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Uriah Heep was a rock band formed in London who took their name from a character in a Charles Dickens novel. The group has sustained multiple personnel changes over the years. They found most of their fame in the 1970’s. Their biggest hit, “Easy Livin,” came in 1972. It’s worth no more than $10.00 but their 1972 album, “Magician’s Birthday,” released on Mercury Records, can get you $250.00 today.

The most successful group of the 50’s was the Platters. Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1990, they were reluctantly signed by Mercury records in 1955 as part of a deal to sign the Penguins who had just scored big with “Earth Angel.” However, the Penguins never had another big hit while the Platters went on to have three #1 hits plus eighteen other singles that made the charts. Their first hit, “Only You,” was released by Federal Records in 1955 and is worth up to $300.00 as a single. Their 1957 album, “The Platters,” on Federal Records, featuring “Only You,” can sell for $1,000.00 today.

“Rockin’ Robin” by Bobby Day was released in 1958 and is one of those songs everyone from 8-80 seems to know. The fact that it was made a hit again in 1972 by Michael Jackson does not hurt its lasting popularity. It’s ironic that “Rockin’ Robin” was first a hit by Bobby Day whose real last time is “Byrd.” The 45 is worth up to $40.00 but the album, released on Class Records, can sell for $250.00 today.

In the 1980’s, Stevie Ray Vaughn established himself as the premier Blues guitarist of the day. Vaughn’s band, Double Trouble, was the first unsigned group to play the Montreau Jazz Festival. In 1985, he became the first while bluesman to win Blues Entertainer of the Year from the W.C. Handy Blues Foundation. The 1984 Stevie Ray Vaughn picture disc of “Couldn’t Stand the Weather” is worth up to $150.00 today.“Couldn’t Stand the Weather” by Stevie Ray Vaughn is just one of the picture discs you’ll find listed In our Picture Discs Price Guide. It’s available in the left hand column.

The Crests was one of the most successful Doo Wop groups of the 50’s and 60’s. With Johnny Maestro singing lead, they scored their first big hit in 1958 with “16 Candles.” Find a copy on 78 rpm and $400.00 could be yours. It was followed up by “The Angels Listened In” and “Trouble in Paradise.” In 1960, Coed Records released the album, “The Crests Sing All the Biggies,” where the group performs hits by other recording artists of the time. An original copy is worth up to $500.00 today.

The Marvelettes was one of Motown’s most popular girl-groups. Their first hit, “Please Mr. Postman,” was written by William Garrett, a real mail carrier. It was Motown’s first #1 record. The song stayed on the charts for almost 6 months. The single with picture sleeve is worth up to $100.00. The album on Motown’s Tamla label, is worth up to $250.00 if the record label is yellow and up to $400.00 if the label is white.

David LaFlamme once played violin with the Utah Symphony. In the late 60’s he formed the band, “It’s A Beautiful Day,” an early example of what became known as New Age music. Eventually, LaFlamme would be tossed out of the group, accused of taking too much of the royalties. The 1969 issue of the album, “It’s A Beautiful Day” on Columbia Records is worth up to $100.00. However, the 1968 release on the San Francisco Sounds label jumps the value up to $250.00.

Singer/songwriter Jim Croce was a major star in the early 1970’s with smash hits like “You Don’t Mess Around with Jim,” Bad Bad Leroy Brown,” and “Time in a Bottle.” His hit, “I Got a Name,” sold over a million copies following his death in a plane crash in 1973. His debut album, “Facets,” was released in 1966 on his own Croce record label. An original copy is worth up to $900.00 today.

It’s an irony if not complete injustice that the only music the King of Rock and Roll ever won Grammys for was Gospel. The first came in 1957 with the release of the RCA EP, “Peace in the Valley.” An original copy is worth up to $125.00. But here’s a rare case where the re issue is worth more than the original. The RCA Gold Standard issue from 1959 with a maroon record label can sell for $750.00 today.

The Crystals was the first group that famed record producer Phil Spector signed to his Philles record label. Their only #1 hit came in 1962 with “He’s a Rebel,” written by Gene Pitney. In one of Rock and Roll’s great ironies, it’s actually a girl-group known as the Blossoms fronted by Darlene Love who recorded the giant hit. Credit was given to the Crystals because Spector felt theirs was the more recognizable name. Blue label copies of the 45 are worth up to $50.00 while the album can fetch $500.00 today.