July 3, 1960 : MUDDY WATERS performs at the Newport Jazz Festival, 
Newport, Rhode Island. Nine live recordings are released on November 
15, 1960, on the LP "Muddy Waters At Newport" (Chess 1449).
http://www.muddywaters.com/albums/newport.html
"Got My Mojo Working, Part 2" is selected for single release (Chess 1774).
Personnel includes Pat Hare (guitar), Otis Spann (piano, background 
vocals), and James Cotton (harmonica).
 
Tuesday, July 5, 1960 : JOHNNY HORTON pays another visit to Bradley 
Studio in Nashville, to record "Go North!", followed by a first attempt at
"North To Alaska" on July 14. Both tracks were originally unissued, but
now available on the Bear Family box-set (BCD 15470). Backing includes 
Grady Martin, Harold Bradley and Joe Zinkan. Produced by Don Law.
 
July 6, 1960 : While touring in Texas, THE CHAMPS detour to Norman
Petty's famed studio in Clovis, New Mexico, where they record the A-side
of their next single, "Coconut Grove" (Challenge 59086), and "Suicide". 
The latter was re-titled "Panic Button" for release on the B-side of "Cantina"
(Challenge 9116) in August 1961. The line-up now includes Glen Campbell
on guitar as a replacement for Johnny Meeks.
 
July 8, 1960 : In Cincinnati, LITTLE WILLIE JOHN records five tracks :
"Sleep"/"There's a Difference" (King 5394, the new single, September), 
"Walk Slow" (King 5428, December) and "I'm Sorry"/"The Very Thought
Of You" (King 5458, April 1961). All tracks were overdubbed on July 29.
Backing by Jimmy Palmer (piano), Fred Jordan (guitar), William Willis
(bass) and Philip Paul (drums). Produced by Henry Glover.
 
July 8, 1960 : First of several July sessions by THE EVERLY BROTHERS,
in Nashville, produced by Wesley Rose.
On "Lucille", there are no less than eight guitar players, all playing one riff
that sounds like one guitar. They are Don Everly, Phil Everly, Chet Atkins,
Grady Martin, Hank Garland, Ray Edenton, Harold Bradley and Jimmy Day.
The track is released as a single (Warner Bros 5163) on August 15, coupled
with the previously recorded "So Sad". Jimmy Reed's "Baby What You Want
Me To Do" and "A Change of Heart"(written by Boudleaux and Felice Bryant)
are also recorded on the 8th. Next session is two days later, resulting in
"Made To Love" and "So How Come". Four tracks are laid down on July 13:
"Love Hurts", "Donna Donna", "Sigh, Cry, Almost Die" and "That's Just Too
Much". Finally, on July 27, the brothers record "Stick With Me Baby", the
later B-side of "Temptation" (Warner Bros 5220, May 1961). All ten tracks
will be released on the LP "A Date With the Everly Brothers" (Warner Bros
WS 1395, October), which also includes the two tracks from their first WB
single, "Cathy's Clown" and "Always It's You".
 
July 11, 1960 : Another Warner Bros session in Nashville, also produced 
by Wesley Rose. BOB LUMAN records his new single, "Let's Think About 
Living"/"You've Got Everything" (Warner Bros 5172), released in mid-August.
Backing by members of the Nashville A-team and the Anita Kerr Singers.
 
July 12, 1960 : And yet another Nashville session : FLOYD CRAMER 
records his fourth solo single for RCA, "Last Date"/ "Sweetie Baby" (RCA 
47-7775, September), which will give him his big break. It's not unlikely that
one or two other tracks ("Heart and Soul"?) were recorded at the same
session. Produced by Chet Atkins and arranged by Anita Kerr, whose 
Singers play a prominent role on the up-tempo "Sweetie Baby". 
 
July 18, 1960 : FATS DOMINO is back at Cosimo Recording Studio in New
Orleans, to record "My Girl Josephine", which is released on Imperial 5704
in October. Fats had another session in July (exact date unknown), which
produced four tracks: "Three Nights A Week"/ "Put Your Arms Around Me 
Honey" (Imperial 5687, August), "Shu Rah" (Imperial 5734, March 1961) 
and "The Rising Sun" (LP track for "A Lot of Dominoes", Imperial LP 9127,
October, which also includes the four other tracks from the July sessions).
Strings overdubbed by members of the New Orleans Symphony Orchestra.
Produced by Dave Bartholomew.
 
July 20, 1960 : Guitarist BRAD SUGGS is at the new Sun Studio, 639 
Madison Avenue, Memphis. Four tracks are laid down: "Sam's Tune", "My 
Gypsy", "Blue Mist" and "Polly-Ticking", all unissued. "Sam's Tune" and
"My Gypsy" had been previously attempted on February 3, 1960, but Suggs
was not satisfied and re-recorded the same tunes in July. Curiously though,
it was the earlier versions that were selected for overdubbing (in August)
and release in October (Phillips International 3563).
Personnel: Brad Suggs, guitar ; Scotty Moore, guitar ; D.J. Fontana, drums ;
Larry Mohoberac, piano ; Vernon Drane, sax ; Gordon Reinhardt, sax. (The
February session, which also produced the single "Cloudy"/"Partly Cloudy",
P.I. 3554, had an entirely different line-up, with Charlie Rich, Jimmy Van
Eaton, Martin Wills and R.W. Stevenson, along with Suggs himself).
 
Thursday, July 21, 1960 : Final MGM session for MARVIN RAINWATER. 
"Yesterday's Kisses"/"You're Not Happy" is released on MGM 12958 in 
October. A third track from this session, "Someday", is lost. Production 
as usual by Jim Vienneau in Nashville.
 
July 21, 1960 : JACK SCOTT  is at Bell Sound Sudio, New York City, to
record "Joshua Fit The Battle Of Jericho" for his third and final Top Rank LP
"The Spirit Moves Me" (RS 648). The other song recorded that day is "Take
My Hand Precious Lord", which will remain unissued until the Bear Family
boxset (BCD 15534). During this session (produced by Sonny Lester and
Bill Sanford) Jack has vocal backup by The Chantones. No further info on
the backing musicians.
 
July 22, 1960 : DON GIBSON spends the whole day - three (!) sessions -
at RCA Victor Studio's in Nashville, TN. Under the guidance of Chet Atkins, 
Don records 9 tracks in all. "What About Me" and the oldie "The World Is
Waiting For The Sunrise" will be used for a future single (RCA 7841), while
the remaining songs, including a first (RCA) attempt at "Sweet Dreams", 
will be included on the 1961 LP "Sweet Dreams" (RCA LPM 2269).
Don is supported by Chet Atkins and Velma Williams Smith (guitars), Roy 
Huskey (bass), Troy Hatcher (drums) and Floyd Cramer (piano). Vocal 
support is given by the Anita Kerr Singers.
 
July 25, 1960 : CONNIE FRANCIS arrives at Radio Recorders in Hollywood 
to record "My Heart Has A Mind Of Its Own" (MGM 12923), which will become
her second # 1 hit of 1960. She overdubs a second vocal on July 31, after
which the disc is rush-released. Producers: Arnold Maxim and Jesse Kaye ;
arranged by Joe Sherman. Session men include Bill Pitman (guitar), Speedy
West (steel guitar) and Alvin Stoller (drums).
 
July 26, 1960 : HANK BALLARD and the Midnighters lay down four tracks
at the King studio in Cincinnati. "Let's Go, Let's Go, Let's Go" is chosen
for the next single (King 5400, September). "Keep On Dancing" is also
released as a 45 (King 5535), but not until August 1961, on the B-side of
"Nothing But Good". The other two tracks, "I'm Sick Of You" and "Goodbye
So Long" end up on the LP "Spotlight on Hank Ballard" (King LP 740, 1961).
Personnel includes Jimmy Johnson (piano), Gene Redd (trumpet), Navarre
Hastings (electric bass) and Philip Paul (drums).
 
July 27, 1960 : More recording activity at the Sun studio on Madison Avenue.
WADE CAGLE records four instrumental tunes : "Groovy Train"/"Highland
Rock" was released as Sun 360 on April 25, 1961 ; the other two tunes,
"Forty Days" and "Owee Owee", remain in the Sun tape vaults. 
Personnel: Wade Cagle, guitar ; Chas Strasburg, bass ; Rocky Haye, 
drums ; William Morninggold, piano ; Ray McArthur, sax.
 
July 28, 1960 : THE ISLEY BROTHERS have their last session for RCA,
in New York City (RCA Studio A). "Tell Me Who"/"Say You Love Me Too"
gets a release on RCA 47-7787 in September. Personnel includes Carl 
Lynch on guitar, Ernie Hayes on piano, Lloyd Trotman on bass and 
Panama Francis on drums. Production by Hugo and Luigi.
 
July 29, 1960 : THE COASTERS (Carl Gardner, Billy Guy, Cornel Gunter,
Will 'Dub' Jones) have another session at the Atlantic Studio in New York
City, produced by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller. "Shoppin' For Clothes" is
released in September on Atco 6178, and "Thumbin' A Ride" on the B-side
of "Wait A Minute" (Atco 6186) in January 1961. The third track from this
session, "Dog Face" is still unissued. Accompaniment by King Curtis (sax),
Mike Stoller (piano), Sonny Forriest and Phil Spector (guitars), Wendell
Marshall (bass) and Gary Chester (drums).
 
July 1960, unknown date : LARRY WILLIAMS does a New Orleans session
for Chess. "I Hear My Baby" (Chess 1764, November) and "Fresh Out Of
Tears" (Chess 1805, October 1961) are released as singles, the latter while
Larry was serving a jail sentence. "Heartbreaker" and "Be Kind" end up on
the mysterious LP "Larry Williams!" (Chess LP 1457) that no one has ever
seen.
 
July 1960, unknown date : TINY TOPSY does one solitary session for Chess, 
which is also her last known recording session. "After Marriage Blues (How
You Changed)"/"Working On Me Baby" is released on Argo 5383 in the US
and Pye International 7N 25104 in the UK, in 1961. "Fat Girl" from this
session has never been issued.
 
With thanks to Henk Gorter and Steve Walker

Additions and corrections welcome.
 
Dik

In the can index