1953 Music History: Key Events, Band Formations & Album Releases
Acts Formed
Cookie and his
Cupcakes
Lake Charles, Louisiana, USA
Swamp Pop
Four Tops
Detroit, Michigan, USA
Soul
James Brown and
The Famous Flames
Toccoa, Georgia, USA
Soul
The Dells
Harvey, Illinois, USA
Soul
The Drifters
New York, New York, USA
Rhythm & Blues
The Everly Brothers
Knoxville, Tennessee, USA
Pop
The Platters
Los Angeles, California
Doo Wop
The Travellers
Norval, Ontario, Canada
Folk
The Webb Brothers
Gympie, Queensland, Australia
Country
January 1st
Hank Williams dies at 29 from heart failure related to alcohol and pills. Posthumous sales skyrocket, sparking an ethical debate about profiting from a person's death.
February
Duke Ellington and His Orchestra release Ellington Uptown.
April
Frank Sinatra signs with Capitol Records after being dropped by Columbia. On the new label, his music has more mature lyrics and increased amounts of swing!
May 16th
Jazz guitarist Django Reinhart dies at 43 from a brain hemorrhage.
July 18th
Elvis Presley records for the first time, paying $3.18 for the privilege at the Memphis Recording Service.
August
Nat 'King' Cole releases Nat 'King' Cole Sings for Two in Love.
December 30th
The introduction of colour television challenges radio as the dominant source of music discovery.
1953
Leadbelly releases Leadbelly's Last Sessions Volume One.
1953
Thelonious Monk Trio releases Thelonious.
1953
Fred Astaire releases The Astaire Story.
1953
High fiedelity recordings, created by Mercury Record's three-microphone technique, drives sales of home audio equipment.
