1958: The Communist leaders of East Germany proclaim Elvis Presley “Public Enemy #1.” A party publication aimed at East Germany’s young people also claims “The 23 year old star Presley is no artist and enjoys only limited brain power.”

The leaders were probably right from their point of view as American rock & roll did more to undermine the Communist way of life more than all of the politicians put together!

1952: The Sir John Trio of St. Louis, headed by boogie-woogie pianist Johnnie Johnson, is desperate to find a replacement when their guitar player has a stroke. Johnson decides to hire a young hairdresser named Chuck Berry.

1970: A court in Miami sentenced Doors’ front man Jim Morrison to six months in prison for indecent exposure during a concert in the city that took place in March of the previous year.

The case was still being appealed when Morrison died the next July. Jim would ultimately receive a posthumous pardon for his conviction.

1957: Bobby Helms is in the studio today recording a little song he wrote called “Jingle Bell Rock.” The song will sell over one million copies before the end of the year and go on to become the best-known rock & roll Christmas tune.

1964: One of the legendary concerts in rock history took place on this day. Dubbed the Teen Age Music International or T.A.M.I. Show, the concert featured Chuck Berry, the Beach Boys, James Brown, Lesley Gore, the Rolling Stones, Gerry and the Pacemakers, Smokey Robinson and the Miracles, the Supremes, Jan and Dean and Billy J. Kramer.

Tickets were given away for free (!) and the entire event was filmed. Stunningly, the film was an initial box office flop. Then, legal wrangling (mainly with the Beach Boys) kept the complete concert film from getting a decent home video release.

The complete film was finally released on home video in 2010 and is a “must-have” for any fan of the early days of rock music. Many consider James Brown’s performance to be amongst the best ever recorded. Also, if you watch the film closely, you will see a very young Teri Garr and Toni Basil shaking it up as background go-go dancers.

1975: With the release of Born to Run, his third album, Bruce Springsteen finally moved from critics’ darling to mainstream rock stardom. That effort received a considerable boost on this day, when the pride of the Jersey shore landed on the covers of both Time and Newsweek.

For the next year or so, Springsteen himself made fun of this by changing the lyrics of his popular song “Rosalita,” when he sang it in concert, to mention this momentous event.

1974: “Then Came You” hits #1 on the Billboard Hot 100. It is the first #1 pop hit for both Dionne Warwick (at the time, adding an extra “e” to the end of her name) and the Spinners.

Equally amazing, when first released, “Then Came You” was intended to be the B-side of a single. The record label initially was pushing “Just as Long as We Have Love” as the A-side.

1964: The Rolling Stones make their American television debut by appearing on The Ed Sullivan Show.

After Stones fans nearly trash the theater that is the show’s home, Ed Sullivan not only vows that the Stones will never appear again, he also tells reporters he will no longer book rock bands!

Rock bands soon return to The Ed Sullivan Show and the Stones also come back to make 5 more appearances.

1980: The Guinness Book of World Records presents a special rhodium record to the songwriter who has sold the most records ever. Paul McCartney is honored for having written 43 platinum-selling songs and having total sales in excess of 100 million.

1966: The Yardbirds take the stage of the Fillmore West in San Francisco, marking the first time their newly promoted rhythm guitarist is playing lead at a live gig.

The lucky lad stepping into his new position is named Jimmy Page.