Buddy Holly & The Crickets
Dec 1 Seminal rock band Buddy Holly & The Crickets make their "Ed Sullivan Show" debut, performing "That'll Be The Day" and "Peggy Sue"; singer Sam Cooke also performs after getting bumped due to time constraints on November 3rd - he sings "You Send Me" and “(I Love You) For Sentimental Reasons” [1] [2]
Sessions' 3rd Symphony
Dec 6 Roger Sessions' 3rd Symphony premieres in Boston with Charles Munch conducting the Boston Symphony
The Sound of Jazz
Dec 8 CBS broadcasts "The Sound of Jazz", live from NYC: an all-star program featuring swing era and contemporary jazz artists, including Count Basie, Red Allen, Ben Webster;, Thelonious Monk, and Gerry Mulligan; highlight is the final collaboration of Billie Holiday and Lester Young on "Fine and Mellow"
- Dec 14 "Rumple" musical closes at Alvin Theater NYC after 45 performances
The Most Happy Fella
Dec 14 Frank Loesser's musical "The Most Happy Fella", based on Sidney Howard's 1924 stage drama "They Knew What They Wanted", closes at Imperial Theater NYC after 678 performances
The Nat King Cole Show
Dec 17 Last episode of "The Nat King Cole Show" airs on NBC, cancelled due to lack of national sponsorship
- Dec 19 Meredith Willson's musical "The Music Man", starring Robert Preston and Barbara Cook, opens at Majestic Theater, NYC; runs for 1375 performances, wins 5 Tony and a Grammy Award
Elvis Receives Draft Notice
Dec 20 Elvis Presley receives his draft notice to join the US Army for national service
Ringo's First Drum Set
Dec 25 Liverpudlian teenager Richard Starkey (later better known as Ringo Starr) receives his first drum set aged 17
"Christmas Show of Stars"
Dec 26 Alan Freed's "Christmas Show of Stars", featuring the Everly Brothers, Paul Anka; Fats Domino, and Jerry Lee Lewis, opens at the Paramount Theatre, NYC; runs for 14 performances
Country Singers
Jazz Singers
Opera Singers
Pop Singers
Rappers
Rock Singers