Ask “Mr. Music”
Jerry Osborne



FOR THE WEEK OF MAY 16, 2016

DEAR JERRY: I got addicted to 45 rpm extended plays (EPs) in the mid-1950s, mostly because they were bargains.

Singles, with two songs, were around a dollar, but for only 29-cents more we could get four or more tracks on an EP.

EPs also had cardboard covers like LPs, with art and notes.

What I've never seen is a rundown on which ones made the EP charts. Is that something you can provide?
—Scott Ludlow, Port Washington, N.Y.

DEAR SCOTT: I can, and I will.

For a little over three years, September 28, 1957 through, Oct 10, 1960, Billboard published a Top 10 list of EPs, that included different styles of music, from rock to pop, and classical to country.

From the 158 issues reviewed, I found 45 different artists with a Top 10 EP, plus one show ("South Pacific").

Their sections are alphabetical by name, with the EPs in order of peak chart number, followed by title, label and selection number, and year of first EP chart appearance (may not be the same as year of release).

Ames Brothers:
7. "There'll Always Be a Christmas" (RCA Victor EPA 1-1541) 1957

Harry Belafonte:
4. "Belafonte" (RCA Victor EPA-1150) 1959
8. "An Evening With Belafonte" (RCA Victor EPA 1-1402) 1958

Pat Boone:
1. "Pat & Shirley Boone - Side By Side" (Dot DEP-1076) 1959
2. "Four By Pat" (Dot DEP-1057) 1957
3. "And a Very Merry, Merry Christmas" (Dot DEP-1062) 1957
3. "Merry Christmas" (Dot DEP-1062) 1958
4. "Star Dust" (Dot DEP-1069) 1958
4. "Mardi Gras" (Dot DEP-1075) 1959
5. "Tenderly" (Dot DEP-1082) 1959
6. "Just a Closer Walk With Thee" (Dot DEP-1056) 1957
8. "The Lord's Prayer" (Dot DEP-1068) 1958

Johnny Cash:
2. "The Fabulous Johnny Cash" (Columbia B-12532) 1958
3. "Johnny Cash Sings Hank Williams (Sun EPA-111) 1958

Ray Charles:
3. "The Genius of Ray Charles" (Atlantic EP-619) 1960

Nat King Cole:
3. "Around the World" (Capitol EAP 1-813) 1957
7. "Love Is the Thing" (Capitol EAP 1-824) 1957
10. "This Is Nat King Cole" (Capitol EAP 1-870) 1957
10. "Cole Espanol" (Capitol EAP 1-1031) 1958

Perry Como:
5. "Como's Golden Records" (RCA Victor EPA-5030) 1958
8. "Perry Como Sings Merry Christmas Music" (RCA Victor EPA-920) 1957

Ray Conniff:
5. "'S Wonderful" (Columbia B-9251) 1958
10. "Concert in Rhythm" (Columbia B-11631) 1959

Sam Cooke:
5. "Sam Cooke Sings" (Keen EP-2002) 1958

Dave (Baby) Cortez:
8. "The Happy Organ" (RCA Victor EAP-4342) 1959

Bing Crosby:
9. "Merry Christmas" (Decca ED-547) 1957

Bobby Darin:
3. "This Is Darin" (Atco EP-4508) 1960
5. "That's All" (Atco EP-4504) 1959

Martin Denny:
3. "Exotica, Vol. 1" (Liberty EPL 1-3034) 1959

Fats Domino:
6. "Here Comes Fats" (Imperial EP-147) 1957

Duane Eddy:
1. "Because They're Young" (Jamie JEP-304) 1960
3. "The Lonely One" (Jamie JEP-100) 1959
6. "Detour" (Jamie JEP-301) 1959

Tommy Edwards:
6. "It's All in the Game" (MGM X-1614) 1959

Everly Brothers:
3. "The Everly Bros." (Cadence CEP-105) 1958
4. "The Everly Brothers" (Cadence CEP-111) 1958
4. "Songs Our Daddy Taught Us, Vol. 3" (Cadence CEP-110) 1959
5. "The Everly Brothers" (Cadence CEP-107) 1958

Tennessee Ernie Ford:
1. "Hymns" (Capitol EAP 1-756) 1957
1. "Spirituals" (Capitol EAP 1-818) 1957
1. "The Star Carol" (Capitol EAP 1-1071) 1958
2. "Nearer the Cross" (Capitol EAP 1-1005) 1958

Four Freshmen:
6. "4 Freshmen and 5 Trumpets" (Capitol 1-763) 1958
8. "Four Freshmen and Five Saxes" (Capitol 1-844) 1957

Jackie Gleason:
7. "To a Sleeping Beauty"/"Apology at Bedtime" (Capitol EAP 1-871) 1957
(By definition, having only one track on each side makes this an ordinary single; but Capitol packaged, priced and cataloged it as an EP.)

Buddy Holly:
9. "The Buddy Holly Story" (Coral EC-81082) 1959

Kingston Trio:
2. "The Kingston Trio at Large" (Capitol EAP 1-1199) 1959
6. "Here We Go Again" (Capitol EAP 1-1258) 1960

Mario Lanza:
3. "For the First Time" (RCA Victor EPA-4344) 1960
5. "The Seven Hills of Rome" (RCA Victor EPA-4222) 1958
7. "Hit Songs From the Student Prince and Other Great Musical Comedies" (RCA Victor ERB-1837) 1958

Jerry Lee Lewis:
10. "Great Balls of Fire" (Sun EPA-107) 1958

Little Richard:
9. "Here's Little Richard" (Specialty EP-402) 1957

Julie London:
10. "Lonely Girl" (Liberty LEP 1-3012) 1957

Henry Mancini:
1. "Peter Gunn" (RCA Victor EPA-4333) 1959
10. "More Music From Peter Gunn" (RCA Victor EPA-4339) 1959

Johnny Mathis:
1. "Heavenly" (Columbia B-13511) 1959
2. "Johnny Mathis" (Columbia B-8871) 1958
2. "Merry Christmas" (Columbia B-11951) 1958
3. "Faithfully" (Columbia B-14221) 1960
6. "Warm" (Columbia B-10781) 1958
9. "Open Fire, Two Guitars" (Columbia B-12701) 1960

Glenn Miller:
7. "Marvelous Miller Moods" (RCA Victor EPA 1-1494) 1957
8. "Glenn Miller" (RCA Victor EPA-5032) (1958)

Mitch Miller & the Gang:
1. "Sing Along With Mitch" (Columbia EP B-11601) 1959
1. "Party Sing Along With Mitch" (Columbia B-13311) 1960
5. "Christmas Sing Along With Mitch" (Columbia B-12051) 1959
5. "Still More Sing Along With Mitch" (Columbia B-12831) 1959
6. "Fireside Sing Along With Mitch" (Columbia B-13891) 1960

Dominico Modugno:
8. "Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blu (Volare)" (Decca ED-2633) 1958

Ricky Nelson:
1. "Ricky Nelson (Honeycomb)" (Imperial EP-153) 1958
1. "Ricky Nelson (Unchained Melody)" (Imperial EP-158) 1958
1. "Ricky Sings Again (Be True to Me)" (Imperial EP-159) 1959
1. "Songs By Ricky (You'll Never Know What You're Missin')" (Imperial EP-162) 1959
1. "More Songs By Ricky" (Imperial EP-1-9122) 1959
3. "Ricky Nelson (Someday)" (Imperial EP-156) 1958

Original Cast:
2. "South Pacific" (Columbia A-850) 1958

Knuckles O'Toole:
6. "Knuckles O'Toole Plays Honky Tonk Piano" (Grand Award EP-2001) 1958

Elvis Presley:
1. "Elvis" (RCA Victor EPA-992) 1957
1. "Loving You, Volume 1" (RCA Victor EPA 1-1515) 1957
1. "Jailhouse Rock" (RCA Victor EPA-4114) 1957
1. "Elvis Sings Christmas Songs" (RCA Victor EPA-4108) 1957
1. "King Creole, Vol. 1" (RCA Victor EPA-4319) 1958
1. "A Touch of Gold" (RCA Victor EPA-5088) 1959
2. "King Creole, Vol. 2" (RCA Victor EPA-4321) 1958
2. "Elvis Sails" (RCA Victor EPA-4325) 1959
3. "Just for You" (RCA Victor EPA-4041) 1957
3. "Peace in the Valley" (RCA Victor EPA-4054) 1957
5. "Loving You, Volume 2" (RCA Victor EPA 2-1515) 1957
5. "Heartbreak Hotel" (RCA Victor EPA-821) 1958
6. "Elvis Presley" (RCA Victor EPA-747) 1958
7. "The Real Elvis" (RCA Victor EPA-940) 1959
9. "Elvis Presley" (RCA Victor EPB-1254) 1958
9. "Love Me Tender" (RCA Victor EPA-4006) 1958

Louis Prima and Keely Smith:
9. "The Wildest Show at Lake Tahoe" (Capitol EAP-908) 1959

Jim Reeves:
2. "He'll Have to Go" (RCA Victor EAP-4357) 1960

Marty Robbins:
1. "Gunfighter Ballads and Trail Songs" (Columbia B-13491) 1960

Tommy Sands:
8. "Steady Date" (Capitol EAP 1-848) 1958
8. "Sing Boy Sing" (Capitol EAP 1-929) 1958

Robert Shaw Chorale:
4. "Christmas Hymns and Carols" (RCA Victor ERA-117) 1958

Frank Sinatra:
2. "Come Dance With Me" (Capitol EAP 1-1069) 1959
3. "Come Fly With Me" (Capitol EAP 1-920) 1958
7. "This Is Sinatra, Volume Two" (Capitol EAP 1-982) 1958
9. "No One Cares" (Capitol EAP-1221) 1959

Soundtrack:
3. "South Pacific" (RCA Victor EOC-1032) 1959

Dakota Staton:
2. "Crazy He Calls Me" (Capitol EAP 1-1170) 1959
6. "The Late, Late Show" (Capitol EAP 1-876) 1959

Twin-Tones:
4. "Jim and John - The Twin-Tones" (RCA Victor EPA-4107) 1958

Hank Williams:
2. "Hank Williams" (MGM X-1637) 1959
10. "Hank Williams Sings" (MGM X-1101) 1959

Roger Williams:
6. "Roger Williams" (Kapp KE-708) 1958
7. "Songs of the Fabulous '40s" (Kapp KE-737) 1958

IZ ZAT SO? How's this for an extended play with extended longevity: Tennessee Ernie Ford's "Hymns" is the only EP on the September 28, 1957 Top 10 Best Selling Pop EPs, to still be there on the final EP chart, October 10, 1960 — or 158 weeks!





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