Retro Dee is a regular contributor to The Grooveyard’s website, writing about music, fashion and other trends of the 1950s. Check out her blog, Retro Dee’s Guide to the Best Era Ever here, and her column here every Wednesday.
Hey guys and gals, it’s Retro Dee and in honor of Gene Vincent’s February 11th Birthday, we’re gonna rock out to three of his biggest hits!
Vincent Eugene Craddock (February 11, 1935 – October 12, 1971), better known as Gene Vincent, was a Rock N Roll pioneer. A true Rockabilly artist, Gene led the band “Gene Vincent and The Blue Caps”. He was also good pals with Eddie Cochran and survived the crash that took Cochran’s life in 1960.
“Be Bop A Lula”
You might say that Gene Vincent was underrated for his amazing talent that left a mark on the music world. He is probably best known for his 1956 hit “Be Bop A Lula” with the Blue Caps. It’s certainly my favorite of Gene’s work and a fantastic example of the Rockabilly genre at its finest. It peaked at number 7 on the US charts:
“Bluejean Bop”
“Bluejean Bop” was the title track to Gene Vincent and the Blue Caps first album. It was released on October 12, 1956. Despite Gene’s immense talent and popularity in the UK, when compared to the success of “Be-Bop-A-Lula”, most of his songs were underrated in the US.
“Say Mama”
This upbeat Rockabilly jam is another one of my favorites by Gene. It was released in 1958.
Gene passed away after suffering from an ulcer on October 12, 1971. He was just 36. Although he spent much of his short life in physical pain, and endured emotional trauma, Gene Vincent changed the world with his music. He possessed an incredible talent that continues to entertain and inspire generations to come.
Thank you for reading my post on Gene. If you liked this post, you can follow Retro Dee’s Guide to the Best Era ever here. You can also follow Retro Dee on Twitter @RealRetroDee and on Instagram @mariepascal82
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