Mr. Acker Bilk Topped the Music World 50 Years Ago

During the American rock and roll era , several hundred British singles have topped the American charts but the very first was by a former traditional jazz artist who never had another top 40 hit in the U.S. Bernard Stanley Bilk was born January 28, 1929. Acker is rural slang for "mate." The story goes that while serving in the British military during 1947 in Egypt, he fell asleep while on guard duty and was confined to the base for three months.

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