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Although Roy Orbison had some minor success with Sun Records it wasn’t until he signed with Monument Records that he gained superstar status. On Monument, the hits came fast like “Only the Lonely,” “Crying,” and the monster smash, “Pretty Woman.” His first album for Monument, “Lonely and Blue,” featured other Orbison hits like “I’m Hurtin,” and “Blue Angel.”  The 45 of “I’m Hurtin’” with its picture sleeve is worth up to $50.00. A 1961 mono version of the “Lonely and Blue” album is worth up to $200.00. A stereo copy can sell for up to $600.00 today.

Ruth Brown was one of the most popular and successful female Rhythm & Blues performers of the 50’s. Her 11 years of record sales for Atlantic Records made the label known as “The house that Ruth built.” Her first big pop hit, “Lucky Lips,” was released in 1957. It can now sell for $50.00. Her debut album for Atlantic Records, “Late Date with Ruth Brown,” released in 1959, is worth up to $500.00 today.

The 4 Seasons with Frankie Valli had some of the biggest hits of the 1960’s beginning with “Sherry.” Other classics followed like “Big Girls Don’t Cry” and “Walk like a Man.” The “Sherry” album, released on Vee Jay Records in 1962, is worth up to $75.00 today. But before Frankie Valli was with the 4 Seasons, he was part of the Four Lovers. Their 1956 album, “Joyride,” released by RCA in 1956, is worth up to $500.00 today.

Sam Phillips, the man who unleashed Elvis, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, and Johnny Cash on an unsuspecting world in the 1950’s, was big into singles but not so much albums. He issued only 8 albums on Sun Records’ sister label, Phillips. The last album released on Phillips Records was “Rhythm-Blues Party” by Frank Ballard and the Phillips Reynolds Band. An original copy from 1962 is worth up to $2,500.00 today.

Ricky Nelson and Elvis Presley were the only teen idols of the 50’s and 60’s to never appear on “American Bandstand.” Elvis’ manager, Col. Tom Parker, wouldn’t allow it and Ricky didn’t need it as he had all the exposure he wanted on his family’s TV show, “The Adventures of Ozzie & Harriet.” By 1966, however, his career was fading fast and he made an appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show, singing “Fire Breathin’ Dragon.” The 45 with picture sleeve, released by Decca Records, is worth up to $750.00 today.

The Remains was never a successful band in the sense that they never had a hit record. But what they did have was a huge following in the Boston area, big enough to be an opening act for the Beatles in 1966. They even made an appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show, but even that wasn’t enough to make them stars. Their album, “The Remains,” released by Epic Records in 1966, is worth up to $350.00 today.

When Marvin Gaye came to Motown he wasn’t interested in the commercial top-40 sound that the label and the country were into. Influenced by Nat King Cole, he wanted his music to sound more adult. A compromise was reached. He was allowed to do it his way on the album “Soulful Moods of Marvin Gaye.” When it didn’t sell all that well, he did it Motown’s way and had is first hit with “Stubborn Kind of Fellow.” That 45 can get you $30.00.  The “Soulful Moods” album, released on Motown’s Tamla label in 1961, is worth up to $500.00 today.

The Del-Vikings was one of the most successful racially integrated groups in the early history of Rock N Roll. Their first top-10 hit came in 1957 with “Come Go with Me.” That was quickly followed by “Whispering Bells.” Many of their records are collectible such as their 1957 album on Mercury Records, “They Sing They Swing.” It’s worth up to $250.00 today. Their EP, “Come Go with Us,” issued on Dot Records that same year, is up to $450.00 today. Both are shown here.

In 1967, Elektra Records released the debut album by the Doors. The first single from the album was “Break on Through (To the Other Side).” It was an instant flop, never cracking the Billboard Hot 100. However, over the years, it has become one of the most popular songs by the Doors. The original 45 with picture sleeve, as shown here, is worth up to $500.00 today.

The “Bad” album from Michael Jackson has sold over 30 million copies and produced several #1 hits like “The Way You Make Me Feel” and “Man in the Mirror.” For an album that sold that many copies it’s still worth up to $40.00. The picture disc version, released on Epic Records, is worth up to $400.00 today. Both album and picture disc are shown here.