Some stuff was being done in stereo in 1955, but usually only "proper" music (in other words, not rock, pop, country or R&B).

Capitol re-issued a lot in "fake" stereo (cannot remember the proper technical term for that right now) including some Sinatra stuff but I wonder if they had recorded in stereo even if not issued it as such.

I remember one small studio which had an Ampex two-track machine in 1957 even though they were using them to do Les Paul effects rather than stereo.

Let me know how it turns out.

Re Kim Fowley - have had absolutely no reply at all from Kim, so will have to accept (gracefully) that it must have been Lincoln Mayorga on piano after all!

I will be back in Ireland tomorrow so will try and check out my own vinyl collection to see what is the earliest stereo LP I have.

I remember buying one and being told that if I played it on mono equipment, I would destroy it.

Shows how little record stores understood stereo in the 1950's.