April 1, 1955 : THE DU DROPPERS are in New York's RCA studio to record
four tracks, with their new lead singer, Charlie Hughes (who would later
sing with the Drifters). "Talk That Talk"/"Give Me Some Consideration"
is released on Groove 0104 in the third week of April and "You're Mine
Already" on Groove 0120 in August. "I Wanna Thank You" is first released
on Detour LP 33-009 in 1988.
 
April 6, 1955 : At the RCA Victor Studio in Nashville, HANK SNOW records
four tracks. "It's Only You That I Love"/"Keep Your Promise, Willie
Thomas" (featuring Anita Carter) is released on RCA 47-6500 in April 1956.
The other two tracks, "Can't Have You Blues" and Mitchell Torok's
"Caribbean" are included on the LP "Just Keep A-Movin'" (RCA LPM 1113) in
May 1955. Produced by Steve Sholes.
 
April 7, 1955 : THE CLOVERS have another session at the Atlantic studio
in New York City. "Nip Sip"/"If I Could Be Loved By You" is selected for
single release (Atlantic 1073, August). "Love, Love, Love" is an early
version of this song (not the single), eventually released on the LP "The
Clovers : Their Greatest Recordings : The Early Years" (Atco 33-374) in
1971. "Kiss Me Before You Go" remains unissued. At this time the Clovers
are : Buddy Bailey, Billy Mitchell, Harold Winley and Mathew McQuater.
 
April 15, 1955 : PEE WEE CRAYTON records six tracks in New Orleans. 
"Yours Truly'/"Be Faithful" comes out on a single in June (Imperial 5353)
while "Go On"/"Don't Go" will be released on an Imperial sub-label (Post
2007) in October. The instrumental "Blues Before Dawn" does not see a 
commercial release until the appearance of an eponymous Pathe Marconi LP
(1566341) in 1985 and "Wondering Why" is included on the Japanese LP
"Wild Blues Guitarist" (Liberty LLS-70052). 
Personnel : Pee Wee Crayton (vocal / guitar) ; Dave Bartholomew
(trumpet, producer) ; Herb Hardesty and Clarence Hall (tenor saxes) ;
Wendell Duconge (alto sax) ; Clarence Ford (sax) ; Salvador Doucette
(piano) ; Frank Fields (bass) ; Cornelius Coleman (drums).
 
April 17, 1955 : A live show by BILL HALEY and his Comets at the Masonic
Temple in Cleveland, Ohio, is recorded and eventually released in 1997
on the 2-CD set "Rock 'n' Roll Show" (Hydra BCK 27105).
 
Monday, April 18, 1955 : Driving home from a gig in Las Vegas, THE
DOMINOES stop off at Cincinnati, to record four tracks in the King
Studio. "How Long, How Long Blues" sees a single release in May 1956 
(Federal 12263), and "That's How You Know When You're Growing Old"
(led by Jackie Wilson) is held in the can until February 1961 (King
5463). "I Need Somebody In My Arms" and "Take Me To the Altar" are not
released at all.
 
April 21, 1955 : THE DRIFTERS (David Baughn, Gerhart Trasher, Andrew
Thrasher, Bill Pinkney) record four tracks in New York City, of which
"Drifting Away From You" and a first try-out of "Steamboat" have never
been issued. "Honey Bee" finally sees a release in March 1961 as the
B-side of "Some Kind Of Wonderful" (Atlantic 2096) and "No Sweet Lovin'"
is issued on the flip of "Please Stay" (Atlantic 2105) in May 1961.
Personnel includes : Sam "the Man" Taylor (tenor sax) ; Jimmy Oliver
(guitar) ; Connie Kay (drums). Arranged and conducted by Ray Ellis. 
 
April 21, 1955 : After four years with Imperial, T-BONE WALKER now
records for Atlantic. During a session in Chicago, six tracks are laid 
down. "Papa Ain't Salty"/"T-Bone Shuffle" is selected for the next single 
(Atlantic 1065, July) and "Why Not"/"Play On Little Girl" comes out on 
Atlantic 1074 in early October. "T-Bone Blues Special" stays in the can
until 1972, when it is released as an LP track on Atlantic SD 7226 
(Various artists : "Texas Guitar : From Dallas To L.A."). "All I Want
Is One More Chance" from this session remains unissued.
 
April 22, 1955 : OTIS WILLIAMS and a new group of Charms record their
next two singles in Cincinnati  : "Miss the Love That I've Been Dreaming
Of"/"Tell Me Now" (DeLuxe 6088, May) and "Gum Drop"/"Save Me, Save Me"
(DeLuxe 6090, June). "Gum Drop" was covered by the Crew Cuts, whose
version went to # 10 (pop), whereas the Charms' version did not chart at
all.
 
APRIL 22, 1955 : In New York City, JESSE STONE records the Coral single
"Come And Dance With Me"/"Tom, Dick, and Harry" (61427, June). The disc
is credited to Charles Calhoun (Stone's alter ego) with Al Sears and his
Rock 'n' Rollers : Al Sears and Sam 'the Man' Taylor (alto saxes) ;
Budd Johnson (tenor sax) ; Taft Jordan (trumpet) ; Mickey Baker (guitar) ;
Lawrence Brown (trombone) ; Ernie Hayes (piano) ; Milt Hinton (bass) ;
Joe Marshall (drums). Produced by Bob Thiele.
Earlier in the month (exact date unknown), Stone had recorded "Smack Dab
In the Middle"/"(I Don't Know) Why the Car Won't Go" (MGM 11989, May) at
Olmsted Studio in New York City, produced by Jim Vienneau. The  record was
issued as by "Charlle Calhoun"
 
April 23, 1955 : A Miami session for RAY CHARLES yields four tracks.
"A Fool For You"/"This Little Girl Of Mine" becomes the new single in June
(Atlantic 1063). The two other songs stay in the can for several years.
The instrumental "A Bit Of Soul" is first released on Atlantic 2094 in
March 1961 and "Hard Times (No One Knows Better Than I)" on Atlantic 2118
in September 1961. Personnel : Ray Charles (vocal / piano) ; Riley Webb
and Joe Bridgewater (trumpets) ; Don Wilkerson (tenor sax) ; Dave Newman
(sax) ; Roosevelt Sheffield (bass) ; William Peeples (drums). 
 
Monday, April 25, 1955 : The third Capitol session of THE FIVE KEYS 
delivers four songs : "" The Verdict"/"Me Make Um Pow Wow" (Capitol 3127,
May), "I Wish I'd Never Learned To Read" (Capitol 3185, July) and "Peace
And Love" (Capitol 3455, June 1956). Location : New York City. 
 
April 25, 1955 : GUITAR SLIM (real name Eddie Jones) is in Hollywood to
record four tracks, which will be released on two subsequent singles :
"I Got Sumpin' For You"/"You're Gonna Miss Me" (Specialty 551) and
"Quicksand"/ "Think It Over" (Specialty 557). Personnel : Guitar Slim
(vocal / guitar) ; Roosevelt Brown (trumpet) ; Gus Fontenette and Luther
Hill Jr  (alt saxes) ; Joe Tillman (tenor sax) ; Lawrence Cotton (piano) ;
Lloyd Lambert (bass) ; Oscar Moore (drums).
 
April 26, 1955 : At Capitol's L.A. studio, THE PLATTERS record "Only 
You" and "Bark, Battle And Ball", which are rush-released on May 6 
(Mercury 70633). "Only You" was previously recorded for Federal in 1953. 
The two other tracks from this session are "I Wanna" (Mercury 71093,
April 1957) and "Why Should I" (Mercury MG 20146, LP track). Produced
by Bob Shad. The Platters are : Tony Williams, Zola Taylor (who sings
lead on "Bark, Battle And Ball"), Paul Robi, Herb Reed and David Lynch.
 
April 28, 1955 : In Chicago, LITTLE WALTER (vocals, harmonica) records 
the single "Roller Coaster"/"I Got To Go", for release on Checker 817 in 
June. Accompaniment by : Luther Tucker and Robert Lockwood, Jr (guitars) ; 
Willie Dixon (bass) ; Fred Below (drums).
 
April 1955, unknown date : CURTIS GORDON records material for two singles
in Nashville (probably Bradley Film & Recording Studio). "Baby Please Come
Home"/"Blue Lifetime" is released on Mercury 70648 in June and "Our Secret
Rendezvous"/"(You're A) Girl With A Future" on Mercury 70708 in September.
Personnel : Curtis Gordon (vocal /guitar) ; Eddie Hill (guitar) ; Buddy
Emmons (steel guitar) ; Slick Gillespie (bass) ; Charlie Mitchell
(fiddle) ; Curly Gainous (piano). Produced by Owen Bradley.
     
With thanks to Henk Gorter and Steve Walker.

Additions and corrections welcome.
 
Dik

In the can index