1960s Timeline

Nov. 14, 1961 - Ray Charles, one of the country’s leading popular singers and pianists, was arrested on a narcotics charge today in his...

Nov. 6, 1961 - “Big Bad John," a recording by Jimmy Dean (pictured), hit the top of the Billboard Hot 100 chart today. The song is about...

Oct. 29, 1961 - The Limeliters, a trio that sells cigarettes on television and records to its fans, gave a concert at New York’s Town...

Oct. 24, 1961 - The new dance called the Twist has been banned at New York’s Roseland Dance City, 239 West 52nd Street. “It is not a...

Oct. 23, 1961 - Reaching No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 today is “Runaround Sue,” a rock and roll song in a modified doo-wop style,...

Oct. 19, 1961 - Café society, having ignored rock ’n’ roll for years, has suddenly embraced the teenage craze. The elite of the social...

Oct. 17, 1961 - President and Mrs. Kennedy tonight attended half the opening performance of the National Symphony Orchestra’s concert...

Oct. 16, 1961 - A monument to ragtime music and its pioneer, Scott Joplin, was erected today in a parking lot in Sedalia, Mo., where the...

Oct. 9, 1961 - "Hit the Road Jack," a recording by Ray Charles, has hit the top of the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The song, written by...

Oct. 3, 1961 - Keely Smith (right), the singer, today divorced Louis Prima (left) in the breakup of one of the best-known teams of...

Sept. 30, 1961 - Ravi Shankar, an Indian virtuoso of the sitar, a gourd-and-teakwood stringed instrument that has evolved over many...

Sept. 28, 1961 - A bright new face in folk music is appearing at New York's Gerde's Folk City. Although only 20 years old, Bob Dylan is...

Sept. 18, 1961 - Reaching the top spot of the Billboard Hot 100 today is "Take Good Care of My Baby, performed by Bobby Vee (pictured)....

Sept. 4, 1961 - Reaching no. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 is "Michael Row the Boat Ashore" by the Highwaymen. The song is an old Negro...

Aug. 18, 1961 - Josephine Baker, American-born music-hall star, was decorated today as a Chevalier of the French Legion of Honor for her...

Aug. 17, 1961 - Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin will appear with Judy Garland on her special television show March 11 over the Columbia...

Aug. 10, 1961 - Guy Lombardo (pictured in 1955) has been provided equal time to present his own weather forecast over New York TV station...

July 30, 1961 - A marathon program of folk music was run on Saturday to initiate the live music project of New York City's newest FM...

July 25, 1961 - A recent gospel graduate, 18-year-old Aretha Franklin, is winning ovations at New York's Village Gate with the sort of...

July 25, 1961 - Grace Bumbry, American Negro singer, was hailed today in Bayreuth for her performance as Venus in Wagner's "Tannhäuser"...