50’s Nostalgia-Bill Haley and the Comets

Bill Haley was a shooting star lighting the way for 50’s rockers like Elvis and Little Richard. Gens X and Y and even late baby boomers may not even know Bill Hayley because by the 60’s Rock and Roll had moved on even though Bill was still making music until his death in 1981.   Rock Around The Clock and Shake, Rattle & Roll defined the new music category of Rock and Roll which seemed to come from nowhere in the 50’s. Originally a country-western singer with a band called the Saddlemen, when Bill changed his music to rock and styled his hair with a spitcurl to distract from his bad eye, he renamed the group the Comets, alluding to Halleys Comet. From a slow start with Rock Around the Clock, their biggest his which eventually sold 25 million records worldwide. Their second big hit, Shake Rattle and Roll which was a song first recorded by Big Joe Turner and later by Elvis. Rock Around the Clock was used in the soundtrack for a popular movie, The Blackboard Jungle and this was the push that drove it to the top of the charts.

Bill Haley and the Comets marked the beginning of rock and roll. They kept performing up to the 80’s when Bill died but they never again dominated the charts like they did in the mid 50’s. Think sock hops ins the gym after the Homecoming Game and you can’t help hearing Bill Haley and the Comets.  If you don’t know Bill Hayley and The Comet, play the clips in the previous paragraph,  If you want more, I found this web post with more information about the group, videos and other links- Bill Haley the Rock and Roll Legend.  Check it out.  And if you want more here’s a bonus – Rock-A-Beatin’ Boogie.