpm single: Surfin'/Luau on the small California label Candix Records.
• William Alwyn marries fellow-composer Doreen Carwithen, his former pupil.
• Dalida receives the Music Oscar for Best Song with Charles Aznavour.
• Bob Seger's musical career begins
• The Beach Boys' musical career begins
• Golden Earring's musical career begins

Albums released

• All the Way - Frank Sinatra
• Bikini Twist - Bill Haley & His Comets
• Blue Hawaii (OST) - Elvis Presley
• Bo Diddley Is A Lover - Bo Diddley
• Bright and Shiny - Doris Day
• Carnaval começa com "C" De Capiba - Capiba
• Clap Hands, Here Comes Charlie! - Ella Fitzgerald
• Come Swing With Me - Frank Sinatra
• Connie At The Copa - Connie Francis
• Dance 'Till Quarter To Three - Gary U.S. Bonds
• Runaround Sue - Dion
• Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Harold Arlen Songbook - Ella Fitzgerald
• Ella in Hollywood - Ella Fitzgerald
• Ella Returns to Berlin - Ella Fitzgerald
• Emotions - Brenda Lee
• Explorations - Bill Evans Trio
• Garde-moi la dernière danse - Dalida
• The Genius Sings the Blues - Ray Charles
• Goin' Places - The Kingston Trio
• I Have Dreamed - Doris Day
• I Remember Tommy - Frank Sinatra
• In Person: At The Blackhawk, San Francisco - Miles Davis
• It's Morrissey, Man! - Dick Morrissey
• Joan Baez, Vol. 2 - Joan Baez
• Judy at Carnegie Hall - Judy Garland
• Loin de Moi - Dalida
• Lonely and Blue - Roy Orbison
• The Lure of the Grand Canyon - Johnny Cash
• Miles Davis At Carnegie Hall - Miles Davis
• Music of My Life - Jo Stafford
• My Favorite Things - John Coltrane
• Now Here's Johnny Cash - Johnny Cash
• Ring-A-Ding-Ding - Frank Sinatra
• Roy Orbison At The Rock House - Roy Orbison
• A Scottish Soldier - Andy Stewart
• Send for Me - Julie London
• The Shadows- The Shadows
• Sinatra Swings - Frank Sinatra
• Sinatra’s Swingin’ Session!!! - Frank Sinatra
• Sing to Me Mr. C - Perry Como
• Someday My Prince Will Come - Miles Davis
• Something for Everybody - Elvis Presley
• Sunday at the Village Vanguard - Bill Evans Trio
• Patsy Cline Showcase - Patsy Cline
• The Blues and the Abstract Truth - Oliver Nelson
• Twist - Bill Haley & His Comets
• Whatever Julie Wants - Julie London

Biggest hit singles

The following singles achieved the highest chart positions in 1961.

#	Artist	Title	Year	Country	Chart Entries
1	Ben E King	Stand By Me	1961		UK 1 - Feb 1987, Éire 1 - Feb 1987, DDD 1 of 1961, RYM 2 of 1961, Switzerland 3 - Mar 1987, US BB 4 - May 1961, Germany 4 - Mar 1987, US BB 7 of 1961, Holland 7 - Mar 1987, POP 7 of 1961, Norway 9 - Apr 1987, Scrobulate 14 of soul, Canada 16 - May 1961, Austria 17 - Apr 1987, RIAA 25, US CashBox 43 of 1961, Acclaimed 53, 95 in 2FM list, Italy 96 of 1962, Rolling Stone 121, Germany 235 of the 1980s, Party 269 of 1999, WXPN 746
2	Del Shannon	Runaway	1961		UK 1 - Apr 1961, US BB 1 - Mar 1961, Canada 1 - Mar 1961, Australia 1 for 6 weeks Oct 1960, RYM 1 of 1961, Norway 4 - Jun 1961, DDD 7 of 1961, US CashBox 9 of 1961, Australia Goset 12 - Oct 1967, Australia 15 of 1961, US BB 17 of 1961, POP 17 of 1961, South Africa 18 of 1961, Acclaimed 66, Scrobulate 96 of oldies, Rolling Stone 466
3	Chubby Checker	Let's Twist Again	1961		UK 2 - Dec 1961, Canada 2 - Jul 1961, Norway 2 - Feb 1962, US BB 3 of 1961, Holland 3 - Jan 1976, POP 3 of 1961, South Africa 6 of 1962, US BB 8 - Jul 1961, Sweden (alt) 10 - Feb 1976, Austria 11 - Apr 1976, Germany 12 - Mar 1962, RYM 16 of 1961, Italy 17 of 1962, Party 23 of 1999, US CashBox 62 of 1961, DDD 67 of 1961, Scrobulate 95 of oldies, Germany 396 of the 1960s
4	Elvis Presley	Surrender	1961		UK 1 - May 1961, US BB 1 - Feb 1961, Canada 1 - Mar 1961, Australia 1 for 2 weeks Sep 1960, Norway 2 - Apr 1961, Germany 6 - May 1961, South Africa 10 of 1961, US CashBox 32 of 1961, Global 33 (5 M sold) - 1961, RYM 33 of 1961
5	The Marcels	Blue Moon	1961		UK 1 - Apr 1961, US BB 1 - Mar 1961, Canada 1 - Mar 1961, Norway 4 - May 1961, US CashBox 11 of 1961, South Africa 11 of 1961, Germany 13 - Jun 1961, US BB 14 of 1961, DDD 14 of 1961, POP 14 of 1961, RYM 26 of 1961, Acclaimed 1034

Top hits on record

• "A Certain Girl" - Ernie K-Doe
• "At Last" - Etta James
• "Big River, Big Man" - Claude King
• "Blue Moon" - The Marcels
• "Calcutta" - Lawrence Welk
• "Calendar Girl" - Neil Sedaka
• "Crazy" - Patsy Cline
• "Crying" - Roy Orbison
• "Fool No. 1" - Brenda Lee
• "Garde-moi la dernière danse" - Dalida
• "Hello Mary Lou" - Ricky Nelson
• "I Fall to Pieces" - Patsy Cline
• "I Like It Like That, Part 1" - Chris Kenner
• "I Love How You Love Me" - The Paris Sisters
• "It Will Stand" - The Showmen
• "Let's Go Trippin'" - Dick Dale
• "(I Wanna) Love My Life Away" - Gene Pitney
• "Moody River" - Pat Boone
• "Mother-In-Law" - Ernie K-Doe
• "Nuits d'Espagne" - Dalida
• "Please Mr Postman" - The Marvelettes
• "Quarter To Three" - Gary U.S. Bonds
• "Raindrops" - Dee Clark
• "Runaround Sue" - Dion
• "Runaway" - Del Shannon
• "Running Scared" - Roy Orbison
• "Shop Around" - The Miracles
• "Spanish Harlem" - Ben E. King
• "Stand By Me" - Ben E. King
• "Te-Ta-Te-Ta-Ta" - Ernie K-Doe
• "The Comancheros" - Claude King
• "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" - The Tokens
• "The Mountain's High" - Dick and Deedee
• "The Wanderer" - Dion
• "There's No Other Like My Baby" - The Crystals
• "Together" - Connie Francis
• "Tossin' and Turnin' " - Bobby Lewis
• "Town Without Pity" - Gene Pitney
• "Travelin' Man" - Ricky Nelson
• "Where the Boys Are" - Connie Francis
• "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow" - The Shirelles

• See also: Hot 100 No. 1 Hits of 1961 (USA)

Published popular music

• "Another Time, Another Place" w.m. Richard Adler from the musical Kwamina
• "Baby Elephant Walk" m. Henry Mancini from the film Hatari!
• "Big, Bad John" w.m. Jimmy Dean
• "Blue Bayou" w.m. Joe Melson & Roy Orbison
• "Breaking In A Brand New Broken Heart" w.m. Howard Greenfield & Jack Keller
• "Brotherhood Of Man" w.m. Frank Loesser from the musical How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying
• "The Company Way" w.m. Frank Loesser from the musical How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying
• "Crazy" w.m. Willie Nelson
• Cruella DeVil w.m. Mel Leven, from the Walt Disney animated film 101 Dalmatians
• "Crying" w.m. Joe Melson & Roy Orbison
• "Funny How Time Slips Away" w.m. Willie Nelson
• "Hats Off to Larry" w.m. Del Shannon
• "Hit the Road Jack" w.m. Percy Mayfield
• "I Believe In You" w.m. Frank Loesser from the musical How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying
• "I Love How You Love Me" w.m. Barry Mann & Larry Kolber
• "Let's Get Together" w.m. Richard M. Sherman & Robert B. Sherman from the film The Parent Trap
• "Let's Twist Again" w.m. Dave Appell & Kal Mann
• "Little Miss Stuck-up" w.m. Lee Pockriss & Paul Vance
• "Love Makes the World Go 'Round" w.m. Bob Merrill from the film Carnival!
• "Mister Ed theme song" w.m. Jay Livingston & Ray Evans
• "Moon River" w. Johnny Mercer m. Henry Mancini from the film Breakfast at Tiffany's
• "Multiplication" w.m. Bobby Darin. Introduced by Bobby Darin in the film Come September.
• "My Kind Of Girl"      w.m. Leslie Bricusse
• "The Passenger's Always Right" w.m. Noel Coward from the musical Sail Away
• "Pocketful Of Miracles"     w. Sammy Cahn m. Jimmy Van Heusen from the film Pocketful of Miracles
• "Running Scared" w.m. Joe Melson & Roy Orbison
• "Speedy Gonzales" w.m David Hess, Buddy Kaye & Ethel Lee
• "Ten Girls Ago" w. Diane Lampert m. Sammy Fain
• "Tender Is the Night" w. Paul Francis Webster m. Sammy Fain. Theme from the film Tender Is the Night
• "Tower of Strength" w. Bob Hilliard m. Burt Bacharach
• "A Walk On The Wild Side" w. Mack David m. Elmer Bernstein
• "When The Girl In Your Arms Is The Girl In Your Heart" w.m. Roy Bennett & Sid Tepper from the film The Young Ones
• "Why Do The Wrong People Travel?" w.m. Noel Coward from the musical Sail Away
• "The Young Ones" w. Roy Bennett m. Sid Tepper from the film The Young Ones

Classical music

• Samuel Adler - Symphony No. 3
• Niels Viggo Bentson - Concerto No. 2 for violin and orchestra
• Earle Brown - Available Forms I
• Mario Davidovsky - Electronic Study No. 1
• Mario Davidovsky - Piano 1961 for orchestra
• Alun Hoddinott - Concerto for Piano, Winds and Percussion
• György Ligeti - Atmosphères for Orchestra
• Luigi Nono - Intolleranza
• Dmitri Shostakovich - Symphony No. 12 D minor, Op. 112 "The Year 1917"
• Edgard Varèse - Nocturnal

Opera

• Jean Françaix - La Princesse de Clèves
• Vittorio Giannini - The Harvest
• Robert Ward - The Crucible
• Grace Williams - The Parlour

Musical theater

• Carnival! (Music and Lyrics: Bob Merrill Book: Michael Stewart). Broadway production opened at the Imperial Theatre on April 13 and ran for 719 performances
• Do-Re-Mi     London production opened at the Prince Of Wales Theatre on October 12 and ran for 169 performances
• Donnybrook! Broadway production opened at the 46th Street Theatre on May 18 and ran for 68 performances.
• The Fantasticks     London production opened at the Apollo Theatre on September 7 and ran for 44 performances
• How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying (Music and Lyrics: Frank Loesser Book: Abe Burrows, Jack Weinstein and Willie Gilbert) - Broadway production opened at the 46th Street Theatre on October 14 and ran for 1417 performances.
• Kwamina     Broadway production opened at the 54th Street Theatre on October 23 and ran for 32 performances
• Milk and Honey     Broadway production opened at the Martin Beck Theatre on October 10 and ran for 543 performances
• The Music Man London production opened at the Adelphi Theatre on March 16. Starring Van Johnson, Patricia Lambert, Ruth Kettlewell and Denis Waterman.
• Salad Days (Julian Slade) - London revival at Prince's Theatre
• Sail Away     Broadway production opened at the Broadhurst Theatre on October 3 and ran for 167n performances
• The Sentimental Bloke (Music: Albert Arlen Lyrics: Nancy Brown, Albert Arlen, Lloyd Thomson and C. J. Dennis Book: Lloyd Thomson and Nancy Brown). Premiered at the Albert Hall, Canberra, March. Melbourne production opened at the Comedy Theatre on 4 November.
• The Sound Of Music (Music: Richard Rodgers Lyrics: Oscar Hammerstein II Book: Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse) - London production opened at the Palace Theatre and ran for 2385 performances.
• Stop the World - I Want to Get Off (Music, Lyrics and Book: Anthony Newley and Leslie Bricusse) -London production opened at the Queen's Theatre on July 20 and ran for 485 performances.
• Subways Are For Sleeping (Music: Jule Styne Lyrics and Book: Adolph Green & Betty Comden) Broadway production opened at the St. James Theatre on December 27 and ran for 205 performances.
• Wildest Dreams     London production opened at the Vaudeville Theatre on August 3 and ran for 76 performances

Musical films

• Babes in Toyland
• Blue Hawaii starring Elvis Presley, Joan Blackman, Angela Lansbury and Pamela Austin. Directed by Norman Taurog.
• Flower Drum Song
• West Side Story
• The Young Ones

Births

• January 13 - Suggs, Madness
• January 14 - Mike Tramp, White Lion
• January 27 - Gillian Gilbert, New Order
• January 29 - Eddie Jackson, Queensrÿche
• January 31 - Lloyd Cole
• February 8 - Vince Neil, Mötley Crüe
• February 10 - Robbie Neville
• February 13
  • Henry Rollins, punk/rock vocalist and spoken word performer
  • cEvin Key, musician
• February 16 - Andy Taylor, Duran Duran
• March 2 - Simone Young
• March 20 - Slim Jim Phantom, The Stray Cats
• April 1 - Mark White, ABC
• April 2 - Keren Woodward, Bananarama
• April 6 - Gene Eugene, actor, lead singer of Adam Again
• April 28 - Roland Gift, Fine Young Cannibals
• May 17 - Enya Eithne Ni Bhraonain
• May 29 - Melissa Etheridge
• June 4 - Eldra DeBarge, DeBarge
• June 6 - Tom Araya, Slayer
• June 14 - Boy George, Culture Club
• June 18 - Alison Moyet
• June 22 - Jimmy Somerville
• June 24 - Curt Smith, Tears for Fears
• June 26 - Terri Nunn, Berlin
• June 27 - Margo Timmons, Cowboy Junkies
• June 29 - Greg Hetson, Circle Jerks, Bad Religion
• July 2 - Paul Geary, Extreme
• July 22 - Keith Sweat, R&B/Soul singer
• July 24 - Gary Cherone, Extreme
• July 24 - Rob Dorn, Vocalist, Recording Artist, Performer
• August 2
  • Apollina
  • Pete de Freitas, drum player of Liverpool's band Echo & The Bunnymen (m. 1989)
• August 8
  • Rikki Rockett, Poison
  • The Edge, guitarist for the rock band U2
• August 10 - Jon Farriss, INXS
• August 22 - Roland Orzabal, Tears for Fears
• August 23 - Dean DeLeo, Stone Temple Pilots
• August 23 - Mark Bedford, Madness
• August 28 - Kim Appleby, Mel and Kim
• September 6 - Pål Waaktaar, a-ha
• September 7 - Jean-Yves Thibaudet, pianist
• September 12 - Mylène Farmer, Megastar in French and Europe
• September 13 - Dave Mustaine, Megadeth
• October 9 - Kurt Neumann, The BoDeans
• October 10 - Martin Kemp, Spandau Ballet
• October 18 - Wynton Marsalis
• October 29 - Randy Jackson, The Jacksons
• October 31 - Larry Mullen, drummer for the rock band U2
• November 2 - k.d. lang
• November 4 - Daron Hagen, classical and opera composer
• November 5 - David Bryson, Counting Crows
• November 8 - Leif Garrett
• December 17 - Sarah Dallin, Bananarama
• Christophe Rousset, harpsichordist

Deaths

• January - Margaret Balfour, mezzo-soprano
• January 13 - Blanche Ring, US singer and actress
• February 4 - Alphonse Picou, jazz musician
• February 7 - Noah Lewis, jug band musician
• February 20 - Percy Grainger, pianist and composer
• March 3 - Paul Wittgenstein, pianist
• March 6 - George Formby, English Music hall comedian, singer & songwriter and ukulele player extraordinaire
• March 8 - Sir Thomas Beecham, conductor
• March 9 - Wilber Sweatman, jazz musician and composer
• April 2 - Wallingford Riegger, composer
• April 29
  • Cisco Houston, folk singer
  • Miff Mole, jazz trombonist and bandleader
• May 29 - Uuno Klami, composer
• June 6 - Art Gillham, songwriter
• July 6 - Scott LaFaro, jazz bassist
• August 15 - Stick McGhee, guitarist
• August 24 - Clarice Vance, "the Southern singer"
• September 26 - Bulbul, singer
• September 27 - Peter Dawson, bass-baritone
• October 5 - Booker Little
• October 11 - Chico Marx, comedian and pianist
• October 13 - Maya Deren, dancer and choreographer
• October 20 - Sylvia Rexach, singer and composer
• November 1 - Joan McCracken, dancer
• December 20 - Moss Hart, musical theatre librettist
• date unknown - York Bowen, pianist and composer
• date unknown - Maurice Delage, pianist and composer
• September 23 - Elmer Diktonius, composer and poet
• date unknown - Morton Harvey, vaudeville entertainer
• date unknown - Ernest Ka'ai, ukulele virtuoso
• date unknown - Méi Lánfāng, Chinese opera performer
• date unknown - Marguerite Monnot, songwriter
• date unknown - Heddle Nash, operatic tenor
• date unknown - Boris Ord, organist and choirmaster

Awards

Grammy Awards

• Grammy Awards of 1961

Eurovision Song Contest

• Eurovision Song Contest 1961