The 'Ricky Part 1' disc gave the teen idol a No.1 on the Billboard EP chart of November 25, 1957, before he had either a No.1 single or album.
In November 1957, the 'Ricky' set gave the teenage phenomenon his first US LP release.
Still known at this time by the name she came to dislike, Mama Cass, she released her debut solo album in October 1968.
Mass-marketed music for the X-Factor generation promoting attractive, clean-living male singers to teenagers looking for romance from their pop idols is not actually a new thing.
The versatile hitmaker has always represented the best virtues of American pop music.
The Johnny Burnette song 'Just A Little Too Much' was another chart favourite for the teen idol.
The family group from Staunton, Virginia were giants of the traditional country music scene by the mid-1980s.
Listen to our playlist of this unique instrument, honouring 'Leo' Fender, born on August 10, 1909.
Listen to some of the well-known and more obscure entries on Billboard's first-ever Hot 100, for the week of August 4, 1958.
The song written by Sharon Sheeley made history on the August 4, 1958 chart.
Roy Orbison, Rick Nelson, Jerry Lee Lewis and many more covered Hank's 'You Win Again.'
From Ricky Nelson's 'Lonesome Town' to Elvis Presley's 'The Wonder Of You,' the versatile composer left his mark on pop history.
The Crickets' final UK chart appearance was a nod to the late Ritchie Valens, and featured A-list contributors James Burton and Leon Russell.
Ricky's second and final US No. 1 single was literally retrieved from the garbage can, and had connections to Sam Cooke and Glen Campbell.
The Hag's seventh No. 1 featured such great players as James Burton and Jim Gordon.
