May 2, 1960 : RAY PETERSON records his biggest hit, "Tell Laura
I Love Her" (RCA 47-7745), and "I'm Tired", which will be released in
February 1961 as the B-side of "My Blue Angel" (RCA 47-7845).
Production probably by Hugo and Luigi.
 
May 4, 1960 : Six tracks are recorded by THE CRESTS in New York
City : "Trouble in Paradise"/"Always You" (Coed 531, May), "If My Heart
Could Write a Letter" (Coed 535, August, B-side of "Journey of Love"),
"Isn't It Amazing" (Coed 537, October), "You Took the Joy Out of Spring"
and "Learning 'Bout Love". The last two were first released on Ace CDCHD
322 in 1991 ("The Best of the Rest of Johnny Maestro and the Crests"). 
 
May 5, 1960 : In Nashville, JIM REEVES records "I Know One" (RCA
47-7756, July) and "I Missed Me" (RCA 47-7800, October). Production
by Chet Atkins.
 
May 6, 1960 : ELVIS PRESLEY continues to work on the soundtrack 
of the Paramount film "G.I. Blues", this time at Radio Recorders in 
Hollywood. Several new versions are recorded of "Shoppin' Around", 
"Pocketful of Rainbows", "Big Boots", "Tonight's All Right For Love" 
and "Frankfort Special". The "G.I. Blues" LP will be released in October
1960 on RCA LPM 2256. Musicians include Scotty Moore on guitar, 
Dudley Brooks on piano and D.J. Fontana on drums.
 
May 7, 1960 : The final Epic session for ERSEL HICKEY produces the
single "Stardust Brought Me You"/"Another Wasted Day" (Epic 9595).
Backing includes Everett Barksdale and Bucky Pizzarelli on guitars and
Bert Keyes on piano. Production by Chuck Sagle at Columbia Studio A
on 7th Avenue in New York City. This was a split session with Joey Carter.
 
May 10, 1960  : For a change, JOHNNY CASH has a session outside
of Nashville, at Radio Recorders in Hollywood, produced by Don Law.
Nine takes of "The Girl In Saskatoon" are recorded, all of which can be
found on CD 5 of the Bear Family box-set "The Man In Black, 1959-'62"
(BCD 15562). The version of this song that was issued in December 
1960 (Columbia 41920) was recorded in November 1960. 
The rest of this session is devoted to one song by Cash and his pal 
Gordon Terry (a superb outrageous parody of "Battle of New Orleans",
issued on the Bear Family Gordon Terry CD, not on the JC box-set)
and to recordings by two of Cash's relatives, his nephew Roy Cash Jr
and his then-brother-in-law Ray Liberto, Jr.
 
May 11, 1960 : GENE VINCENT's first recording session in the UK, at
EMI Studio, Abbey Road, London. The two tracks recorded, "Pistol
Packin' Mama" and "Weeping Willow" are released in the UK in June
on Capitol CL 15136. In the US, "Pistol Packin' Mama" was coupled
with "Anna Annabelle" on Capitol 4442. Personnel : Georgie Fame,
piano ; Colin Green, lead guitar ; Vince Cooze, bass ; Red Reece,
drums ; Billy McVay, tenor sax. Production by Norrie Paramor, whose
orchestra supplies the accompaniment on "Weeping Willow".  
 
May 11, 1960 : First Hickory session for MELVIN ENDSLEY, at RCA 
Victor Studio in Nashville. He records four of his own compositions : 
"You Make It Sound So Easy"/"The Search" (Hickory 1123) and "For 
My Baby"/"Here I Am" (Hickory 1131). Production by Wesley Rose. 
Session musicians include possibly Hank Garland and Harold Bradley 
on guitars and Jerry Byrd on bass.
 
Friday, May 13, 1960 : JOHNNY KIDD and the Pirates record the song
that gives this list its name. Written in "six minutes or so" (Brian Gregg),
the day before the session, "Shakin' All Over" is released on June 10 
(HMV POP 753) and will hit the top of the UK charts on August 4. The 
other side, "Yes Sir, That's My Baby", intended to be the A-side, was 
also recorded at this session, at Abbey Road Studio in London.
Personnel: Johnny Kidd, vocals ; Joe Moretti, lead guitar ; Alan Caddy,
guitar ; Brian Gregg, bass ; Clem Cattini, drums. Engineer : Peter Sullivan.
 
May 19, 1960 : The last DRIFTERS session with Ben E. King as their 
lead singer. "Save the Last Dance For Me"/"Nobody But Me" is released
in August on Atlantic 2071, "I Count the Tears" in December on Atlantic
2087, and "Sometimes I Wonder" on Atlantic 2151 in July 1962. 
Personnel: Ben E. King (lead baritone), Charles Thomas (tenor), Doc
Greene (baritone) and Ellsbury Hobbs (bass), vocals ; Billy Davis, guitar ;
unknown bass and drums ; strings and choir arranged and directed by Stan
Applebaum. Produced by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller in New York City.
 
May 19, 1960 : At United Recording Corporation in Hollywood, ROBIN LUKE
records his next single (Dot 16096) , the Dave Burgess composition "Everlovin'" 
(later recorded by Ricky Nelson) and "Well Oh Well Oh" (previously recorded
and written by George Weston for the Challenge subsidiary Jackpot).
 
May 23, 1960 : DON GIBSON records his next single, "Far, Far Away"/
"(I'd Be) A Legend In My Time" (RCA 47-7762, released in July) at RCA 
Victor Studios in Nashville. Personnel: Don Gibson, vocals, guitar ; Hank 
Garland, Chet Atkins and Jimmie Selph, guitars ; Junior Huskey, bass ;
Floyd Cramer, piano ; Buddy Harman, drums ; The Jordanaires, vocal 
chorus. Produced by Chet Atkins.
 
May 24, 1960 : JACK SCOTT is at Bell Sound Studio in New York City for
another Top Rank session. "It Only Happened Yesterday"/"Cool Water"
is selected as the next single (Top Rank 2055, July). "True Love Is Blind"
was first released on the Capitol Collector's Series CD in 1990. A first
attempt at "Fancy Meeting You Again" stayed on the shelf until the release
of the Bear Family box-set in 1992. Produced by Sonny Lester, arranged by
Bill Sanford.
 
May 26, 1960 : At Bradley Studio in Nashville, LEFTY FRIZZELL records
three songs : "That's All I Can Remember"/"What You Gonna Do, Leroy?" 
(Columbia 41751, August) and "So What! Let It Rain" (Columbia 42253, 
February 1962). Personnel : Lefty Frizzell, vocals/guitar ; Grady Martin and
Harold Bradley, guitars ; Don Helms, steel guitar ; Joe Zinkan, bass ; Floyd 
Cramer, piano ; Buddy Harman, drums. Produced by Don Law. 
 
May 26, 1960 : Same studio, later that day : RONNIE SELF records his new
single, "So High"/"I've Been There" (Decca 31131), with Grady Martin, Harold
Bradley and Hank Garland (guitars), Bob Moore (bass), Floyd Cramer (piano),
Buddy Harman (drums) and the Anita Kerr Singers (vocal chorus). Produced by
Owen Bradley.
 
May 27, 1960 : CHARLIE RICH records at 639 Madison Avenue in Memphis.
Three of the six songs from this session end up on the LP "Lonely Weekends"
(Phillips International PLP 1970, released in the autumn of 1960) : "C.C. Rider",
"Juanita" and "Break-Up". "It''s Too Late" becomes the B-side of "Just a Little
Bit Sweet" in September 1961 (Phillips Int. 3572)."My Heart Cries For You"
gets its first release on the LP "A Time For Tears" (Sun LP 123) in 1971 and
"Right Behind You Baby" on the LP "The Early Years" (Sun 132) in 1974.
Personnel: Charlie Rich, vocals, piano ; Scotty Moore, guitar ; Billy Riley, bass ;
Martin Willis, tenor sax ; Jimmy Van Eaton, drums.
 
May 1960, unknown date : ETTA JAMES records two duets with Harvey Fuqua,
"If I Can't Have You" and "My Heart Cries" (released on Chess 1760 in July,
credited to Etta and Harvey) and three solo recordings, "My Dearest Darling"
(Argo 5368, September), "I Just Want To Make Love To You" (Argo 5380, the
later flipside of "At Last", January 1961) and the LP track "Let Me Know".
Backing by Riley Hampton's Orchestra. Produced by Leonard and Phil Chess.
 
With thanks to Phil Davies, Steve Walker, Henk Gorter and Mark Potter.

Additions and corrections welcome.
 
Dik

In the can index