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Rod Bernard was a pioneer in “Swamp Rock,” which is a combination of New Orleans Rhythm and Blues, Country, and Cajun music. Mostly influenced by Elvis and Fats Domino, Rod Bernard’s biggest hit, “This Should Go on Forever,” earned him an appearance on American Bandstand. The 45, released on Argo Records in 1959, is worth up to $50.00. But the first release in 1958 on Jin Records can get you up to $100.00 today. Both versions are shown here.

“You Really Got Me” was the song that launched the career of one of the most prolific hit-makers of the 60’s and 70’s. This classic by the Kinks pioneered much of the Heavy Metal and Punk Rock to follow. The song is both in the Grammy Hall of Fame and part of Rolling Stone magazine’s 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. An original copy of the single can fetch $30.00. The “You Really Got Me” album, released by Reprise Records in 1964 in mono, is worth up to $100.00 today.

The son of a Methodist minister, Donald Byrd was born in Detroit and performed with Lionel Hampton before graduating high school. He would later play with Jazz greats, Art Blakey and John Coltrane, before starting his solo career. Many of his albums are quite valuable including “Jazz Eyes” on Regent Records now worth up to $500.00 and “Byrd Blows on Beacon Hill,” released by Transition Records in 1956, is worth up to $1,800.00 today.

Warren Zevon created a howling hit with a little help from his friends, John McVie and Mick Fleetwood from Fleetwood Mac. Included on Zevon’s album, “Excitable Boy,” “Werewolves Of London” hit the Billboard charts in April of 1978. The 45 on Asylum Records is worth no more than $10.00 but the picture disc version, released by Elektra Records, is worth up to $100.00 today.

Merry Christmas! If you have a black vinyl copy of the original “Elvis Christmas Album” from 1957 on RCA its worth up to $800.00. BUT if the vinyl is red, as seen here, the value jumps up to $15,000.00. Ho Ho Ho!

You can thank John Wayne for one of Rock N Roll’s greatest hits. A young Buddy Holly sat in a darkened movie theater in 1956 watching the western classic, “The Searchers.” In the film when Wayne, in his distinctive style says, “That’ll be the day,” Holly was inspired and thus was born his first big hit. The original single on Decca can sell for $300.00.The “That’ll Be the Day” album, released on Decca Records in 1957, is worth up to $250.00 if the record label is multi-colored and up to $800.00 today if the record label is black. Little things can make a BIG difference in the value of records.

One of the most popular hard rock bands of the 70’s, 80’s and 90’s is Australia’s AC/DC. With classics such as “Highway to Hell” and “You Shook Me All Night Long,” their concerts were continually sold out. Their albums went platinum even though they never had a top-20 single on the charts. In 1978 Atlantic Records released their album “Powerage.” A red vinyl copy, as shown here, is worth up to $100.00 today.

In the mid-1960’s, the Buckinghams, who chose their name to sound more British, tore up the charts with hits like “Don’t You Care,” “Susan,” “Hey Baby (They’re Playing Our Song)” and their #1 smash, “Kind of a Drag,” which is valued at no more than $20.00, but their first single, released by Spectra-Sound Records in 1965, was a cover of the Drifters’ hit, “Sweets for My Sweet.” It’s worth up to $125.00 today.

Here’s a record you should know about. Garage bands were a staple of 1960’s Rock N Roll. Garage music generally refers to bands whose sound was not too polished or professional as if recorded in a garage and not a highly equipped recording studio. Some well-known examples would be “Louie Louie” by the Kingsmen and “96 Tears” by ? and the Mysterians. Most Garage bands were one-hit-wonders, some no hits at all but very collectible like the By Fives. An original copy of their 1966 single, “That’s How Strong My Love Is,” released by Tomi Records, is worth up to $3,500.00 today. Click on “Records You Should Know About” in the yellow strip above for more free samples.

Bob Dylan continues to be very collectible. “Mixed up Confusion” was a song written by Dylan originally for the “Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan” album. However, since the entire album was acoustic, “Mixed up Confusion” wouldn’t have fit since the song was recorded with an electric band. And so it was issued as his first single. Released by Columbia Records in 1963, it’s worth up to $800.00 today.