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Bill Haley and the Comets were true Rock N Roll pioneers. It was Haley’s performance of “Rock Around the Clock” at the beginning  of the movie “Blackboard Jungle” in 1954 that blew open the doors to let Rock N Roll invade the radio airwaves and the hearts and minds of teenagers everywhere. However, before Haley became a Rock N Roll king he was a Country boy. In 1950 his group, Bill Haley and the Saddle Men, first tasted success with “Deal Me a Hand.” Released as a 78 on Keystone Records, a copy can sell for $2,000.00 today.

The Hollies were consistent hit-makers in the sixties and seventies with classics like “Bus Stop,” “On a Carousel,” “Carrie-Anne,” and “Long Cool Woman in a Black Dress.” But the hits first started coming in 1964 with the release of their first album in the U.S. called “Here I Go Again.” It contained their first hit, “Just One Look.” The single can get you $25.00 now. Released on Imperial Records, a copy of the “Here I Go Again” album is worth up to $150.00 today.

Many consider the Shirelles to be the first great girl-group of the Rock N Roll era but others say it was the Chantels who first hit big in 1957 with the doo-wop classic, “Maybe.” Led by lead singer Arlene Smith, who at twelve years old performed at Carnegie Hall, the group’s singles and albums are highly sought after. In 1958 End Records released the album “We Are the Chantels.” Copies where a juke box is pictured on the cover are worth up to $250.00. However, copies where the group is shown can get you $2,000.00 today. Both are seen here.

In 1995 Michael Jackson released his first album on his own record label, MJJ Productions. The title is “History: Past Present and Future Book 1,” commonly called “HIStory.” It was also his first album after the sexual abuse allegations. Many of the songs reflect what Jackson thought of the tabloid accusations and how he felt about the way he perceived the media was mistreating him.  An original vinyl copy is worth up to $100.00 today.

The album “Holly in the Hills” by Buddy Holly was released by Coral Records in 1965, long after the famous plane crash that claimed Holly, Ritchie Valens, and the Big Bopper. The music is by Buddy and Bob Montgomery. The sound is pure Country, complete with fiddle accompaniment and all recorded before Holly had found his Rock N Roll style that would make him a legend. A stereo copy of the album can sell for $50.00 but a mono version can get you $100.00 today.

From 1960-1968, Mayberry was the place everyone wanted to live along with Sheriff Andy Taylor, Barney Fife, Aunt Bee, Opie, Goober, Gomer and a host of other lovable characters that made small town living so appealing. The show lives on in syndication and continues to remind us and tease us about the way life should be. In 1961, Capitol Records released “The Andy Griffith Show” soundtrack. A copy of the album is now worth up to $125.00. Barney and Thelma Lou could have a big time up in Mount Pilot with that kind of money. “The Andy Griffith Show” is just one of the 10,000 soundtracks listed on our Soundtracks Guide in Microsoft Word, covering movies, TV shows, and Broadway shows. It’s available in the left hand column.

“Moanin’ in the Moonlight” by Howlin Wolf was his first album. It featured some cuts recorded at the legendary Sun studios in Memphis. But it was the famous record producers Phil and Leonard Chess who bought the masters and released them on their own label. Rolling Stone magazine ranks “Moanin’ in the Moonlight” among the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. An original copy, released on Chess Records in 1958, can sell for $800.00 today.

In 1986, Dwight Yoakam became a star with the single “Honky Tonk Man” from his debut album “Guitars, Cadillacs, Etc.” His video of “Honky Tonk Man” is one of the most watched videos in Country music history. But the 45 is not yet a collectible at no more than $5.00. However, the original release of “Honky Tonk Man” was by Johnny Horton. His 1957 EP on Columbia Records is worth up to $250.00 today.

In 1964, Vee Jay Records, on the verge of losing the Beatles to Capitol Records, released “Jolly What! The Beatles and Frank Ifield on Stage.” The album, consisting of four previous released Beatles songs and eight by Frank Ifield, was considered a rip-off as these were not live recordings plus the Beatles and Frank Ifield never appeared on stage together. The album with a cover featuring a drawing of an “English gentleman” is worth up to $500.00. However, covers picturing the Beatles make the album worth up to $1,500.00 in mono and $8,000.00 in stereo. Both covers are shown here.

Ronnie Hawkins, born 2 days after Elvis, started his musical career as a Rockabilly singer just like the king. Although from Arkansas, it was in Canada where he found his greatest success as an early pioneer of Rock N Roll. His band, the Hawks, eventually became the band known as the Band, one of Canada’s greatest contributors to Rock. Many of Ronnie Hawkins’ albums are collectible like “Mr. Dynamo.” Released on Roulette Records in 1960, a mono copy is worth up to $150.00, a stereo copy up to $250.00.