Dick Clark's Caravan of Stars

[The Grave Maurice]

Archaic and I were talking (probably inappropriately) about attending concerts on another thread and it brought to mind Dick Clark and the touring show that he used to mount every year in the early to mid '60s.

It was great. It used to hit Toronto just about the time that school let out for the summer and every kid I knew went to it. Clark would line up about a dozen musical acts that had hit records over the winter and send them out with a remarkably large (12 or 15 piece) backing band. I used to go every year, and the ticket price couldn't have been more than a couple of dollars, because I couldn't have afforded much more.

Did anyone else ever go to the Caravan?

[sdreid]

Hi Maurice:

No, I didn't ever see it and don't know if it came to central IL. I think it was set up in 1959 as a sort of rival to the ill-fated GAC Winter Dance Party, the tour on which Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and Jiles Perry "The Big Bopper" Richardson Jr. were tragically killed. The Winter Dance Party was scheduled to be in Peoria on Valentines Day though here they were calling it The Shower of Stars. Although these three headliners were killed just eleven days before February 14, the show did go on with surviving members of the tour as well as some lesser known substitute stars.

[Hatchett]

Hi all,

This was before my time but I remember reading that a young Bob Dylan was at one of the last gigs before Buddy Holly etc were tragically killed. I remember there was a quote from Dylan saying that he still was awed by the memory of Buddy Holly looking at him as he was standing near the stage.

Best wishes.

[Limehouse]

Hi Maurice:

No, I didn't ever see it and don't know if it came to central IL. I think it was set up in 1959 as a sort of rival to the ill-fated GAC Winter Dance Party, the tour on which Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and Jiles Perry "The Big Bopper" Richardson Jr. were tragically killed. The Winter Dance Party was scheduled to be in Peoria on Valentines Day though here they were calling it The Shower of Stars. Although these three headliners were killed just eleven days before February 14, the show did go on with surviving members of the tour as well as some lesser known substitute stars.

I believe that one of the substitute stars was Bobby Vee.

For me, Buddy Holly was one of the most innovative musicians, a talented song writer and a great influence on rock and roll - and a superb vocalist. Not Fade Away was years ahead of its time and it is no wonder it was one of the first recording tracks chosen by the Rolling Stones.

[sdreid]

I believe that one of the substitute stars was Bobby Vee.

For me, Buddy Holly was one of the most innovative musicians, a talented song writer and a great influence on rock and roll - and a superb vocalist. Not Fade Away was years ahead of its time and it is no wonder it was one of the first recording tracks chosen by the Rolling Stones.

Hi Limehouse:

You may well be correct regarding Bobby Vee. As I recall, Jill Corey was one of the substitutes also. There must have been at least one other but I don't remember who they were or if it was a name we would recognize now. Eddie Cochran did record the Three Stars tribute record right after the crash and he was also killed in a traffic accident in the following year. He's sort of a footnote now but, at the time, I believe The Big Bopper was actually the most popular of the crash victims.

No disagreement from me regarding Holly's influence.

[Archaic]

He's sort of a footnote now but, at the time, I believe The Big Bopper was actually the most popular of the crash victims.

The Big Bopper's song 'Chantilly Lace' is pure joy- always makes me want to dance!

I used to play it for my nieces when they were little, and they'd act it out, phone scene & all, while singing and dancing... I had to replay it over and over.

Rock on,
Archaic

[Hatchett]

Hi,

In actual fact the biggest star at the time on the tour, because of his latest hit La Bamba was Ritchie Valens.

But of course the most influentual of them all was Buddy Holly and quite rightly so.

I would go as far as to say that if it wasnt for Buddy Holly there would have been no Beatles, and perhaps no Bob Dylan.

Best wishes.

[sdreid]

I might say that Valens was the hottest rather than biggest star. That's because he was the newest. In the late fifties and early sixties, many rock stars had a big hit or two with much fanfare and then vanished into obscurity.

[Hatchett]

Hi,

Well yes, hottest or biggest, but I think in those days they both meant much about the same. The other thing is that Buddy Holly at the time had had a couple of flop records, and believed that his recording days were over, that is why he had ventured into record production.

Best wishes.

[sdreid]

In my Top 11 Rock Acts of the 1950s list on another site, neither Valens nor Richardson made it. I had Holly at #4 right after Elvis, Jerry Lee Lewis and Chuck Berry, in that order. Eddie Cochran was my #9.

[Archaic]

Legends of Rock and Roll

I feel very fortunate to have been able to see Chuck Berry, Jerry Lee Lewis, Little Richard and Fats Domino in concert.

They each put on a fabulous show; Chuck Berry and Fats Domino in particular. Chuck rocked the house, doing his famous duck-walk across the stage, and Fats was so in the groove it was blissful. Plus I saw Fats in the foyer after the show, and he blew me a kiss!

Archaic

[sdreid]

Little Richard and Fats Domino

Those are both on my top 11 list. The others, in addition to those and the 5 I've already mentioned, were Duane Eddy, Carl Perkins, the Everly Brothers as well as Bill Haley and His Comets. Roy Orbison didn't have a really big hit until 1960 so he's on my early 60s list.

[Hatchett]

Hi,

Where did you put Little Richard?

Best wishes.

[sdreid]

I put him at #8

[Archaic]

Hi Stan.

Did you see the PBS 4th of July special "A Capitol Fourth"? Little Richard performed live in Washington D.C. He looked fantastic, and when he belted out "Good Golly, Miss Molly!" he knocked it right out of the park!

It's on YouTube if you missed it.

Best regards,
Archaic