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The Coasters were the clown princes of Rock and Roll with classics like “Charlie Brown,” “Yakety Yak,” and “Along Came Jones.” In 1958, ATCO Records released the EP “Rock and Roll with the Coasters,” which included their hits singles, “Searchin’” and “Young Blood.” A copy can sell for $300.00. Although their biggest hits came in the 1950’s, their most valuable 45 was released on ATCO in 1965. “Crazy Baby” can also get you $300.00 today.

Can the same song by two different recording artists be worth money? In 1957, Jerry Lee Lewis shook up the Rock and Roll world with a song he didn’t want to record for religious reasons. “Great Balls of Fire” on the Sun label is worth up to $100.00 with its picture sleeve. In 1979, Dolly Parton recorded “Great Balls of Fire.” It was issued as a picture disc with Dolly’s picture on the vinyl itself. It can also sell for $100.00 today.

Best known for co-hosting “Hee Haw” with Buck Owens, Roy Clark is recognized as one of the best guitarist and banjo pickers in the music business. Although he had hits like “Tips of my Fingers” and “Yesterday When I was Young,” his most valuable 45 is his Rockabilly single called “Please Mr. Mayor (Don’t Outlaw Rock and Roll)” It was released on Debbie Records in 1958. An original copy is worth up to $250.00. His biggest hit, “Tips of My Fingers” with “Spooky Movies” on the flip side can fetch $40.00.

The Everly Brothers are one of the most successful duos in the history of Rock and Roll. Among their early hits is “Wake up Little Susie.” It’s ironic that these wholesome singers had their #1 hit banned in Boston. The fact that a boy and a girl would fall asleep together at the movies, as they did in the song, was too much to tolerate. Oh, how times have changed. The 45, released on Cadence Records in 1957, is worth up to $25.00 while the picture sleeve by itself can sell for $125.00 today.

Dave Clark formed his group to raise funds to send his soccer team, the Tottenham Hotspurs, to a match in Holland. Little did he know that his “soccer” band would rival the Beatles and go on to have 17 top-40 hits like “Can’t You See That’s She’s Mine,” now valued up to $50.00 with its picture sleeve. Their album “The Dave Clark Five Return,” released on Epic Records in 1964, is worth up to $100.00 today.

Frankie Lymon & The Teenagers is one of the best-known Doo Wop groups from the early days of Rock and Roll with hits like “Why Do Fools Fall in Love.” Frankie Lymon was as popular with teenage girls as any other of the teen idols of the day. But he was all but forgotten by the time he was 26. Due to drugs and hard living, he died penniless. The “Teenagers featuring Frankie Lymon” album, released on Gee Records in 1957, can sell for $300.00 today. In 1956 Gee Records released the EP “The Teenagers Go Rock’n,” using the same cover picture.That can fetch $500.00.

Chicago took a lead from Blood, Sweat & Tears by adding a horn section to their band. Among their biggest hits are “Saturday in the Park” and “Colour My World.” But in 1979, Chicago detoured from their Jazz and Rock style and were blasted by the critics for “going disco” with the single “Street Player.” However, the 45 on Columbia Records is worth up to $100.00 today.

Stricken with polio at the age of nine, doctors said that Joni Mitchell would never walk again. But in the hospital’s children’s ward she spent all her time singing at the top of her lungs and believing she would walk again. And she did. Her album, “Blue,” released on Reprise Records in 1971 is # 30 on Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. An original copy is worth up to $150.00 today. Her first album for Reprise from 1968 simply called “Joni Mitchell” can now sell for up to $200.00.

“He’s So Fine” by the Chiffons was #1 for 4 weeks in the spring of 1963. But it became even a bigger part of Rock and Roll history because George Harrison was found to have plagiarized the melody with his 1970 hit, “My Sweet Lord.”  In a piece of irony, the Chiffons recorded “My Sweet Lord” in 1975. The Chiffons’ single of “He’s So Fine,” released on Laurie Records, is worth up to $40.00 while the “He’s So Fine” album is up to $100.00 today.

In 1964, record producer Phil Spector recorded Cher under the name Bonnie Jo Mason with “Ringo, I Love You.” The 45 was released to capitalize on the new-found popularity of the Beatles. The single was issued on Annette Records, a label named after Spector’s wife at the time. An original copy of Cher’s…I mean Bonnie Jo Mason’s single is worth up to $1,000.00 today.