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Archival Jazz Clips from The Ed Sullivan Show Featured in April

The show’s YouTube channel to feature historic appearances by Count Basie, Sarah Vaughan, Ella Fitzgerald, Peggy Lee, Billy Eckstine, and more

Sarah Vaughan performing "Poor Butterfly" on The Ed Sullivan Show
Sarah Vaughan performing “Poor Butterfly” on The Ed Sullivan Show in 1957

Remembered most for world-changing appearances by Elvis Presley and the Beatles, The Ed Sullivan Show, which aired in primetime from 1948 to 1971, featured artists and celebrities across just about every genre, including jazz. During April, Jazz Appreciation Month, the show’s official YouTube channel will feature full segments of appearances by jazz artists on the show over the years—from Louis Armstrong and Count Basie to Sarah Vaughan and Ella Fitzgerald. Many of these clips are being made available digitally for the first time. Interestingly, Rahsaan Roland Kirk’s performance of “The Inflated Tears & Haitian Fight Song,” which was already on the channel, was the final musical performance in the show’s history.

Here is the complete schedule of jazz clips airing on The Ed Sullivan Show‘s YouTube channel during the month of April:

STREAM DATE ARTIST PERFORMANCE AIRDATE
4/4 Sarah Vaughan Poor Butterfly June 2, 1957
4/6 Count Basie and His Orchestra How High The Moon November 22, 1959
4/8 Count Basie and His Orchestra Back To The Apple November 22, 1959
4/8 Peggy Lee and Steve Lawrence Manhattan November 4, 1962
4/13 Peggy Lee I Love Being Here With You/Yes Indeed October 16, 1960
4/15 Billy Eckstine If I Can Help Somebody November 10, 1957
4/17 Ella Fitzgerald Hotta Chocolatta/Oh, Lady Be Good March 24, 1957
4/19 Peggy Lee Fly Me To The Moon October 16, 1960
4/19 Count Basie And His Orchestra One O’Clock Jump May 29, 1960
4/21 Sammy Davis Jr. My Kind Of Town (Manhattan) June 14, 1964
4/23 Louis Prima, Keely Smith, Sam Butera And The Witnesses Embraceable You/I Got It Bad And That Ain’t Good/I’m In The Mood For Love June 5, 1960
4/23 Sammy Davis Jr. Night Song June 14, 1964
4/25 Peggy Lee, Dave Barbour And His Orchestra Show Me The Way To Get Out Of This World (‘Cause That’s Where Everything Is) October 22, 1950
4/25 Sammy Davis Jr. What Kind Of Fool Am I June 14, 1964