1950 in music
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See also: 1949 in music, other events of 1950, 1951 in music, 1950s in music and the list of 'years in music'
Contents |
[edit] Events
- Malcolm Sargent becomes chief conductor of the BBC Symphony Orchestra.
- Legendary singer Al Jolson dies on the 23rd of October.
- Mitch Miller signs as A&R man with Columbia Records.
- Patti Page becomes the first (and only) artist to have a Number One record on the Pop, R&B and Country charts concurrently.
- Al Cernick is signed to Columbia by Mitch Miller, who changes the singer's name to Guy Mitchell.
- Columbia Records lures Jo Stafford away from Capitol.
- Georgia Gibbs leaves the Majestic label and scores her first charting single with Coral
- Bandleader Les Baxter founds the school of "Outer Space" exotica.
- Albert King's musical career begins
- Sam Cooke joins The Soul Stirrers
- On January 3, Sam Phillips opened the doors at 706 Union Avenue in Memphis, Tennessee of what was to become the most famous music recording studio in the world, Sun Records
[edit] Albums released
- American Folk Songs - Jo Stafford
- Auld Lang Syne - Bing Crosby
- Autumn In New York - Jo Stafford
- Barber Shop Ballads - The Mills Brothers
- Blue Of Night - Bing Crosby
- Christmas Greetings - Bing Crosby
- Cole Porter Songs - Bing Crosby
- Country Feelin - Dinah Shore
- Drifting And Dreaming - Bing Crosby
- The Fat Man - Fats Domino
- Frankie Laine - Frankie Laine
- Going My Way - Bing Crosby
- King Cole Trio - King Cole Trio
- King Cole Trio Volume 2 - King Cole Trio
- Live At Carnegie Hall - Benny Goodman
- Oh! Susanna - Al Jolson
- Sing A Song Of Christmas - The Ames Brothers
- Sing And Dance With Frank Sinatra - Frank Sinatra
- Songs By Gershwin - Bing Crosby
- Songs For Young Lovers - Frank Sinatra
- Tea for Two - Doris Day
- Two Loves Have I - Frankie Laine
- Young Man with a Horn - Doris Day
[edit] No. 1 hit singles
These singles reached the top of Billboard magazine's charts in 1950.
First week | Number of weeks | Title | Artist |
---|---|---|---|
January 6, 1950 | 4 | "I Can Dream, Can't I?" | The Andrews Sisters |
February 3, 1950 | 1 | "Rag Mop" | The Ames Brothers |
February 10, 1950 | 4 | "Chattanoogie Shoe Shine Boy" | Red Foley |
March 10, 1950 | 4 | "Music! Music! Music!" | Teresa Brewer |
April 7, 1950 | 2 | "If I Knew You Were Comin' I'd've Baked a Cake" | Eileen Barton |
April 21, 1950 | 11 | "The Third Man Theme" | Anton Karas |
July 7, 1950 | 5 | "Mona Lisa" | Nat King Cole |
August 11, 1950 | 13 | "Goodnight, Irene" | Gordon Jenkins & The Weavers |
November 10, 1950 | 2 | "Harbor Lights" | Sammy Kaye |
November 24, 1950 | 4 | "The Thing" | Phil Harris |
December 22, 1950 | 9 | "The Tennessee Waltz" | Patti Page |
[edit] Top hit records
- "A-Razz-A-Ma-Tazz" - Georgia Gibbs
- "All My Love (Bolero)" - Patti Page
- "Are You Lonesome Tonight?" - Al Jolson
- "Ballin' The Jack", recorded by
- "Be My Love" - Mario Lanza
- "Bewitched" - Doris Day
- "Black Lace" - Frankie Laine
- "Boo-Hoo" - Guy Lombardo & The Lombardo Trio
- "A Bushel And A Peck" - Perry Como & Betty Hutton
- "Can Anyone Explain? (No, No, No!)" - The Ames Brothers
- "Chattanoogie Shoe Shine Boy" - Red Foley
- "Cry Of The Wild Goose" - Frankie Laine
- "Daddy's Little Girl" - The Mills Brothers
- "Dear, Dear, Dear" - Frankie Laine
- "Dream a Little Dream of Me" - Frankie Laine
- "A Dreamer's Holiday" - Buddy Clark & The Girlfriends
- "Enjoy Yourself" - Guy Lombardo (Kenny Gardner & The Lombardo Trio vocals)
- "Goodnight, Irene" - The Weavers with Gordon Jenkins
- "Harbor Lights" - Sammy Kaye
- "Here Comes Santa Claus" - Andrews Sisters
- "L'Hymne à L'Amour (Hymn To Love)" - Édith Piaf
- "I Can Dream, Can't I?" - The Andrews Sisters
- "I Love You For That" - Patti Page & Frankie Laine
- "I Wanna Be Loved" - The Andrews Sisters
- "If I Knew You Were Comin' I'd've Baked a Cake" - Eileen Barton
- "I'm Moving On" - Hank Snow
- "It Isn't Fair" - Sammy Kaye (Don Cornell vocal)
- "Let's Go West Again" - Al Jolson
- "A Man Gets Awfully Lonesome" - Frankie Laine
- "Mona Lisa" - Nat King Cole
- "Music, Maestro, Please" - Frankie Laine
- "Music! Music! Music!" - Teresa Brewer
- "My Heart Cries For You" - Guy Mitchell
- "Nevertheless" - The Mills Brothers
- "No Other Love" - Jo Stafford
- "The Old Piano Roll Blues" Al Jolson & The Andrews Sisters
- "Patricia" - Perry Como
- "Peter Cottontail" - Gene Autry
- "Play A Simple Melody" - Gary Crosby & Friend (Bing Crosby)
- "Rag Mop" - The Ames Brothers
- "Red Hot Mama" - Georgia Gibbs
- "The Roving Kind" - Guy Mitchell
- "Sentimental Me" - The Ames Brothers
- "Sleepy Ol' River" - Frankie Laine
- "Someday", recorded by
- "Sometime" - The Mariners
- "Stars & Stripes Forever" - Frankie Laine
- "Swingin' In A Hammock" - Guy Lombardo (Don Rodney & The Lombardo Trio vocals)
- "The Tennessee Waltz" - Patti Page
- "There's No Tomorrow" - Tony Martin
- "The Thing" - Phil Harris
- "Thinking of You" - Don Cherry
- "The Third Man Theme", recorded by
- "With My Eyes Wide Open I'm Dreaming" - Patti Page
[edit] Top R&B hits on record
- "Double Crossin' Blues" - Little Esther
[edit] Published popular music
- "Adelaide's Lament" w.m. Frank Loesser
- "American Beauty Rose" w.m. Hal David, Redd Evans & Arthur Altman
- "Be My Love" w. Sammy Cahn m. Nicholas Brodszky
- "The Best Thing For You" w.m. Irving Berlin
- "Blind Date" w.m. Sid Robin
- "A Bushel And A Peck" w.m. Frank Loesser
- "Candy And Cake" w.m. Bob Merrill
- "Chattanoogie Shoe Shine Boy" w.m. Harry Stone & Jack Stapp
- "Choo'n Gum" w. Mann Curtis m. Vic Mizzy
- "Cold, Cold Heart" w.m. Hank Williams
- "The Cry Of The Wild Goose" w.m. Terry Gilkyson
- "Dearie" w.m. Bob Hilliard & David Mann
- "Freight Train" w. Paul James & Fred Williams m. trad arr. Elizabeth Cotton
- "The French Can-Can Polka" w. Jimmy Kennedy m. Jacques Offenbach
- "From This Moment On" w.m. Cole Porter
- "Frosty The Snowman" w.m. Steve Nelson & Jack Rollins
- "Fugue For Tinhorns" w.m. Frank Loesser
- "Get Out Those Old Records" w.m. Carmen Lombardo & John Jacob Loeb
- "Gone Fishin"' w.m. Nick Kenny & Charles Kenny
- "Guys And Dolls" w.m. Frank Loesser
- "Home Cookin"' w.m. Jay Livingston & Ray Evans
- "Hoop-Dee-Doo" w. Frank Loesser m. Milton De Lugg
- "The Hostess With The Mostes' On The Ball" w.m. Irving Berlin
- "I Didn't Slip, I Wasn't Pushed, I Fell" w.m. Edward Pola & George Wyle
- "I Don't Care If The Sun Don't Shine" w.m. Mack David
- "I Taut I Taw A Puddy Tat" w.m. Alan Livingston, Billy May & Warren Foster
- "If I Knew You Were Comin' I'd've Baked A Cake" w.m. Al Hoffman, Bob Merrill & Clem Watts
- "If I Were A Bell" w.m. Frank Loesser
- "I'll Know" w.m. Frank Loesser
- "I'll Never Be Free" w.m. Bennie Benjamin & George David Weiss
- "I'm Movin' On" w.m. Hank Snow
- "It Is No Secret" w.m. Stuart Hamblen
- "It's A Lovely Day Today" w.m. Irving Berlin
- "I've Never Been In Love Before" w.m. Frank Loesser
- "Ivory Rag" Lou Busch, Jack Elliott
- "La Culebra" m. John Serry, Sr.
- "Little White Duck" w.m. Walt Barrows & Bernard Zaritsky
- "The Loveliest Night Of The Year" w. Paul Francis Webster m. Juventino P. Rosa
- "Luck Be A Lady" w.m. Frank Loesser
- "Lucky Lucky Lucky Me" Berle, Arnold
- "Marry The Man Today" w.m. Frank Loesser
- "Marrying For Love" w.m. Irving Berlin
- "More I Cannot Wish You" w.m. Frank Loesser
- "My Heart Cries For You" w.m. Carl Sigman & Percy Faith
- "My Time Of Day" w.m. Frank Loesser
- "No Other Love" adapt from Chopin's Etude No 3 in E, Opus 10. w.m. Bob Russell & Paul Weston
- "The Old Piano Roll Blues" w.m. Cy Coben
- "The Oldest Established" w.m. Frank Loesser
- "Orange Coloured Sky" w.m. Milton De Lugg & William Stein
- "Patricia" w.m. Benny Davis
- "Remember Me (I'm The One Who Loves You)" w.m. Stuart Hamblen
- "The Roving Kind" adapt. w.m. Jessie Cavanaugh & Arnold Stanton
- "Sam's Song" w. Jack Elliott m. Lew Quadling
- "Shot Gun Boogie" w.m. Tennessee Ernie Ford
- "Silver Bells" w.m. Jay Livingston & Ray Evans. Introduced by Bob Hope in the 1951 Musical film The Lemon Drop Kid.
- "Sit Down, You're Rockin' The Boat" w.m. Frank Loesser. Introduced by Stubby Kaye in the musical Guys and Dolls.
- "Sixty Minute Man" w.m. Billy Ward & Rose Marks
- "Sleigh Ride" w. Mitchell Parish m. Leroy Anderson
- "Sue Me" w.m. Frank Loesser
- "The Syncopated Clock" w. Mitchell Parish m. Leroy Anderson
- "Take Back Your Mink" w.m. Frank Loesser. Introduced by Vivian Blaine in the musical Guys and Dolls.
- "The Thing" w.m. Charles R. Grean
- "Tzena, Tzena, Tzena" adapt. trad Hebrew w. (Eng) Mitchell Parish m. Issachar Miron (Stefan Michrovsky) & Julius Grossman
- "You Don't Have To Be A Baby To Cry" w.m. Bob Merrill & Terry Shand
- "You're Just In Love" w.m. Irving Berlin
[edit] Classical music
- Malcolm Arnold - English Dances for Orchestra, op. 27
- Hendrik Andriessen - Concerto for Organ and Orchestra
- Alexander Arutiunian - Concerto for Trumpet and Orchestra
- Arno Babadjanian - Heroic Ballade
- Ernest Bloch - Suite hébraïque
- Karl-Birger Blomdahl - Symphony No. 3 Facetter
- John Cage - String Quartet
- Arnold Cooke - Trio for Violin, Viola and Cello
- George Crumb - A Cycle of Greek Lyrics for voice and piano
- Jesus Guridi - Cuarteto en la menor
- Karl Amadeus Hartmann - Symphony No. 5 Symphonie Concertante
- Hans Henkemans - Concerto for Violin and Orchestra
- Ernst Krenek - Suite for String Trio Parvula Corona Musicalis
- Jon Leifs - Saga-Symphony
- Allan Pettersson - First Concerto for Strings completed
- Walter Piston - Symphony No. 4
- Humphrey Searle - Poem for 22 Strings
- John Serry, Sr. - Eight Accordion Quartet Arrangements
- William Walton - Violin Sonata (revision)
[edit] Opera
- Luigi Dallapiccola - Il Prigionero (The Prisoner)
- Norman Dello Joio - The Triumph of Saint Joan
- Vittorio Giannini - The Taming of the Shrew
- Gian-Carlo Menotti - The Consul
[edit] Musical theater
- Ace Of Clubs Music, Lyrics and Book: Noël Coward. London revue opened at the Cambridge Theatre on July 7 and ran for 211 performances
- Alive and Kicking Broadway production opened at the Winter Garden Theatre on January 17 and ran for 46 performances
- Arms And The Girl Broadway production opened at the 46th Street Theatre on February 2 and ran for 134 performances
- Bless You All Broadway revue opened at the Mark Hellinger Theatre on December 14 and ran for 84 performances
- Blue For A Boy Music: Harry Parr-Davies Lyrics: Harold Purcell Book: Austin Melford. London production opened at His Majesty's Theatre on November 30 and ran for 664 performances
- Call Me Madam Music & Lyrics: Irving Berlin Book: Howard Lindsay & Russel Crouse. Broadway production opened at the Imperial Theatre on October 12 and ran for 644 performances
- Carousel (Music: Richard Rodgers Lyrics and Book: Oscar Hammerstein II.) London production opened at the Drury Lane Theatre on June 7 and ran for 566 performances.
- Guys And Dolls (Music and Lyrics: Frank Loesser Book: Abe Burrows & Jo Swerling). Broadway production opened at the 46th Street Theatre on November 24 and ran for 1200 performances.
- The Highwayman Music, Lyrics & Book: Edmond Samuels. Australian production opened at the Kings Theatre, Melbourne on November 18
- Out Of This World Broadway production opened at the New Century Theatre on December 21 and ran for 157 performances.
- Peter Pan Lyrics and Music: Leonard Bernstein. Broadway production opened at the Imperial Theatre on April 24 and ran for 321 performances
[edit] Musical films
- An American in Paris
- Annie Get Your Gun starring Betty Hutton, Howard Keel, Louis Calhern and Keenan Wynn.
- Cinderella animated film featuring the voice of Ilene Woods and Verna Felton.
- Come Dance with Me featuring Anne Shelton and Anton Karas
- Fancy Pants starring Bob Hope and Lucille Ball
- I'll Get By starring June Haver, Gloria DeHaven and Dennis Day, and featuring Harry James.
- Mr Music starring Bing Crosby and featuring Peggy Lee, Groucho Marx and Dorothy Kirsten.
- Pagan Love Song starring Esther Williams and Howard Keel
- Singing Guns released February 28 starring Vaughn Monroe, Ella Raines, Walter Brennan and Ward Bond
- Three Little Words starring Fred Astaire, Red Skelton and Vera Ellen, and featuring Helen Kane dubbing for Debbie Reynolds.
- The Toast of New Orleans starring Kathryn Grayson and Mario Lanza
- Two Weeks With Love starring Jane Powell, Ricardo Montalban, Louis Calhern, Debbie Reynolds and Carleton Carpenter.
[edit] Births
[edit] January - February
- January 1
- Morgan Fisher, Mott the Hoople
- Steve Ripley, The Tractors
- January 5 - Chris Stein, Blondie
- January 9 - David Johansen, New York Dolls, Buster Poindexter & His Banshees of Blue
- January 21 - Billy Ocean
- January 23
- January 26 - Paul Pena
- February 2 - Ross Valory, Santana
- February 6 - Natalie Cole
- February 8 - Danny Seals
- February 11 - Rochelle Fleming, soul music vocalist
- February 12 - Steve Hackett, Genesis
- February 13 - Peter Gabriel
- February 19 - Andy Powell, Wishbone Ash
- February 20 - Walter Becker, Steely Dan
- February 23 - Steven Priest, Sweet
- February 26 - Jonathan Cain, Journey
[edit] March - April
- March 2 - Karen Carpenter, Carpenters
- March 21 - Roger Hodgson, Supertramp
- March 26 - Teddy Pendergrass
- March 27 - Tony Banks, Genesis
- April 5 - Agnetha Fältskog, ABBA
- April 12 - David Cassidy
- April 15 - Tonio K, singer
- April 22 - Peter Frampton
- April 25 - Steve Ferrone, Average White Band
[edit] May - June
- May 2 - Lou Gramm, Foreigner
- May 3 - Mary Hopkin
- May 9 - Tom Petersson, Cheap Trick
- May 12
- May 13
- May 16 - Ray Condo, Ray Condo & his Hardrock Goners, Ray Condo & his Ricochets
- May 18 - Mark Mothersbaugh, Devo
- May 22 - Bernie Taupin
- May 29 - Rebbie Jackson
- May 24 - Terry Scott Taylor, record producer, The Lost Dogs, Daniel Amos, The Swirling Eddies
- June 1 - Graham Russell, Air Supply
- June 2 - Antone Tavares
- June 3 - Suzi Quatro
- June 5
- Laurie Anderson
- Ronnie Dyson
- Michael Monarch, Steppenwolf
- June 19 - Ann Wilson, Heart
- June 21 - Joey Kramer, Aerosmith
[edit] July - August
- July 10 - Greg Kihn
- July 12 - Eric Carr, KISS (+1991)
- July 14 - Gwen Guthrie (+1999)
- July 18 - Glenn Hughes, The Village People
- July 23 - Blair Thornton, Bachman-Turner Overdrive
- August 1 - Jim Carroll
- August 11 - Eric Braunn, Iron Butterfly
- August 12 - Kid Creole
- August 15 - Tom Aldrich, Black Oak Arkansas
- August 18 - Dennis Elliott, Foreigner
- August 25 - Willy DeVille
[edit] September - October
- September 4 - Ronald LaPread, The Commodores
- September 10 - Joe Perry, Aerosmith
- September 14 - Paul Kossoff, Free
- September 17 - Fee Waybill, The Tubes
- October 2 - Michael Rutherford, Genesis
- October 8 - Robert Kool Bell, Kool and The Gang
- October 11 - Andrew Woolfolk, Earth Wind and Fire
[edit] November - December
- November 1 - Dan Peek, America
- November 11 - Jim Peterik, Ides of March, Survivor
- November 18 - Graham Parker
- November 21 - Livingston Taylor
- November 22
- Tina Weymouth, Talking Heads
- Steven Van Zandt (aka "Little Steven", "Miami Steve"), E Street Band
- December 1 - Keith Thibodeaux, drummer and actor ("Little Ricky" on I Love Lucy)
- December 5 - Camarón de la Isla, flamenco singer
- December 9 - Joan Armatrading
- December 28 - Alex Chilton, Box Tops, Big Star
[edit] Deaths
- February 26 - Harry Lauder, Scottish singer, comedian and songwriter
- April 3 - Kurt Weill, composer in many styles
- April 8 - Vaslav Nijinsky, ballet dancer
- July 1 - Emile Jaques-Dalcroze, developer of Eurhythmics
- July 11 - Buddy De Sylva, songwriter
- July 21 - Al Hoffman, songwriter
- July 26 - Papa Charlie McCoy, blues musician
- August 8 - Nikolai Myaskovsky, Soviet composer and teacher of Polish birth
- September 5 - Al Killian, bandleader
- October 15 - Clément Doucet, pianist
- October 23 - Al Jolson
- November 20 - Francesco Cilea, opera composer
- December 1 - Ernest John Moeran, composer
- December 2 - Dinu Lipatti, pianist
- December 22 - Walter Damrosch, conductor and composer (born 1862)
- December 26
- Ben Black, songwriter
- Liane de Pougy, dancer
- December 31 - Charles Koechlin, composer and teacher (born 1867)
- date unknown - Cenobio Hernandez, composer
- date unknown - Georges Mager, trumpet player
- date unknown - Ray Perry, jazz musician
- date unknown - Guilhermina Suggia, cellist
- date unknown - Edward Zambara, bass-baritone