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On January 14,1973, “Aloha from Hawaii” was an Elvis concert broadcast live via satellite from the Honolulu International Center, but wasn’t shown in the U.S. until April 4, as the original date was the same as the Super Bowl. Most copies of the album are worth no more than $50.00, but on some copies there was a special “sneak preview sticker” from “Chicken of the Sea,” sponsor of the TV special. The sticker, shown here on the lower right of the cover, jumps the value up to $4,000.00.

Sam Cooke set the pace for the soul singers to follow. His first hit, “You Send Me,” went all the way to number 1 in 1957. Then a deluge of smashes followed like “Only Sixteen,” “Wonderful World,” and “Chain Gang.” In January 1962, Cooke was on top of the charts with “Twistin’ The Night Away,” which he had also written. The 45, released on RCA, is worth up to $25.00 today. Up to $100.00 for the album. Both are shown here.

Not every Surf music record is worth money but many are, especially from the Beach Boys, Jan & Dean, the Surfaris, and the Astronauts. One of the lesser-known Surf music albums is “Surfin’ Wild” by Jim Waller and the Deltas. They formed at Fresno State in 1961. The album, released in 1963 on Arvee Records, is worth up to $400.00 today in mono and up to $600.00 in stereo.

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.