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Jimi Hendrix and Eddie Van Halen influenced many guitar players to follow but who influenced Hendrix and Van Halen? That would be Dick Dale, the king of the Surf guitar. As a surfer he was interested in putting to music what he heard in his mind while surfing. His record of “Let’s Go Trippin” is considered as the first Surf-Rock song and currently worth up to $50.00. It can be found on the album, “Surfer’s Choice.” Released on Del-Tone Records in 1961, a copy can get you $150.00 today.

Billie Holiday was perhaps the greatest female Jazz singer of all time. Born in Baltimore, she began singing for tips but would soon be fronting bands such as Count Basie’s and Artie Shaw’s. Among her greatest and most noteworthy recordings is her album, “Billie Holiday at Jazz at the Philharmonic.” Released by Clef Records in 1955, the cover featured art by David Stone Martin. A copy can get you $750.00 today. Her only 45 on Aladdin Records, “Detour Ahead,” can now sell for $500.00.

The third album by the Monkees was “Headquarters.” It’s noteworthy because, unlike their first two albums, the Monkees actually played their own instruments instead of using session musicians. They also wrote much of their own material on “Headquarters.” It took “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” by the Beatles to knock the Monkees album from the top spot on the Billboard charts. An original copy, released on Colgems in 1967, can get you $125.00 today.

Those old Doo Wop records continue to be among the biggest collectibles. Here are two more to look for. in 1953, Sabre Records released the 45, “Lonely Mood,” by the Five Echoes. A black vinyl copy can get you $500.00 but a red vinyl version, as seen here, is worth up to $1,000.00. In 1955, Blue Lake Records issued the single, “Can’t Stop,” by the Fascinators. A copy can get you $4,000.00 today.

In 1970, Reprise Records released Joni Mitchell’s “Ladies of the Canyon.” The album gets its title from Laurel Canyon in Los Angeles. The album contains many of Joni Mitchell’s best known songs including “Big Yellow Taxi” and “The Circle Game,” on which she is backed up by Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young.  The “Big Yellow Taxi” 45 is worth no more than $10.00 unless it’s a promo copy as shown here. Then the value jumps up to $40.00. An original copy of “Ladies of the Canyon” is worth up to $150.00 today.

Little Richard called himself the “architect of Rock N Roll.” It’s hard to argue against it. He was as important to the birth of 1950’s Rock N Roll as any including Elvis, Buddy Holly, and Chuck Berry. His second album for Specialty records, “Little Richard,” contains some of his greatest hits including “Lucille,” “Keep A Knockin’,” and “Good Golly Miss Molly,” A copy of that single can now fetch $40.00. An original copy of the album can get you $500.00 today.

Legendary actor/dancer Fred Astaire called Frances Ethel Gumm “the greatest entertainer who ever lived” and for forty years she lived up to his praise, not just in the U.S. but throughout the world in front of movie audiences, on stage, and through her massive number of recordings. Frances was Judy Garland. In 1979, Mark 56 Records released the Judy Garland picture disc “Live In San Francisco.” A copy is worth up to $150.00 today. “Live in San Francisco” by Judy Garland is just one of the picture discs you’ll find listed on our Picture Discs Price Guide on a flash drive. It’s available in the left hand column.

“Sailor” was the second album from the Steve Miller Band. It features songs written by Miller and band member, Boz Scaggs. The album made Billboards’ top 25 in 1968. It contained hits like, “Living in the U.S.A.” and “Dime-A-Dance Romance,” neither now worth more than $10.00. However, the “Sailor” album released on Capitol Records can get you $100.00 today.

George Martin is a name every Beatles fan knows well. Some call him the “fifth Beatle” as he was the producer on most of their albums. It was Martin who molded the raw talent of the Beatles into the polished performers heard on vinyl. He has been quoted as saying he would have signed the Beatles to a contract based on their wit alone. In 1964, George Martin recorded an instrumental version of “A Hard Day’s Night.” Released by United Artists, a copy of the 45 can sell for $200.00. The picture sleeve, showing the Beatles, can get you $1,000.00 today.

On June 1, 1971, Gladys Knight is the last musical guest to appear on the Ed Sullivan Show, which was canceled the next day after 23 years on the air. It was TV’s longest running variety show and was a showcase for nearly every major music act in the 1960’s. Sullivan was so upset about the cancellation that he refused to do a final show. The most valuable record for Gladys Knight was when she was just a “pip,” before headlining as Gladys Knight & the Pips. The single, “Every Beat of My Heart,” released on Huntom Records in 1961, is worth up to $900.00 today.