As adjuncts to our highly popular "America's Greatest Hits" series of collections for each calendar year in the 50s and early '60s, we have already produced collections based on landmark moments in the Billboard charts - "The First Top 100 Nov. 1955" (ACQCD7062), "The First Hot 100 Aug. 1958" (ACQCD7083), "The First Hot 100 of the '60s" (ACQCD7097), and "The 'Heartbreak Hotel' Top 100" (ACQCD7122) each comprising all the records in the Top 100 for the date in question. This collection commemorates the 60th anniversary of another significant musical landmark, and comprises the complete Top 100 on the date when Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and The Big Bopper died when their light aeroplane crashed in Clear Lake, Iowa, when travelling between tour dates. The event later became known as "The Day The Music Died" after singer/songwriter Don McLean described it in this way in his 1971 No. 1 hit "American Pie". For countless music fans, it certainly represented a genuine tragedy, since Buddy Holly in particular had proved himself to one the great songwriters and influential performers of the rock 'n' roll era, and caused the inevitable question to be asked as to what he might have gone on to achieve. Interestingly, of the three artists who died so tragically, only Ritchie Valens had records in this particular chart, but inevitably the Top 100 from that time is a fascinating and entertaining snapshot of that moment, including many musical obscurities and one-hit-wonders not widely available on CD, which give a fascinating insight into the music of the time. It contains a 12,000+ word booklet featuring
18 Ray Anthony and His Orchestra - Peter Gunn Theme
19 Lavern Baker - I Cried a Tear
20 Cyril Stapleton & His Orch. & Children's Chorus - the Children's Marching Song (Nick Nack Paddy Whack)
21 Dee Clark - Nobody But You
22 Ritchie Valens - la Bamba
23 The Chipmunks with David Seville - the Chipmunk Song
24 The Teddy Bears - to Know Him Is to Love Him
25 Billy and Lillie - Lucky Ladybug
- Disc 2 -
1 Jesse Lee Turner - Little Space Girl
2 Jimmie Rodgers - Bimbombey
3 Elvis Presley - One Night
4 Mitch Miller and His "Singalong with Mitch" Chorus - the Children's
5 Ricky Nelson - Lonesome Town
6 Pat Boone - with the Wind and the Rain in Your Hair
7 The Everly Brothers - Problems
8 The Kingston Trio - Tom Dooley
9 Duane Eddy His 'Twangy' Guitar & the Rebels - the Lonely One
10 Chris Barber's Jazz Band - Petite Fleur
11 Harry Simeone Chorale - the Little Drummer Boy
12 Billy Vaughn - Blue Hawaii
13 Fabian - I'm a Man
14 Johnny Cash - Don't Take Your Guns to Town
15 Ames Brothers - Red River Rose
16 Sam Cooke - Love You Most of All
17 Quaker City Boys - Teasin'
18 Patti Page - Trust in Me
19 Johnny Mathis - Let's Love
20 The Mark IV - I Got a Wife
21 Elvis Presley - I Got Stung
22 The Applejacks - Rock-A-Conga
23 The Playmates - Beep Beep
24 Dion & the Belmonts - Don't Pity Me
25 James Brown and the Famous Flames - Try Me (I Need You)
- Disc 3 -
1 Eddie Cochran - C'mon Everybody
2 The Diamonds - She Say (Oom Dooby Doom)
3 Eugene Church and the Fellows - Pretty Girls Everywhere
4 Flamingos - Lovers Never Say Goodbye
5 Cadillacs - Peek-A-Boo
6 The Kalin Twins - It's Only the Beginning
7 Pat Boone - Good Rockin' Tonight
8 Linda Laurie - Ambrose (Part 5)
9 Tommy Edwards - Love Is All We Need
10 The Four Lads - the Girl on Page 44
11 Frankie Avalon - I'll Wait for You
12 Joni James - There Must Be a Way
13 Wild Cats - Gazachstahagen
14 Bobby Darin - Queen of the Hop
15 Billy Graves - the Shag (Is Totally Cool)
16 June Valli - the Wedding
17 Bell Notes - I've Had It
18 Royal Tones - Poor Boy
19 The Coasters - Charlie Brown
20 Kingston Trio - Raspberries, Strawberries
21 Peggy Lee - Alright, Okay, You Win
22 Bobby Darin - Plain Jane
23 Brook Benton - It's Just a Matter of Time
24 Thomas Wayne with the Delons - Tragedy
25 Johnny Mathis - You Are Beautiful
- Disc 4 -
1 Tab Hunter - Apple Blossom Time
2 Mills Brothers - Yellow Bird
3 Teresa Brewer - One Rose
4 Cathy Carr - First Anniversary
5 Wade Flemons and the Newcomers - Here I Stand
6 Don Gibson - Who Cares
7 Huey Piano Smith with His Clowns - Don't You Know Yockomo
8 Earl Grant - Evening Rain
9 Cookie & His Cupcakes - Matilda
10 Peggy Lee - My Man
11 Danny Zella & His Zell Rocks - Wicked Ruby
12 Tommy Sands - the Worryin' Kind
13 Roy Hamilton - Pledging My Love
14 Accents - Wiggle Wiggle
15 Ricky Nelson - I Got a Feeling
16 Conway Twitty - the Story of My Love
17 Nu Tornados - Philadelphia, USA
18 Conway Twitty - It's Only Make Believe
19 Link Wray and the Wraymen - Rawhide
20 Billy Williams - Nola
21 Nat King Cole - Give Me Your Love
22 Dicky Doo and the Don'ts - Teardrops Will Fall
23 Bobby Day - the Bluebird, the Buzzard and the Oriole
24 Marty Robbins - the Hanging Tree
25 Nat King Cole - Madrid
As adjuncts to our highly popular "America's Greatest Hits" series of collections for each calendar year in the 50s and early '60s, we have already produced collections based on landmark moments in the Billboard charts - "The First Top 100 Nov. 1955" (ACQCD7062), "The First Hot 100 Aug. 1958" (ACQCD7083), "The First Hot 100 of the '60s" (ACQCD7097), and "The 'Heartbreak Hotel' Top 100" (ACQCD7122) each comprising all the records in the Top 100 for the date in question. This collection commemorates the 60th anniversary of another significant musical landmark, and comprises the complete Top 100 on the date when Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and The Big Bopper died when their light aeroplane crashed in Clear Lake, Iowa, when travelling between tour dates. The event later became known as "The Day The Music Died" after singer/songwriter Don McLean described it in this way in his 1971 No. 1 hit "American Pie". For countless music fans, it certainly represented a genuine tragedy, since Buddy Holly in particular had proved himself to one the great songwriters and influential performers of the rock 'n' roll era, and caused the inevitable question to be asked as to what he might have gone on to achieve. Interestingly, of the three artists who died so tragically, only Ritchie Valens had records in this particular chart, but inevitably the Top 100 from that time is a fascinating and entertaining snapshot of that moment, including many musical obscurities and one-hit-wonders not widely available on CD, which give a fascinating insight into the music of the time. It contains a 12,000+ word booklet featuring