s , ▁H ale y ▁short ened ▁his ▁performances ▁of ▁" R ock ▁Ar ound ▁the ▁C lock ", ▁dro pping ▁one ▁verse ▁and ▁the ▁second ▁instrument al ▁break ▁from ▁most ▁performances . ▁However , ▁his ▁last ▁known ▁recorded ▁performance ▁of ▁the ▁song , ▁at ▁a ▁November ▁ 1 9 7 9 ▁command ▁performance ▁for ▁Queen ▁Elizabeth ▁II , ▁was ▁a ▁complete ▁version . ▁ ▁Following ▁H ale y ' s ▁death ▁in ▁February ▁ 1 9 8 1 , ▁a ▁number ▁of ▁major ▁t ributes ▁involving ▁" R ock ▁Ar ound ▁the ▁C lock " ▁occurred . ▁That ▁fall , ▁a ▁TV ▁special ▁mark ing ▁the ▁ 3 0 th ▁anni versary ▁of ▁American ▁Band stand ▁saw ▁an ▁all - star ▁" super group " ▁perform ▁the ▁song ▁( ac comp an ied ▁by ▁ 1 9 5 0 s - era ▁foot age ▁of ▁H ale y ▁and ▁the ▁Com ets ). ▁In ▁ 1 9 8 2 , ▁H ale y ' s ▁original ▁recording ▁was ▁given ▁the ▁Gram my ▁Hall ▁of ▁Fame ▁Award . ▁An ▁ex cer pt ▁from ▁the ▁recording ▁was ▁included ▁in ▁" H ale y ' s ▁Golden ▁Med ley ", ▁a ▁hast ily ▁compiled ▁single ▁in ▁the ▁" St ars ▁on ▁ 4 5 " ▁m old ▁which ▁made ▁the ▁UK ▁record ▁charts ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 2 , ▁reaching ▁number ▁ 5 0 . ▁In ▁ 1 9 8 9 , ▁H ale y ' s ▁original ▁De cca ▁recording ▁was ▁incorpor ated