Gospel

Gospel group The Fisk Jubilee Singers play a farewell concert at The Opera House, Ravenna, Ohio, USA, before leaving for a tour of Europe.

J. W. Myers, a Welsh-born male vocal soloist with piano accompaniment, records The Bridge, Rocked In The Cradle Of The Deep, When Mother Used To Sing That Song, Way Down In Old Indiana and My Princess Zulu Lulu for Victor Records in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.

In an address given at the Teachers’ Institute, College Chapel, Healdsburg, California, USA, Ellen G. White states that, "Great improvement can be made in singing. Some think that the louder they sing, the more music they make; but noise is not music. Good singing is like the music of the birds — subdued and melodious. In some of our churches I have heard solos that were altogether unsuitable for the service of the Lord’s house. The long-drawn-out notes, and the peculiar sounds common in operatic singing, are not pleasing to the angels. They delight to hear the simple songs of praise sung in a natural tone. The songs in which every word is uttered clearly, in a musical tone, are the songs that they join us in singing. They take up the refrain that is sung from the heart with the spirit and the understanding."

Paul Robeson gives a concert at The Audubon Ballroom, New York City, USA, for the electoral campaign of Dr. W.E.B. DuBois for the U.S. Senate, under the auspices of the American Labor Party.

The Sunshine Boys Quartet record My Home, God Please Protect America, Go Down To Jordan and Everyone Is Welcome, for Decca Records at Castle Studio, The Tulane Hotel, 206 8th Avenue North, Nashville, Tennessee, USA.

Mahalia Jackson records How I Got Over, Just As I Am, Jesus Is With Me and other tracks for Apollo Records in New York City, USA.

Christopher O'Doherty is born in Auckland, New Zealand. He will find success as a musician, artist and designer under the name Reg Mombassa. He will be a co-founder of Australian band Mental As Anything, but will also pursue his interest in painting [mainly portraits and landcapes] and create cartoonish designs for surfwear company Mambo Graphics.

Alton Carson is born in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA. He will find success as blues and jazz singer Big Al Carson.

Vickie Bowman is born in Detroit, Michigan, USA. She will find success as Vickie Winans of gospel group The Winans.

Frank Sinatra stars as the footloose and frequently unemployed private eye Rocky Fortune in another episode of his radio series of that name in the USA. This episode is entitled Too Many Husbands.

Sam Cooke has his seventh recording session with the Soul Stirrers at Universal Recording Studios, Hollywood, California, USA. They record That's Heaven To Me and three other tracks.

The Paramount Pictures musical St. Louis Blues is released to cinemas in the USA with a cast featuring such jazz, blues and gospel greats as Nat King Cole, Ella Fitzgerald, Cab Calloway, Eartha Kit, Pearl Bailey, Mahalia Jackson and Barney Bigard.

Frankie Avalon plays at The Dunes Hotel, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA.

Actor/singer and champion of racial equality Paul Robeson dies in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA, from a stroke.

Sam Cooke appears as a guest on prime time tv celebrity game show Play Your Hunch in the USA.

The Olympics, Aretha Franklin, The Capris, Johnny Hartman and The Dells play the third of seven nights at the Regal Theater, Chicago, Illinois, USA.

The Soul Stirrers headline a week-long gospel revue at The Apollo Theater, Harlem, New York City, USA.

The Soul Stirrers play the last night of a week-long gospel revue at The Apollo Theater, Harlem, New York City, USA.

The Blackwood Brothers Quartet plays a live show in Neosha, Missouri, USA.

Sam Cooke plays a one-nighter in Orlando, Florida, USA.

The EP Spirituals by Tennessee Ernie Ford is awarded a Gold Disc in the USA by the R.I.A.A.

With Christmas looming, Tennessee Ernie Ford releases a new album, Hymns At Home, on Capitol Records in the USA.

Jackie Wilson plays the third night in a two-week season at The Copacabana, New York City, USA.

Berry Gordy Jr forms Divinity Records, a label designed to get his Motown organisation into the gospel market.

Sam Cooke records Little Red Rooster for his album Night Beat, in RCA Victor Studios, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA. Organ on this track is played by Billy Preston.

Sam Cooke, Jerry Butler, Dee Clark, The Crystals, The Drifters, Little Esther Phillips, Solomon Burke, Dionne Warwick, Johnny Thunder, Little Julius High and The Upsetters Band play at The Municipal Auditorium, Kansas City, Missouri, USA.

Sam Cooke plays the fourth night of a week at The Regal, Chicago Illinois, USA.

Music venue Leo's Casino moves from East 49th Street in Cleveland, Ohio, USA, to the 700 capacity Quad Hotel Hall on East 75th Street. Artists appearing at the relocated Leo's will include Aretha Franklin, Ray Charles, Otis Redding, James Brown, Sam Cooke, Dionne Warwick and Martha And The Vandellas. In due course, the venue will be designated as a Cleveland rock and roll landmark.

Dominique by The Singing Nun begins a four week run at No1 on the Billboard Hot100 Singles Chart in the USA.

The Soul Satisfiers record Deliver Me, So Glad and other tracks for Savoy Records in the USA.

Muddy Waters, Cousin Joe Pleasants, Otis Spann, Sister Rosetta Tharpe, Sonny Terry And Brownie McGhee, Willie Smith and Ransome Knowling appear on the Granada tv show Blues And Gospel Train in the UK.

LeRoy Wolfgramm is born in Nuku'alofa, Tonga, Oceania. One of nineteen Wolfgramm siblings, he will play guitar in the family's successful gospel/soul/pop group The Jets.

The Little Dublin Singers record The Lord's Prayer and Silent Night for Coral Records in New York City, USA.

Kim Weston will adds her vocal to a previously recorded instrumental track for How Great Thou Art by Motown Records in Detroit, Michigan, USA.

Connie Smith records I'll Come Running at RCA Studio B, Nashville, Tennessee, USA.

The Band record Lonesome Suzie for Capitol Records in the USA. It will appear on their debut album, Music From Big Pink.

Aretha Franklin plays at The Memorial Coliseum, Portland, Oregon, USA.

Michelle Wallen is born in Islington, London, England, UK, Europe. She will find success as hit-making UK vocalist Mica Paris.

Singer and guitarist Steve Sanders commits suicide by shooting himself in the head at his home in Cape Coral, Florida, USA. He had found success as vocalist and guitarist with country and gospel music group The Oak Ridge Boys but quit in 1995 because of personal problems.

Although still recovering from surgery, Aretha Franklin attends the Detroit Pistons-Miami Heat NBA basketball game in Auburn Hills, Michigan, USA.

Bob Dylan plays at Arenes de Bayonne, Bayonne, France, Europe.

Following accusations that recently-deceased DJ, TV presenter and charity fundraiser Sir Jimmy Savile had sexually abused teenage girls, it is reported that a memorial plaque at his former home on The Esplanade, Scarborough, UK, is has been removed. The plaque had been defaced with graffiti in the form of the words "paedophile" and "rapist".

Bluegrass artist Ralph Stanley, known for his distinctive singing and banjo playing dies, aged 89, of complications of cirrhosis in Coeburn, Virginia, USA. Stanley began playing country music in 1946, with his brother Carter as part of The Stanley Brothers. Later he became the leader of his own band, The Clinch Mountain Boys.