Elvis Presley releases Return to Sender
RCA Victor released Elvis Presley's Return to Sender, a rock and roll single written by Otis Blackwell and Winfield Scott and featured in his film Girls! Girls! Girls!.
The single sold more than a million copies, became that year's UK Christmas number one, and reached No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100.
October 2 at a Glance
Tap any event to jump straight to its full card below.
| Category | Event |
|---|---|
| 1967 | |
| industry | The Beatles begin recording Hello, Goodbye |
| 1966 | |
| concert | The Rolling Stones play two shows at the Gaumont Theatre in Ipswich |
| 1965 | |
| concert | John Coltrane performs A Love Supreme live in Seattle |
| concert | The Rolling Stones play two shows at Wigan's ABC Cinema |
| 1964 | |
| broadcast | The Beatles rehearse for the US show Shindig! |
| release | Andrew Oldham Orchestra & Chorus release 16 Hip Hits |
| 1963 | |
| concert | The Rolling Stones play two 10-minute sets at Edmonton's Regal Theatre |
| 1962 | |
| release | Elvis Presley releases Return to Sender |
| 1960 | |
| broadcast | The McGuire Sisters sing Kids on The Ed Sullivan Show |
The Beatles begin recording Hello, Goodbye
The Beatles gathered at Studio Two, EMI Studios, from 10pm to 2:30am to lay down the basic track for Paul McCartney's Hello, Goodbye, then known by the working title Hello Hello.
Producer George Martin and engineers Geoff Emerick and Ken Scott oversaw 14 takes of the rhythm track, the start of sessions that produced the group's next international No. 1 single.
The Rolling Stones play two shows at the Gaumont Theatre in Ipswich
The Rolling Stones performed two houses at the Gaumont Theatre in Ipswich, with support from Ike & Tina Turner and the Yardbirds on their 1966 British tour.
The bill paired the Stones with two acts near the height of their own powers, part of a tour that closed out the band's era of small theatre package shows before stadiums took over.
John Coltrane performs A Love Supreme live in Seattle
John Coltrane led an expanded group, his classic quartet plus Pharoah Sanders in his first gig with the band, through a full live performance of A Love Supreme at The Penthouse jazz club in Seattle.
Recorded by local saxophonist Joe Brazil and not discovered until years after his death, the tapes surfaced in 2021 as A Love Supreme: Live in Seattle, one of only two known full live performances of Coltrane's landmark suite, part of the era's 1960s jazz legacy.
The Rolling Stones play two shows at Wigan's ABC Cinema
The Rolling Stones performed at 6:20 and 8:35pm at the ABC Cinema in Wigan, the night after their shows in Chester, deep into their second British tour of the year.
The dates came months after (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction had turned the band into Britain's biggest live draw, packing theatres night after night.
The Beatles rehearse for the US show Shindig!
The Beatles gathered at Granville Studio in Fulham Broadway to rehearse three songs, Kansas City, I'm a Loser and Boys, for a British-made segment of the American TV show Shindig!, produced by Jack Good.
The rehearsal set up a live taping in front of fans the very next day, giving American viewers a fresh look at the band just months after Beatlemania first hit the United States.
Andrew Oldham Orchestra & Chorus release 16 Hip Hits
Decca's budget Ace of Clubs label issued 16 Hip Hits by the Andrew Oldham Orchestra & Chorus, an album of orchestral covers of current hits arranged by Rolling Stones manager Andrew Loog Oldham.
Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards played uncredited guitar on several tracks, including a version of Needles and Pins, blurring the line between the Stones' rock and roll and Oldham's pop orchestrations.
The Rolling Stones play two 10-minute sets at Edmonton's Regal Theatre
The Rolling Stones performed two brief sets at the Regal Theatre in Edmonton, north London, opening for Bo Diddley and the Everly Brothers on their first UK package tour, documented in surviving tour setlists.
Paid about £20 a show as a band, the dates were a grueling proving ground for the Rolling Stones just weeks before their first hit single, Come On, cracked the UK charts.
Elvis Presley releases Return to Sender
RCA Victor released Elvis Presley's Return to Sender, a rock and roll single written by Otis Blackwell and Winfield Scott and featured in his film Girls! Girls! Girls!.
The single sold more than a million copies, became that year's UK Christmas number one, and reached No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100.
The McGuire Sisters sing Kids on The Ed Sullivan Show
The McGuire Sisters, joined by the young singing trio the Kane Triplets, performed Kids from the Broadway hit Bye Bye Birdie on CBS's The Ed Sullivan Show.
The appearance carried the sweet vocal-group harmonies that had defined the sisters' fifties hits into primetime television just as rock and roll began reshaping the pop charts.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happened in 1960s music on October 2?
October 2 saw 9 verified music events across the decade.
They're headlined by Elvis Presley's Return to Sender in 1962, John Coltrane's live recording of A Love Supreme in Seattle in 1965, and the Beatles starting work on Hello, Goodbye in 1967.
What is the biggest 1960s music event on October 2?
Elvis Presley releasing Return to Sender on October 2, 1962 stands as the day's biggest event.
The single sold over a million copies and became that year's UK Christmas number one.
Did the Rolling Stones play on October 2?
Yes, in three different years.
On October 2, 1963, the band played the Regal Theatre in Edmonton; on October 2, 1965, they played Wigan's ABC Cinema; and on October 2, 1966, they played the Gaumont Theatre in Ipswich.
What did John Coltrane record on October 2, 1965?
John Coltrane led an expanded group, including Pharoah Sanders in his first gig with the band, through a full live performance of A Love Supreme at The Penthouse jazz club in Seattle.
It was later released as A Love Supreme: Live in Seattle.
When did the Beatles start recording Hello, Goodbye?
The Beatles began recording Hello, Goodbye at Studio Two, EMI Studios, on October 2, 1967.
They worked from 10pm to 2:30am on the basic rhythm track under the working title Hello Hello.
What song did Elvis Presley release on October 2, 1962?
Elvis Presley released Return to Sender on October 2, 1962, a single from his film Girls! Girls! Girls!.
It reached No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 1 in the UK.