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Edwin Starr’s number one hit, “War (What is it good for? Absolutely Nothin’)” came in 1970. It was a protest song that is still popular today. Released on Gordy Records it is not a big collectible at no more than $10.00, but before “War” and other hits like “Double-O-Soul” and “Twenty-Five Miles,” Starr was a member of a group known as the Futuretones. Their single, “I Know,” on Tress Records from 1957 is worth up to $900.00 today.

It’s hard to describe the music of Captain Beefheart (Don Van Vliet). It’s a blend of Blues, Jazz, Classical, and Rock N Roll. Along with the Magic Band, he never had a hit. His music is considered more influential than popular. In the 80’s, he left music, settled down in the Mojave and concentrated on his abstract paintings. The Captain Beefheart album, “Safe As Milk,” with “Safe As Milk” bumper sticker, was released on Buddah Records in 1967 and is worth up to $500.00 today.

“I Fought The Law (and the law won)” was a top-10 hit for the Bobby Fuller Four in 1965 on Mustang Records, now worth up to $40.00. Fuller’s death, attributed to swallowing gasoline, remains an unsolved homicide and possible police cover-up. Maybe the law did win. But his classic lives on in Rock N Roll history and mystery. The original issue of “I Fought The Law” was released on Exeter Records in 1964 and is worth up to $500.00 today.

Best known as the creator of the Bakersfield Sound and co-star of TV’s “Hee Haw” along with Roy Clark, Buck Owens had the Country music tiger by the tail in the 1960’s with hits like “Act Naturally,” later covered by the Beatles, and “Waitin’ In Your Welfare Line.” But like many Country stars, Buck was a Rock N Roller in the beginning. Recording as Corky Jones, his 1956 single “Hot Dog” on Pep Records can sell for $400.00 today.  The same song under his Buck Owens name was released on New Star Records in 1958 and can bring $300.00 today.

To list all of Connie Francis’ hit records would take quite some time. Beginning in 1958 she had 35 top-40 hits. Among the biggest were “Who’s Sorry Now” and “Lipstick On Your Collar.” Like many of the 1950’s and early 1960’s recording artists, her career hit the skids with the arrival of the British invasion. Today, her 1959 hit, “If I Didn’t Care,” is worth up to $400.00 with its picture sleeve.

Redd Foxx might be best known for his 1970’s TV series, “Sanford and Son,” but he began his career in the 1940’s. As a result of his blue humor he found it difficult to get his records accepted by brand name record stores. Most of his records are comedy, which fall into a spoken word category. Spoken word records are generally not highly prized by record collectors. However, in 1957 Foxx recorded a Rhythm & Blues song called “Real Pretty Mama.” Released on Dooto Records, the single is worth up to $250.00 today.

Tommy Roe had a lot of what was known as bubble-gum hits in the 1960’s and 70’s such as “Sweet Pea” and “Jam Up Jelly Tight.” He hit number one in 1969 with “Dizzy.” His fist hit came in 1962 with “Sheila.” Issued on ABC Paramount it’s not worth more than $20.00. However, two years earlier Tommy Roe recorded it for Judd records, which released it with a different spelling: “Shelia” That version is worth up to $300.00 today.

“(Let me take you on a) Sea Cruise” is one of the best-loved hits of the 1950’s with multiple millions sold (mostly as 45’s). Frankie Ford made a living from his classic hit from 1959. The 45 rpm version is up to $50.00, but If you have a copy on 78 rpm on Ace Records with “Roberta” on the flip side as seen here, it’s worth up to $2,000.00 today. Makes you wanna say “Oo wee oo wee baby!”

As “Sgt. Peppers’ Lonely Hearts Club Band” was the most heralded of all Beatles albums so was “Pet Sounds” for the Beach Boys.  With songs like “Wouldn’t It Be Nice” and “God Only Knows,” Rolling Stone Magazine lists “Pet Sounds” as the second greatest album of all time. Released on Capitol Records in 1966, a mono copy is worth up to $800.00. A mono copy of “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” can sell for $600.00 today.

Domingo Samudio had one of the biggest hits in the history of Rock ‘N’ Roll. In 1965 he recorded as Sam the Sham. Along with his group, the Pharaohs, he made “Wooly Bully” a true classic, selling 3 million copies that year alone. On MGM Records its worth up to $10.00.  But he first tasted success in 1964 with “Haunted House.” Released on Dingo Records, that 45 is worth up to $100.00 today.