On This Day in 1957, the Band That Helped Propel Rock and Roll Into the Mainstream Appeared on ‘The Ed Sullivan Show’

When folks think of The Ed Sullivan Show, they think of The Beatles‘ iconic 1964 performance. The performance that unofficially started the British invasion and The Beatles’ cultural takeover of the United States. However, the TV program hosted many more notable acts, including the Rolling Stones, Elvis Presley, Janis Joplin, Ella Fitzgerald, The Beach Boys, and The Doors. Well, on this day, December 1, 1957, The Ed Sullivan Show hosted the band that helped propel rock ‘n’ roll into the mainstream—Buddy Holly and The Crickets.

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No one band truly launched rock ‘n’ roll into the mainstream. However, on the list of bands that did so, Buddy Holly and The Crickets are certainly on it, alongside Bill Haley & His Comets, Elvis Presley, Chuck Berry, the Everly Brothers, Little Richard, Richie Valens, and The Drifters. Buddy Holly and The Crickets’ impact on rock ‘n’ roll and 20th-century American pop culture is incredibly substantial. One of the many achievements that added to that impact was their debut album, The Chirping Crickets, and their appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show on this day, in 1957.

The Following Success of The Crickets’ ‘Ed Sullivan Show’ Appearance

In 1957, The Ed Sullivan Show was a pop culture institution. Founded in 1948, the show was the program for popular music and helped pave the way for artists and genres such as country music and Johnny Cash. Needless to say, if an artist scored a booking on The Ed Sullivan Show, they were on the come-up, and after Buddy Holly and The Crickets appeared on the show, they became one of the biggest bands in America.

During their appearance on the show, Buddy Holly and The Crickets performed “That’ll Be The Day” and “Peggy Sue”. All four members,  Niki Sullivan, Joe Mauldin, Jerry Allison, and Buddy Holly, all scored classy bow-ties and sports, and won over the music lovers of America.

Shortly after their appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show, Buddy Holly and his band scored a significant amount of success on the charts. “That’ll Be The Day” peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, and “Peggy Sue” reached the No. 3 spot. In the years following, Buddy Holly and The Crickets continued to be a major cultural and commercial force, and it, more or less, all started on this day, December 1, 1957, on The Ed Sullivan Show.

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