1955 Hitmakers
This was the year that rock and roll would explode onto the musical
scene. R & B performers would now have greater access to the pop charts. Traditional pop singers would still have success but the music would now change forever.
Johnny Ace would score his only Top 40 hit in the early part of 1955, shortly after his death-“Pledging My Love” (#17). The McGuire Sisters would have 7 hits this year-their biggest was “Sincerely” (#1 for 10 weeks). Perez Prado would only have 1 hit this year but it would be one of the biggest hits in 1955-“Cherry Pink And Apple Blossom White” (#1 for 10 weeks).
Davy Crockett and his coonskin cap were a big item in 1955. Bill Hayes would score only 1 hit this year-“The Ballad Of Davy Crockett” (#1 for 5 weeks). Gene & Eunice would have 2 R & B hits this year, they didn’t have any pop hits. Their biggest R & B hit this year was “Ko Ko Mo” (#7). This song was covered by The Crewcuts ( a version that went to #6 on the pop charts). The Dream Weavers would only have 1 hit this year-“It’s Almost Tomorrow” (#7).
Not only did we have Bill Haley & The Comets this year, we also had Boyd Bennett & The Rockets–they had 2 hits in 1955 and their biggest was “Seventeen”. LaVern Baker would hve 1 pop hit this year- “Tweedlee Dee” (#14). Gale Storm, a popular TV star, would have 3 hits this year-her biggest was “I Hear You Knocking” (#2 for 3 weeks).
This year would see the beginning of the career of The Platters as hitmakers. They would have 2 hits this year-their biggest was “The Great Pretender” (#1 for 2 weeks). Don Cherry would have 1 hit in 1955-“Band Of Gold” (#4).Roger Williams would also have 1 hit this year-it was called “Autumn Leaves” (#1 for 4 weeks).
The El Dorados, a Doo Wop group from Chicago, would have 1 hit on the pop charts this year-it was called “At My Front Door” (#17). Al Hibbler would score 2 hits in 1955-his biggest was “Unchained Melody” (#3 for 1 week). The Nutmegs wouldn’t score a pop hit this year, but they would reach #2 on the R & B charts with this Doo Wop classic-“Story Untold”.
Billy Vaughn had left The Hilltoppers, a popular singing group, to become an orchestra leader. He would have 1 hit this year-“The Shifting Whispering Sands” (#5). Tennessee Ernie Ford would score 2 hits this year-his biggest was “Sixteen Tons” (#1 for 8 weeks). The year 1955 would see the beginning of the career for Chuck Berry. He would have 1 hit-“Maybelline” (#5)
These were some of the performers that would entertain us in 1955.
