1961 in music

Table of contents

1 Events 2 Albums released 3 Top hits on record 4 Published popular music 5 Classical music 6 Opera 7 Musical theater 8 Musical films 9 Births 10 Deaths 11 Awards 11.1 Grammy Awards 11.2 Eurovision Song Contest

Events

• January 15 - Motown Records signs The Supremes
• January 20 - Francis Poulenc's Gloria is premiered in Boston
• February 12 - The Miracles' "Shop Around" becomes Motown's first million-selling single
• February 13 - Frank Sinatra forms his own record label, Reprise Records, which would later release recordings by The Beach Boys, The Kinks and Jimi Hendrix.
• February 14 - The Platters file a lawsuit against Mercury Records for breach of contract after the record company refuses to accept recordings on which Tony Williams does not sing lead. The group's lawsuit contends that their contract does not require Williams to sing lead
• March 21 - The Beatles perform at the legendary Cavern Club for the first time
• March 25 - Elvis Presley performs a benefit show at the Block Arena in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. The show raised $62,000 for the U.S.S. Arizona memorial fund.
• The Rolling Stones' musical career begins
• The Temptations' musical career begins
• The Beach Boys' musical career begins
• Gladys Knight's musical career begins
• Bob Dylan's musical career begins

• All The Way - Frank Sinatra
• Come Swing With Me - Frank Sinatra
• Connie At The Copa - Connie Francis
• Emotions (album) - Brenda Lee
• Goin' Places - The Kingston Trio
• Lonely and Blue - Roy Orbison
• Ring-A-Ding Ding - Frank Sinatra
• A Scottish Soldier - Andy Stewart
• Sinatra Swings - Frank Sinatra
• Sinatra's Swingin' Session - Frank Sinatra
• Judge Not (Single) - Bob Marley

• "I Fall to Pieces" - Patsy Cline
• "Crazy" - Patsy Cline
• "Where the Boys Are" - Connie Francis
• "Running Scared" - Roy Orbison
• "Crying" - Roy Orbison
• "(I Wanna) Love My Life Away" - Gene Pitney
• "Town Without Pity" - Gene Pitney
• "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" - The Tokens
• "Runaround Sue" - Dion
• "Let's Go Trippin' " - Dick Dale's first local hit, regarded as first surf rock instrumental
• "Tossin' & Turnin' " - Bobby Lewis
• "Runaway" - Del Shannon
• "Blue Moon" - The Marcels
• "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow" - The Shirelles
• "There's No Other Like My Baby" - The Crystals' first hit
• "Please Mr. Postman" - The Marvellettes
• "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" - The Tokens
• "Quarter To Three" - Gary U.S. Bonds
• "Shop Around" - The Miracles
• "Travelin' Man" - Ricky Nelson
• "Hello Mary Lou" - Ricky Nelson
• "Stand By Me" - Ben E. King
• "The Wanderer" - Dion
• "The Mountain's High" - Dick and Deedee

• "Another Time, Another Place" w.m. Richard Adler from the musical Kwamina
• "Baby Elephant Walk" m. Henry Mancini from the film Hatari
• "Big, Bad John" w.m. Jimmy Dean
• "Blue Bayou" w.m. Joe Melson & Roy Orbison
• "Breaking In A Brand New Broken Heart" w.m. Howard Greenfield & Jack Keller
• "Brotherhood Of Man" w.m. Frank Loesser from the musical How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying
• "The Company Way" w.m. Frank Loesser from the musical How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying
• "Crazy" w.m. Willie Nelson
• "Crying" w.m. Joe Melson & Roy Orbison
• "Funny How Time Slips Away" w.m. Willie Nelson
• "Hit The Road, Jack" w.m. Percy Mayfield
• "I Believe In You" w.m. Frank Loesser from the musical How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying
• "Let's Get Together" w.m. Richard M. Sherman & Robert B. Sherman from the film The Parent Trap
• "Let's Twist Again" w.m. Dave Appell & Kal Mann
• "Little Miss Stuck-up" w.m. Lee Pockriss & Paul Vance
• "Moon River" w. Johnny Mercer m. Henry Mancini from the film Breakfast At Tiffany's
• "Multiplication" w.m. Bobby Darin
• "My Kind Of Girl"      w.m. Leslie Bricusse
• "The Passenger's Always Right" w.m. Noel Coward from the musical Sail Away
• "Pocketful Of Miracles"     w. Sammy Cahn m. Jimmy Van Heusen from the film Pocketful Of Miracles
• "Speedy Gonzales" w.m David Hess, Buddy Kaye & Ethel Lee
• "Ten Girls Ago" w. Diane Lampert m. Sammy Fain
• "A Walk On The Wild Side" w. Mack David m. Elmer Bernstein
• "When The Girl In Your Arms Is The Girl In Your Heart" w.m. Roy Bennett & Sid Tepper from the film The Young Ones
• "Why Do The Wrong People Travel?" w.m. Noel Coward from the musical Sail Away
• "The Young Ones" w. Roy Bennett m. Sid Tepper from the film ''The Young Ones"

• Earle Brown - Available Forms I
• György Ligeti - Atmospheres
• Luigi Nono - Intolleranza

• Robert Ward - The Crucible

• Carnival     Broadway production
• Do-Re-Mi     London production
• The Fantasticks     London production
• How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying     Broadway production
• Kwamina     Broadway production
• Madame Aphrodite     Broadway production
• Milk And Honey     Broadway production
• Salad Days (Julian Slade) - London revival
• Sail Away     Broadway production
• The Sound Of Music (Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II) - London production
• Stop The World - I Want To Get Off (Anthony Newley and Leslie Bricusse) -London production
• Wildest Dreams     London production

• Babes In Toyland
• Flower Drum Song
• The Road To Hong Kong
• West Side Story
• The Young Ones

• January 13 - Suggs, Madness
• January 14 - Mike Tramp, White Lion
• January 27 - Gillian Gilbert, New Order
• January 29 - Eddie Jackson, Queensrÿche
• January 31 - Lloyd Cole
• February 8 - Vince Neil, Mötley Crüe
• February 10 - Robbie Neville
• February 13 - Henry Rollins, punk/rock vocalist and spoken word performer
• February 16 - Andy Taylor, Duran Duran
• March 20 - Slim Jim Phantom, The Stray Cats
• April 1 - Mark White, ABC
• April 2 - Keren Woodward, Bananarama
• April 6 - Gene Eugene, actor, lead singer of Adam Again
• May 17 - Enya Eithne Ni Bhraonain
• May 29 - Melissa Etheridge
• June 4 - Eldra DeBarge, DeBarge
• June 6 - Tom Araya, Slayer
• June 14 - Boy George, Culture Club
• June 18 - Alison Moyet
• June 22 - Jimmy Somerville
• June 24 - Curt Smith, Tears For Fears
• June 27 - Margo Timmons, Cowboy Junkies
• June 29 - Greg Hetson, Bad Religion
• July 2 - Paul Geary, Extreme
• July 22 - Keith Sweat, R&B/Soul singer
• July 24 - Gary Cherone, Extreme
• August 2 - Apollina
• August 8 - Rikki Rockett, Poison
• August 8 - The Edge, guitarist for the rock band U2
• August 10 - Jon Fariss, INXS
• August 22 - Roland Orzabal, Tears for Fears
• August 23 - Dean DeLeo, Stone Temple Pilots
• September 6 - Pal Waaktaar, a-ha
• September 13 - Dave Mustaine, Megadeth
• October 9 - Kurt Neumann, The BoDeans
• October 10 - Martin Kemp, Spandau Ballet
• October 18 - Wynton Marsalis
• October 29 - Randy Jackson, The Jacksons
• October 31 - Larry Mullen, drummer for the rock band U2
• November 2 - k.d. lang
• November 5 - David Bryson, Counting Crows
• November 8 - Leif Garrett
• December 17 - Sarah Dallin, Bananarama

• January 13 - Blanche Ring, US singer and actress
• March 3 - Paul Wittgenstein, pianist
• March 6 - George Formby, English Music hall comedian, singer & songwriter and ukulele player extraordinaire
• March 9 - Wilber Sweatman

Grammy Awards

• Grammy Awards of 1961

• Eurovision Song Contest 1961