© All rights reserved SixtiesMusic.org
What happened in The year 1963 ?
- Gary U.S. Bonds filed a lawsuit claiming that Chubby Checker’s “Dancin’ Party” was copied from his record “Quarter to Three”. It was later settled out of court.
- The Scopitone video jukebox was marketed.
- Elvis resigned his recording contract with RCA
January 1963
- The Beatles toured Scotland and they released “Please, Please Me” in the U.K. The
B - Side was “Ask Me Why”.
- The first showing of the film Summer Holiday starring Cliff Richard at the Warner Theatre, Leicester Square, London
- January 19th the Beatles had their first U.K. Full network television appearance on ITV’s Thank Your Lucky Stars.
February 1963
- Kenny Lynch was the first person to cover a Lennon & McCartney song “Misery”.
- The Beatles formed Northern Songs publishing company.
- The Whisky A Go Go opened in Los Angeles.
- Helen Shapiro began her British tour with the Beatles, Danny Williams, Kenny Lynch, the Kestrels, the Red Price Orchestra and the Honeys.
- The Beatles played at the Oasis Club, Manchester.
March 1963
- Near Camden, Tennessee the Country singer Patsy Cline was killed in an air crash along with Cowboy Copas and Hawkshaw Hawkins.
- The Four Seasons “Walk Like A Man” was their third consecutive number one in the U.S. Billboard Charts. “Sherry” and “Big Girls Don’t Cry” were the first two.
- The Chris Montez and Tommy Roe tour began in London with the Beatles, the Viscounts, Debbie Lee, The Terry Young Six and Tony Marsh the compere.
- Some of the acts who appeared at the King George's Hall in Blackburn were Brain Hyland, Little Eva, Brook Brothers, Johnny Temple. The Chariots, and The Rhythm & Blues Quintet .
- The Four Tops signed with Motown.
- The Dave Clark Five, Mark Wynter and Susan Maughan appeared at the Empire, Liverpool.,The Beatles released their first U.K. album “Please,Please Me”.
April 1963
- The New Musicical Express Poll-Winners All-Stars Concert was staged at the Empire Pool, London. Artists included The Beatles, Billy Fury, The Tornados,
- Gerry & the Pacemakers, Mike Berry, The Shadows, Cliff Richard, Adam Faith, The Springfields and Frank Ifield.
- Paul & Paula, Jet Harris & Tony Meehan, the Terry Young Six, Jimmy Justice and Patti Brook with the Jet Blacks appeared at the Gaumont, Worcester.
- Gerry and the Pacemakers had their first number one record in April with “How Do You Do It”. They were the second group to be managed by Brian Epstein.
May 1963
- Andrew Oldham and Eric Easton became the managers of the Rolling Stones and later started their “Would you let a Rolling Stone marry your daughter” campaign .
- Bob Dylan was booked to appear on the Ed Sullivan Show but they had a conflict with the song he would perform. He cancelled !. The same month he released one of his most influential albums The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan.
- James Brown released his breathtaking album “Live at the Apollo”.
- Decca signed the Rolling Stones.
- Some of the artists featured at the All Stars '63 show at the Winter Gardens, Bournemouth were John Leyton, Mike Sarne, Mike Berry and the Innocents, Billie Davis, Duffy Power, Grazina, Billy Boyle, Don 'Fireball' Spencer, The XL Five, Bick Ford and Jet Harris & Tony Meehan.
- The Beatles began a 21 venue tour at the Adelphi Theatre, Slough. Roy Orbison, Gerry & the Pacemakers, David MacBeth, Louis Cordet, Julie Grant, Ian Crawford, The Terry Young Six and Tony Marsh were also on the bill.
- Blues Guitarist Elmore James died from a Heart Attack.
June 1963
- June 4th the BBC Radio transmitted Pop Goes The Beatles.
- The Beatles had their first number one which topped all the U.K. charts “From Me To You”.
- Del Shannon's cover of the Beatles "From Me To You" hit the Billboard Hot 100 making it the first Paul McCartney & John Lennon composition to make the US charts.
- Little Stevie Wonder released “Fingertips Part 2” which reached the top of the U.S. charts in August.
- The Beach Boys, Dee Dee Sharp, Jackie De Shannon and the Treniers appeared at the 30th Show of Stars at the Old Civic Auditorium, Honolulu.
July 1963
- Frank Ifield had his third consecutive U.K. number one with “Confessin”.
- The Rolling Stones first appearance on Television (Thank Your Lucky Stars) they performed their first single “Come On” which was written by Chuck Berry.
- The Beatles first album Please Please Me reached number one in he U.K.
August 1963
- British sixties music Television show Ready, Steady Go premiered in August with the slogan “The Weekend Starts Here”. Some of the artists on the show were The Searchers, Brian Poole and the Tremeloes and Billy Fury.
- The Rolling Stones, Chris Barber, Acker Bilk, Cyril Davies All Stars and Long John Baldry appeared at the National Jazz & Blues Festival at Richmond Surrey.
- Some of the acts who appeared at The Daily Herald Beat Festival held at the Stanley Stadium, Liverpool were Billy J. Kramer & the Dakotas, The Searchers, John Leyton, Alexis Korners Blues Incorporated, Ricky Valance, The Hollies and The Big Three.
September 1963
- The Beatles and the Rolling Stones appeared together for the first time on the same bill at the Royal Albert Hall, London.
- Jerry Lee Lewis quit Sun Records.
- Roy Orbison, Freddie & the Dreamers and The Searchers appeared at the Gaumont, Southampton.
- She Loves You by The Beatles became England's best-selling single of all time it later was overtaken by ex-Beatle Paul McCartney’s "Mull Of Kintyre".
- Reprise Records owned by Frank Sinatra was bought by Warner Brothers.
- 27th September The Rolling Stones appeared with the Merseybeats and Dave Berry and the Cruisers at the Floral Hall, Morecambe.
- September 29th The Everly Brothers, Bo Diddley, The Rolling Stones, Micky Most, The Flintstones and Julie Grant began their U.K. tour at London's New Victoria Theatre. Little Richard joined the tour later.
October 1963
- In the U.K. charts in October Brian Poole and the Tremeloes on Decca Records took over the number one spot from the Beatles “She Loves You” with “Do You Love Me” it was their only number one.
- Michael Holliday the british singer commited suicide.
- Gerry and the Pacemakers with their third single “You’ll Never Walk Alone” were the first group to get their first three singles to number one in the U.K. Charts.
November 1963
- Brian Epstein signed a three show contract in November for the Beatles to appear on the Ed Sullivan Show.
- The Big Star Show at the Odeon, Southend featured Billy Fury, Joe Brown, The Karl Denver Trio, Marty Wilde and The Tornadoes.
- The Rolling Stones released the song written by Lennon & McCartney “I Wanna be your Man”.
- The Rolling Stones, The Big Three and Wayne Fontana and the Mindbenders appeared at the City Hall Sheffield.
- The Beatles second album was released “With The Beatles”.
- At the Royal Theater Baltimore, Maryland The James Brown Show also featured The Famous Flames, Anna King, The Brownies and Yvonne Fair.
- Appearing on the Royal Variety Show John Lennon quipped “Those of you in the cheaper seats can clap your hands. The rest of you if you’ll just rattle you’re Jewellery”.
December 1963
- Dinah Washington died from an accidental overdose of diet pills.
- The Beatles were the four panellists on Juke Box Jury and were back at number one in the U.K. charts with “I Want To Hold Your Hand”.
- The Searchers released their Sugar & Spice Album.
Formed in 1963
The Ravens changed their name to The kinks.
The Fortunes.
The Victor Brox Blues Train.
MC5 (Motor City 5) Formed in Detroit.
Them formed in Northern Ireland.
John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers.
Seekers formed in Australia.
The Easybeats formed in Australia.
Billy J. Kramer combined with the Dakotas.
The Sorrows.
Formed in Sweden the Hep Stars.
The Gleneagles later Lulu and the Luvvers.
Bob B. Soxx & the Blue Jeans.
The Chieftains formed in Dublin.
Chad & Jeremy came together.
Spencer Davis Group formed in Birmingham, U.K.
The Pretty Things.
The Wailers with Bob Marley formed in Jamaica.
Tikis later became Harpers Bizarre.
The Three Degrees started in 1963.
Salvatore Phillip Bono met Cherilyn Sarkasian (Sonny & Cher).
The Sherabons changed to the Honeycombs.
The Trendsetters later changed to Hedgehoppers Anonymous.
Tommy James & The Shondells.
Paul Butterfield Blues Band.
The Bobcats changed to the Rockin’ Berries.
Garnet Mimms and the Enchanters.
Peter & Gordon.
Goldie and the Gingerbreads.
Blues band The Graham Bond Organisation were formed.
The Cheynes.
Early 1963 the Yardbirds were formed and in the autumn Eric “Slow hand”
Clapton joined them.
The Jets changed their name to Wayne Fontana & the Mindbenders.
1963
Sixties Albums