First Grammy Awards:
May 4 First Grammy Awards: Perry Como & Ella Fitzgerald win
- May 11 "Kookie, Kookie, Lend Me Your Comb" by Edd Byrnes & Connie Stevens hits #4
Once Upon A Mattress
May 11 Mary Rodgers and Marshall Barer's musical "Once Upon A Mattress", starring Carol Burnett and directed by George Abbott, opens at Phoenix Theatre, NYC, later transferring to the Alvin Theater; runs for 244 performances
Music History
May 12 "Nervous Set" opens at Henry Miller's Theater NYC for 23 performances
- May 18 "Castin' My Spell" by The Johnny Otis Show hits #52
- May 18 "Judy" by David Seville hits #86
- May 18 "Russian Band Stand" by Spencer & Spencer hits #91
Music History
May 21 Jules Styne and Stephen Sondheim's musical "Gypsy", starring Ethel Merman and Jack Klugman, opens at Broadway Theatre (later transferring to the Imperial), NYC; runs for 702 performances
Music History
May 23 Musical revue "A Party with Betty Comden and Adolph Green" return engagement closes at John Golden Theatre, NYC, after 44 performances
- May 28 Johnson & Bart's musical "Lock Up Your Daughters" premieres in London
- May 30 "Nervous Set" closes at Henry Miller's Theater NYC after 23 performances
First Impressions
May 30 George Weiss, Bo Goldman, and Glenn Paxton musical "First Impressions", adapted from Jane Austen's "Pride and Prejudice", starring Polly Bergen; Farley Granger, and Hermione Gingold, closes at Alvin Theater, NYC, after 84 performances
Country Singers
Jazz Musicians
Opera Singers
Pop Stars
Rappers
Rockers