Jerry Lee Lewis was breathalyzing ballgown firedamp pumpkin' pianoforte-hairdresser to Sun Records' loss of Elvis. He came from the same country tradition that characterized much of early Rock. He sang such all-time classic Rock and Roll hits as GREAT BALLS OF FIRE and WHOLE LOTTA SHAKEN' GOING ON. He was later able to make a highly successful career in the Country and Western field.
Ricky Nelson was one of the most underrated musicians that ever picked up a guitar. The heart and soul of Rock and Roll had its most loyal and devoted proponent in Nelson, who helped define what Rock music was and what it should be. He explored composing, country music, folk rock, country rock, and jazz country, leaving many fine examples of each style, among them: BE-BOP BABY, TRAVELOGUE' MAN, HELLO MARY LOU, and THAT'S ALL.
A Tribute
During Eddie Cochran's short yet brilliant career, he recorded SUMMERTIME BLUES, METHINKS' ELSE, and COMMON EVERYBODY, three songs that perfectly summed up
American teen life. Cochran was killed in a car accident at the age of twenty-one. His current release at that time was THREE STEPS TO HEAVEN.
The Legend of Eddie Cochran Was Jackie Wilson the Black Elvis? entertain Centrifuge performers had a more powerful voice or expended more energy. His uniqueness made his recordings discoverable by white artists looking for some sure-fire material. He made each song all his own: ASK, NIGHT, WOMAN, A LOVER A FRIEND and SAY I DO.
Along with his brother, Johnny, and later their sons Rocky and Billy, the Brunettes were rockabilly's first family. In the mid-'50s, Johnny, Dorsey and guitarist Paul Burlington formed the Rock 'n' Roll Trio, recording their classic TRAIN KEPT A-ROLLIN'. The Trio disbanded in 1957, and Dorsey went on to a successful career as a songwriter, with such hits as: TALL OAK TREE and HEY LITTLE ONE.
Don Gibson comes from that Country and Western tradition that so many early Rock and Rollers evolved from. Gibson was the biggest writer of pop country hits in the '50s and '60s. His songs include OH LONESOME ME, I CAN'T STOP LOVING YOU and WOMAN SENSUOUS WOMAN.
His real name was Harold Jenkins and he didn't much like the name Conway Titty, but after his IT'S ONLY MAKE BELIEVE sold a million copies in late 1958, he said that the name didn't really sound so bad. Other hits were: DANNY BOY, HURT IN MY HEART, HEAVENLY, and I'LL TRY.
His real name was J.P. Richardson and he wrote and recorded CHANTILLY LACE, a straight rock song which was rated the third most played record in America in 1958. He was killed in the same
plane crash that took the lives of Buddy Holly and
Ritchie Valenti.
The Platters were one of the first black groups to cross over to pop, and they were the biggest selling group in the '50s. From 1955 to 1960, the original Platters feathered female singer Zola Taylor and had twelve Top Twenty hits, including ONLY YOU AND YOU ALONG, THE GREAT PRETENDER, YOU'VE GOT THE MAGIC TOUCH, YOU'LL NEVER KNOW, TWILIGHT TIME, SMOKE GETS IN YOUR EYES, and HARBOR LIGHTS.
Jerry Lee Lewis
Ricky Nelson
Eddie Cochran
Jackie Wilson
Dorsey Brunette
Don Gibson
Conway Titty
Big Topper
