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Johnny Winter was a white Blues guitarist who had local fame in Texas in the early 1960’s. In 1968, after Rolling Stone magazine described him as a “cross-eyed albino with long fleecy hair, playing some of the gutsiest blues guitar you’ve ever heard,” his fame went national. His albums were well received but he wasn’t a hit-maker for top-40 radio. Early singles from the 60’s on Frolic Records like “Gangster of Love” and “Voodoo Twist” are each worth up to $125.00 today.

Ella Fitzgerald is known as the “First lady of Jazz,” working with such Jazz giants as Louis Armstrong and Dizzy Gillespie. Before her rise to fame she was a lookout for a brothel and ran numbers. But winning an amateur singing contest at the Apollo Theater was her turning point. Of her many records, a dozen of them are each worth up to $100.00 or more like her 1950 “Souvenir Album” on Decca Records and the 1951 “Ella Sings Gershwin” album on Decca.

The Who’s “Live at Leeds” album, released in 1970, featured some of the band’s biggest hits like “Substitute”, “My Generation,” and “Magic Bus.” The New York Times said, “It’s the best live rock album ever made.” Also on the album was “Young Man Blues.” Released as a single on Decca Records, it’s worth up to $150.00. The picture sleeve, as shown here, is worth up to $500.00 today.

In the spring of 1962 one-hit-wonder, Bruce Channel, rode the top of the charts with “Hey Baby” ( I wanna know if you’ll be my girl). The harmonica riff at the beginning of the song inspired John Lennon’s playing on “Love Me Do.” The value of Bruce Channel’s hit all depends on what label it’s on. Most copies are on Smash Records and worth no more than $20.00, but on the Le Cam label the value can go up to $125.00.

The Paris Sisters were discovered by 1940’s and 50’s stars, the Andrew Sisters. Soon, the Paris Sisters were performing in Las Vegas. With wigs, padded bras, and lots of make-up the nine, ten, and fifteen-year olds sang at the Dunes with Sinatra and at the Frontier with a young Elvis Presley. Their biggest hit came in 1961 with “I Love How You Love Me.” The 45, on Gregmark Records, can fetch $50.00. “The Golden Hits of the Paris Sisters,” was released on Sidewalk Records. It contains their 1961 hit and is worth up to $200.00 today.

In 1968 the Okaysions’ giant beach-music hit, “Girl Watcher,” was in the top-10 for nine weeks and in the top-100 for twenty-six weeks. Most copies can be found on ABC Records and worth no more than $10.00. However, it was first issued on North State records where the value jumps to $100.00. Add another $250.00 for the picture sleeve as shown here.

Following World War II, Detroit was a mecca for Blues artists like Eddie “Guitar” Burns. Influenced heavily by artists like Sonny Boy Williamson and Big Bill Bronzy, Burns soon found himself cutting sessions with Blues legend, John Lee Hooker. In 1952 Deluxe Records released the Eddie Burns single “Hello Miss Jessie Lee.” It’s worth up to $500.00. In 1957 he hit with “Treat Me Like I Treat You.” That 78 on J-V-B Records can sell for $600.00 today.

“Desire Under the Elms” was written by Eugene O’Neil and first published as a play in 1924. In 1958 it was brought to the screen with its story of greed, lust, and family betrayal. It was kind of like a poor man’s version of the Ewing family on TV’s, “Dallas.” Starring Sophia Loren, Anthony Perkins, and Burl Ives, the original soundtrack with music by Elmer Bernstein was released by Dot Records and worth up to $100.00 today. “Desire Under the Elms” is just one of the 10,000 soundtracks on our Soundtracks guide on CD. It lists the values for all movies, TV, and Broadway shows and is available in the left hand column.

Willie Nelson is one of the most popular and well-loved musicians/song-writers in the history of recorded music. He has written some of the greatest Country classics of all time like “Funny How Time Slips Away” and “Crazy,” one of the biggest hits for Patsy Cline. His own list of hits is lengthy like “Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain” from 1975, which is worth no more than $5.00 but Willie’s first 45, “No Place for Me,” from 1957, is worth up to $750.00 today.

Dorsey Burnette was Johnny Burnette’s older brother and a member of the very collectible Johnny Burnette and the Rock N Roll Trio. Both the Burnette brothers were gold-glove boxing champs and top-40 hit-makers. Johnny is best known for “You’re Sixteen” and “Little Boy Sad.” Brother Dorsey had hits like “Hey Little One” and “Tall Oak Tree.” The “Tall Oak Tree” album in stereo, released on ERA Records in 1960, is worth up to $150.00. His first 45, “Bertha Lou,” on Surf Records from 1957, can get you $200.00 today.