Chuck Berry + More 1958 Rock & Roll / Doo-Wop Concert Poster.. ...

Description

HE USED TO CARRY HIS GUITAR IN A GUNNY SACK...

Chuck Berry + More 1958 Rock & Roll / Doo-Wop Concert Poster.
A jumbo Globe Posters cardboard window card from the 1950's featuring four members of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame plus two back-up bands. Larry Williams, Chuck Berry, the Midnighters (before Hank Ballard's name was added) and the 5 Royales comprise the all-killer, no-filler line-up on this very important and highly underrated concert poster.

The venue information is very straightforward: "Concert & Dance, Tues. Feb. 4, 8:00 PM, Memorial Aud., Chattanooga. Advance Sale $1.50 - At Door $2.00."

You may think you've seen this poster before, but you haven't. This listing marks the world public debut of this magnificent item, the only one found in the stash of original Chattanooga concert posters uncovered many years ago. Thus it's a very safe bet to say that this is the only one that still exists. And this tour blank has never been seen from any other city by collectors, either. This is it, period.

And what an all-star line-up this was, over 60 years ago. Larry Williams and Chuck Berry co-share the top billing, both extraordinary songwriters of rock & roll's first era. And Chuck's song title given, "Rock 'N Roll Music," brands the entire poster. It has a great double meaning: one of his classic songs that eventually both the Beatles and Beach Boys would cover successfully, but also the genre of music for this concert. And it has beautiful placement, right there in the middle.

And this poster has such incredible timing in Chuck's career: right in the middle of three straight Top 10 hits that changed the world. His last hit was "Rock 'N Roll Music" in November, his current hit "Sweet Little Sixteen" was just coming out, and his next single would be "Johnny B. Goode." In fact, the latter song was recorded in January and the single was released in March. And here's this poster, right in between. If you could pick any month in history to have a Chuck Berry concert poster from, you couldn't do better than February 1958.

As for Larry Williams, did you know that the Beatles recorded and officially released three of Williams' songs, tying him with Carl Perkins (elsewhere in this poster auction) as the most covered songwriter by the Fab Four? Those three songs aren't on the poster - "Dizzy Miss Lizzy," "Slow Down" and "Bad Boy" - but the two biggest hits of Williams' career are: "Short Fat Fannie" (Top 5 Pop) and "Bony Moronie" (Top 5 R&B), both from 1957.

Then we move into Doo-Wop rock 'n roll on the bottom half of the poster. Great picture of the Midnighters in white sports jackets, and two perfect song titles... their last two smashes: "Sexy Ways" (#2 R&B) and "Annie Had a Baby" (#1 R&B). Nice photo of their bandleader Cal Green, as well.

And then the 5 Royales, with another great picture. "Baby Don't Do It" was their first hit, a #1 R&B smash for three weeks. "Good Things" was a single that did not chart. And finally, let's not forget Krazy Kris Kolumbo and His Combo (why not Kombo?), tapping the skins and happy just to be on this tour and poster.

Measures the standard 22" x 28". In Very Good Plus condition with some toning and general storage wear & tear including a tiny bit of edge fraying and light vertical creases throughout, and a few moisture stains. But none of that touches the visual integrity of this poster which looks mint & unused from just a few feet away. A masterpiece of 1950's rock & roll advertising. COA from Heritage Auctions.

More Information: Another great aspect of this poster is that every act is pictured, and not just in 'floating head' fashion but in full photographs (even the two support bands). And look at the photo of Chuck, fingering his famous white Gretsch guitar; that picture is just as good as it gets. And then those coveted words at the bottom, "Globe Poster – Baltimore." There was no better designer and printer of concert posters in the 1950's and 60's than Globe, making this an irresistible package for lovers of the first era of rock 'n' roll.