Big Fish Ink

The first King of Rock ‘n’ Roll — he predated Elvis — Bill Haley was born today in 1925 (d. 1981). In 1953, a year before Elvis Presley was recorded by Sam Phillips at Sun Records in Memphis, Bill Haley and His Comets released and charted the first modern rock tune, “Crazy, Man, Crazy.”

And here’s his biggest hit, “Rock Around the Clock”:

Singer and actress Della Reese met the world for the first time in 1931. In her long career, she has sung gospel, blues, jazz and pop. Here’s a sample:

In 1937, the ‘Duke of Earl,’ Gene Chandler, wailed his first notes. Here’s Gene’s biggest hit, 1961’s “Duke of Earl”:

Singer/songwriter Nanci Griffith was born this day in 1953.