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Gospel was the only type of music for which the King of Rock N Roll won a Grammy. Elvis Presley’s second Grammy Award came in 1972 with the album “He Touched Me,” featuring spiritual songs like “Amazing Grace” and “Reach Out to Jesus.” The album, released by RCA, is worth up to $40.00 but the 45 of “He Touched Me,” released in 1971, is valued up to $200.00 with its picture sleeve as shown here with the album.

You can’t write a history about the founding fathers of rock and roll without including Carl Perkins. Paul McCartney once said, “If there were no Carl Perkins, there would be no Beatles.” The Beatles recorded many of his classics including “Matchbox, “Honey Don’t,” and “Everybody’s Trying to Be My Baby.” Of course, Carl’s biggest hit was the classic, “Blue Suede Shoes.” An original copy of the 45 on Sun Records is worth up to $125.00. His album, “Dance Album,” on Sun Records, containing “Blue Suede Shoes” can now sell for $1,000.00.

(Find the values for every record by Carl Perkins and every record by over 75,000 other recording artists in our “Record Appraisal Guide,” available in the left hand column.)

In 1971, in cooperation with Post Cereal, RCA Special Products released “Golden Hits” by the Monkees on the Colgems label. The album contained classics such as “Last Train to Clarksville,” “I’m a Believer,” “Pleasant Valley Sunday” and the “Monkees Theme.” The album was only available for purchase by mail order. A copy is worth up to $150.00 today.(Find the values for over a million records in our “Record Appraisal Guide,” available in the left hand column. PLUS a free list of record buyers in your area)

It was the single “Searchin’” with “Young Blood” on the flip side that really launched the multi-hit career for the Coasters. When the Beatles auditioned for Decca records in 1962, Paul McCartney chose “Searchin’” to perform. The song featured lyrics about some of the pop culture detectives of that era like Charlie Chan, Sgt. Joe Friday, Bird Dog Drummond and Boston Blackie. The 45, released by ATCO Records in 1957, is worth up to $30.00 if the label is yellow and white while a copy with a maroon label can sell for $100.00 today. Both versions are shown here. (All the little things that can make a big difference in record values are described in detail in Mighty John’s “Record Appraisal Guide,” available in the left hand column.)

It was the soundtrack that never was. In 1969 Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention recorded the album, “Uncle Meat.” Mostly an instrumental album, the few lyrics are basically inside jokes. The science fiction film for the soundtrack was never completed. Critics praised the album for its creative aspects in editing, overdubbing, and its conceptual sound.  Released by Bizarre Records, an original copy with blue record labels is worth up to $300.00 today. Re issues have brown labels and worth no more than $15.00.

Can the melody of one hit record be the inspiration for another? Apparently, yes, as “You Didn’t Have to Be So Nice” by the Lovin Spoonful was the inspiration Brian Wilson used to write the Beach Boys classic, “God Only Knows.” Released on Kama Sutra Records in 1965, the 45 is worth up to $50.00 with its picture sleeve UNLESS it’s a promo copy as seen here. Then the value jumps to $200.00 even without the picture sleeve. 

Find the values for all promo records that are worth more than the commercial versions released in stores with “Mighty John’s Promo Records Guide,” available in the yellow strip above.)

One of the lesser-known animated TV shows produced by Hanna Barbera debuted in 1969 and ran through 1971. “Cattanooga Cats”, similar to “The Archies,” was a series about a fictitious Rock band. The drummer, Groove, was voiced by Casey Kasem. The original soundtrack, released by Forward Records in 1969, is worth up to $100.00 today. “Cattanooga Cats” is just one of the 10,000 soundtracks listed on our Soundtracks Guide, covering movies, TV shows, and Broadway shows. It’s available in the left hand column.

By the beginning of the 70’s, Ricky or Rick Nelson’s career was fading fast and he joined the “oldies” crowd at concerts featuring the hit-makers of the early Rock N Roll era. At Madison Square Garden in 1971, he was booed off the stage for not looking and singing like he did in his younger days. Actually, the crowd was booing a fight that had broken out, but Ricky thought otherwise. That event turned into a giant hit in 1972 when he recorded, “Garden Party.” That 45 is worth no more than $10.00 today but a previous attempt at reaching the charts in 1970 with a single called “Easy to be Free,” released on Decca Records, can sell for $500.00 today with its picture sleeve.

(Find the values for every record by Ricky Nelson and every record by over 75,000 other recording artist in our “Record Appraisal Guide,” available in the left hand column.)

Among the giants of the Big Band era was Glenn Miller. In 1942 he wanted to join the army but was informed he was too old. But through persistence he was sworn in and formed the Army Air Force Band. In 1956, long after the swing era had faded and years after Miller was listed as missing in action, RCA reintroduced Glenn Miller with the five-record set, “Army Air Force Band.” An original copy of the set is worth up to $200.00 today.

Be sure and request this month’s free list of “10 Records Worth $100.00 or More.” PLUS trivia about the recording artists. To receive your copy, just email mightyjohn1971@gmail.com  

For 9 weeks at the beginning of the 1960’s, Percy Faith’s “Them From a Summer Place” was on top the Billboard Hot 100 and it would take a king to dethrone it. The king was Elvis who had his first #1 hit after his U.S. army stint with “Stuck On You.” Released on RCA in 1960, the mono version is worth up to $20.00 while the stereo version can sell for $800.00 today. It is the first 45 released  with a mono version and a stereo version.(All versions of all records are described in detail in Mighty John’s “Record Appraisal Guide,” available in the left hand column.)