Elvis Presley 1955 Sun Records-Era New Bern, NC Third-Billed Concert Poster. ...

Description

HUMBLE BILLING FOR THE FUTURE KING OF ROCK 'N' ROLL

Elvis Presley 1955 Sun Records-Era New Bern, NC Third-Billed Concert Poster. An original cardboard window card advertising two concerts featuring the future King of Rock 'n' Roll, Elvis Presley, as a third-billed struggling country musician despite the release of four singles on Sun Records. At this moment, Elvis had never touched a Billboard magazine records chart, in any format. He was opening for country legend Hank Snow, managed by Colonel Tom Parker by the way, and Slim Whitman, who had already had eight Top 10 country hits. So at this moment, Elvis was right in the place he belonged.

This "All Star Jamboree" in connection with the "WSM Grand Ole Opry" took place in the form of two evening shows at the Shrine Auditorium in New Bern, North Carolina on Saturday, May 14, 1955. This rare and probably unique red, white & blue concert poster was made by the Hatch Show Print company out of Nashville, TN.

This date was part of a three-week Hank Snow tour that helped expose Elvis to Florida and the southeast. The "Davis Sisters" mentioned on this poster included Skeeter Davis of "The End of the World" fame. The clutch of musicians participating in the tour but not appearing on this poster were Faron Young, Mother Maybelle and the Carter Sisters and the Wilburn Brothers.

Elvis's fourth-ever single, "Baby Let's Play House" b/w "I'm Left, You're Right, She's Gone," had been released by Sam Phillips' Sun Records in April. It would finally chart in Billboard in July, climbing all the way to #5 and finally bringing Elvis some national attention, albeit only in country circles. But the dam had been breached and the floodwaters about to be released. Presley's next single, "I Forgot to Remember to Forget" b/w "Mystery Train," went to #1 country for five weeks; and his next single after that was on RCA, just a little thing called "Heartbreak Hotel."

It's one thing to see a future star down-billed on an early concert poster; we have fun with those all the time here in our Heritage auctions. But it's breathtaking to see someone of Elvis Presley's magnitude halfway down a window card, topped by two musicians for which few of us, half a century later, could hum even one song. It's like finding the Beatles, Stones or Sinatra buried among five other acts on a line-listed concert poster. They all had to start somewhere. This poster represents the end of Presley's year-long search to finally gain achievement with his record releases and incessant touring schedule; there was finally a light at the end of the tunnel.

It's interesting how Hatch Show Print set the type on this to read "Bill & Scotty" instead of the usual "Scotty & Bill," referring to the Blue Moon Boys, of course. Scotty Moore on guitar and Bill Black on standup bass were an integral part of Elvis's early sound, and had been there in the studio on July 5, 1954 to cut "That's All Right" with Elvis, the Big Bang of his career. (Drummer D.J. Fontana would not become a regular member of the group until three months after this.)

This poster survived only because the printer, Hatch, kept one sample of everything they printed, folded them down into quarters and stashed them away in a file cabinet. With the serious collecting of rock memorabilia still decades away, there would have been little reason for anyone to pull this poster down and save it, other than perhaps one of the musicians listed or one of their family members. Even then, it probably would've been discarded or gotten lost over the next few years.

So Hatch saved this strictly for business reasons, and here we are benefitting in the next century. There are only about 3-4 other instances throughout 1955 where an early Elvis Hatch poster was printed and saved, and they're mostly red, white & blue with no photos like this. In fact, there was never a 1954 or '55 Elvis Presley concert poster made with his photo on it. Some picky collectors insist on their concert posters having pictures; well, if you want an Elvis Presley on Sun Records concert poster in your collection - and who doesn't - then it's not going to have a photograph of him. It's that simple.

As just a quick background on the other musicians, Hank Snow and his Rainbow Ranch Boys had racked up 23 Top 10 country hits for RCA Victor thus far. The biggest were 1950's "I'm Moving On," #1 for 21 weeks, and "I Don't Hurt Anymore," #1 for 20 weeks. Snow would dominate the country charts like that for another 10 years before finally slowing down.

Slim Whitman's presence above Elvis's name is fun and ironic, and can you guess why? Well, the very first time Elvis ever stepped on a concert stage was on July 30, 1954, at the Overton Park Shell in Memphis, TN. He performed the A-side of his only Sun single, "That's All Right," and then the B-side, "Blue Moon of Kentucky." Called back for an encore by the local crowd, he performed "Kentucky" again. Who was he opening the show for? Yep, Slim Whitman.

The Davis Sisters may be listed under Elvis on this poster, but they had already enjoyed a smash country hit for RCA Victor two years earlier with "I Forgot More Than You'll Ever Know," which stayed at #1 for two months. A year after this show, Skeeter Davis would break away and go solo, and rack up an impressive 40 charting country singles over the next 20 years. In 1963, "The End of the World" went huge for her in C&W, Pop and Adult Contemporary.

Onie Wheeler was a country & bluegrass musician signed to Columbia Records, but produced no hits. Lefty Frizzell took Onie's composition "Run 'Em Off" into the country Top 10, however. Wheeler then jumped to Sun Records in 1957 and toured with Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis and Carl Perkins. And Jimmie Rodgers Snow was... you guessed it... headliner Hank's son. Although friends with Elvis and Buddy Holly, Snow soon left the music scene and turned his life over to God, lecturing about the evils of rock 'n' roll beginning in the 1950's.

New Bern, North Carolina is a small-ish town in the far-eastern part of the state, and is best known in pop culture for being the birthplace of Pepsi-Cola, which was invented there in the 1890's.

An incredible opportunity for someone to add a Sun Records Elvis Presley concert poster to their collection. Three years ago, Heritage sold a similar poster from five days later, on May 19 from Raleigh, NC, and it set a house record at the time by realizing $42,500. Measures 13 7/8" x 21 7/8" and grades to Very Good condition. COA from Heritage Auctions.

More Information: Condition details: Poster was once quarter-folded down to fit into Hatch Show Print's filing cabinets. Very fortuitously, the vertical and horizontal creases fall very cleanly and unobtrusively. We can say they break no red or blue color at all, with the exception of just a very, very tiny bit in the "O" in "Jamboree," maybe the first "R" in "Starring" and possibly the top of the blue "Grand Ole Opry" bar – get out your magnifying glass. This is a great situation because sometimes these Hatch quarter-folds (on other posters) would leave "rivers" of multiple creases, break color, cut through photographs and everything else. They're very benign here.

The board also has lightly bumped corners and the expected light toning from the passage of six decades. A sticker was once placed between "Hank" and "Snow" which has been removed, but left a shadow. Then there's the red smudging in places... that is not considered damage, it occurred at the print shop when the poster was made. It's most prominent in the first half of "Whitman" and "Presley," down between "Wheeler" and "Snow" and around "N.C. 2 Shows." At the very top, there's a little bit of this printer's smudging in red over "Jamboree" and at the far-right end of the blue bar.

On the verso, the creases were reinforced with wide, clear cello tape, also a long time ago. The board still flexes a tiny bit but is now protected from any further damage along the creases. Also, "55" is written in black pen in one of the corners, and likewise "1955" in red grease pen in another, both presumably by Hatch. Both of those numbers are impacted by a poster-wide "tape lift" along the top and bottom margins, perhaps from when it was posted in a window.


Heritage Auctions provides as much information as possible but strongly encourages in-person inspection. Condition statements are offered as general guidance only, not as complete representations of fact, and do not constitute a warranty or assumption of liability by Heritage. Some condition issues may not be noted but may be visible in the photos, which are considered part of the condition report. Lots estimated at $1,000 or less are not de-framed for inspection, and we may be unable to provide additional details for lots valued under $500. Heritage does not guarantee the condition of frames and is not liable for damage to frames, glass/acrylic coverings, original boxes, display accessories, or artwork that has shifted in the frame. All lots are sold "AS IS" under our Terms & Conditions of Auction.