ELVIS PRESLEY’S VERSION OF “BLUE SUEDE SHOES” WAS AN ALBUM TRACK FROM HIS FIRST RCA-VICTOR ALBUM…”ELVIS PRESLEY” (LPM1254). THE SONG WAS RECORDED ON JANUARY 30, 1956. IT ALSO WAS RELEASED ON RCA-VICTOR (EPA747), AN EXTENDED PLAY RECORD THAT ALSO CONTAINED…”TUTTI FRUTTI”, “I GOT A WOMAN” AND “JUST BECAUSE” IN MARCH OF 1956.
“BLUE SUEDE SHOES” WAS RELEASED AS A SINGLE RECORD BECAUSE OF DEMAND AND CHARTED ON THE BILLBOARD POP CHARTS ON APRIL 7, 1956 AS RCA-VICTOR SINGLE RECORD (47-6636). THE FLIP-SIDE OF THE RECORD WAS “TUTTI FRUTTI”. ELVIS PRESLEY’S VERSION OF THIS CARL PERKINS CLASSIC CHARTED AT #20 AND SOLD OVER 1 MILLION COPIES.
1956 WAS ELVIS PRESLEY’S FIRST YEAR ON THE POP CHARTS. HE CHARTED 17 HIT SINGLE RECORDS. FIVE OF THOSE BECAME MILLION-SELLERS….
TILL THE NEXT TIME—JOE
You can write on book on the hits of The Platters. The group from Los Angeles, California 
included: Tony Williams-lead, David Lynch, Paul Robi, Herb Reed and Zola Taylor. Their first big hit record is the classic…ONLY YOU (AND YOU ALONE) on Mercury Records (70633). The single record became a #1 R&B hit and a #5 Pop hit.
Any artist or group would be thrilled to have one cross-over hit that became a Top 10 hit…but The Platters were not just any group…they charted 3 hit single records that became not just Top 10 hits, but #1 hits…yes 3 hit singles that became #1 Pop and R&B hits…here they are.
1—THE GREAT PRETENDER…(Mercury 70753) Charting in December of 1955…and selling over 1 million records.
2—MY PRAYER…(Mercury 70819) Charting in July of 1956…it also sold over 1 million copies.
3—TWILIGHT TIME…(Mercury 71289) Charting in April of 1958 and it also became a million-seller.
The Platters were and still remain one of the very best vocal groups from the rock era.
..R&B or Pop…The Platters could do it all…On Mercury Records the original group charted 17 R&B single records and 38 Billboard Pop Hits. The Platters are the #1 vocal group of the 1950′s.
CLICK ON THE TITLE BELOW TO LISTEN TO “THE PLATTERS”…SING THEIR #1 CROSS-VER HITS…
Till the next time—Joe
The Schoolboys are an R&B / Doo-Wop vocal group from Harlem, New York. Members included Leslie Martin, James Edwards, Roger Hayes, James McKay and Renaldo Gambie.
On February 16, 1957 The Schoolboys charted one side of their double-sided hit on the Billboard Top 100…SHIRLEY, climbed the Top 100 to #91. The single record also charted on the Billboard R&B chart on February 23, 1957 and went to #15. The Schoolboys hit was recorded on the Okeh Records label (7076). Th
e ballad side of the record is…PLEASE SAY YOU WANT 
ME…it charted on March 23, 1957 on the Billboard R&B chart, peaking at #13. The song did not chart on the Top 100. The single record would become the groups only national hit record. Both sides of this classic single record are considered Doo-Wop classics.
The Golden Era Of Rock And Roll is pleased to present both sides of this wonderful record for you to enjoy…the great hits…from the greatest era in pop music…The “GOLDEN ERA OF ROCK AND ROLL”.
The Schoolboys – Please Say You Want Me-1957
Till the next time—Joe
One great song two very different versions, both big hits. Nat King Cole charted his classic version of…MONA LISA in 1950. His version became a #1 hit on both the Billboard R&B and Pop charts. The single record on Capitol Records (F1010) became a #1 R&B hit for 4 weeks and a #1 Pop hit for 8 weeks. Nat’s version sold over 1 million copies and was awarded a “Gold Record”. He also won a “Grammy: Hall of Fame” award. The song was featured in the movie…”Captain Carey, U.S.A. starring Alan Ladd.
Carl Mann charted a rock-a-billy version in 1959. His recording on Phillips Records (3539) became a #24 Billboard R&B hit and a #25 Billboard Hot 100 hit. Carl’s version of MONA LISA remained on the Hot 100 for 16 weeks.
Conway Twitty charted his version of MONA LISA also in 1959. Conway’s version on MGM Records (12804) charted at #29 on the Billboard Hot 100 and remained on th
e chart for 12 weeks.
Three versions of one classic song…pick your favorite…all three are here for you enjoyment.
Nat King Cole – Mona Lisa-1950 #1 R&B and Pop (Capitol Records)
Conway Twitty – Mona Lisa – 1959
Till the next time—Joe
One of my favorite tunes from the teen years is this great classic…OH JULIE by The Crescendos on the Nasco Records label (6005). The single record charted on January 6, 1958 and climbed the Billboard Top 100 chart to #5. The record crossed over to the Billboard R&B chart on January 27, 1958 and became a #4 hit record. Record sales topped 1 million and The Crescendos were awarded a gold record.
Members included…George Lanius, James Lanius, Ken Brigham, Tom Fortner and Jim Hall. George Lanius died in 1996 at the age of 56. The female voice on the record is Janice Green. The flip-side of the record is…MY LITTLE GIRL, it did not chart. The Crescendos did not chart any other hit records, but their one big hit…is a classic!!!!
CLICK THE TITLE BELOW…THE CRESCENDOS ARE SINGING…”OH JULIE”…JUST FOR YOU.
Till the next time—Joe
