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ABOUT OUR NEW ISSUES 211
In our new issue for April (#211) we pick-up where we left off (issue 209) as we now chronicle Jerry Lee Lewis’s activities during February and March of 1958. We find that Jerry Lee's star continued to rise with some writers in the contemporary press predicting he’d be bigger than Elvis. His hectic touring continued with the first days of February spent finalizing his Australian tour. This concluded after playing Melbourne on the fifth, it having started in late January. Jerry then returned to America with a stop in Hawaii for a show at the legendary Schofield Barracks on the sixth. After his homecoming Jerry toured far and wide whilst also appearing on TV. Back in those days all tours were package extravaganzas with several big-name artists sharing the same bill. One of particular note was ‘The Big Gold Record Stars’ package in late February where Jerry featured alongside The Everly Brothers, Buddy Holly and the Crickets, and Bill Haley and his Comets. The following month Jerry was part of ‘The Rock and Roll Jamboree’ package – another star-studded line-up. Looking further ahead the fateful tour (as it transpired) to the UK was finally signed with a scheduled opening in late May.
Among the touring Jerry Lee managed to squeeze in some recording sessions in Memphis; these yielded many great songs which included ‘High School Confidential’ which was cut for the upcoming movie of the same name. ‘Breathless’/’Down the Line’ (Sun 288) was issued ( probably on February 17th) and sales were good, these further increased by the famous ‘Beech-Nut’ sales pitch thought up by Jud Phillips, it included a special pressing of the 45, issued in March, that could be acquired for "free" by sending in five gum wrappers and 50 cents. The demand for the offer overwhelmed everyone involved with shipping all orders becoming a tough task for the small staff at Sun.
This 64 page issue carries a great front cover and is presented in our acclaimed day-by-day format. As usual it is lavishly illustrated with great pictures, articles, scans of record labels and old advertisements. It concludes with a small review section.
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ABOUT THE MAGAZINE
American Music Magazine is published by the Swedish Rock 'n' Roll Club. We are a non profit organisation devoted to the 1950s rock 'n' roll music and our intention is to document, as far as possible, the early years of rock-a-billy, rock 'n' roll and its related artforms. The text of the magazine is in Swedish and English. Each issue is full of original photographs and discographies.
AM works in co-operation with the "Tales From The Woods" Roots Music Social Networking Group in the U.K. The aim is to collaborate to keep rock ‘n' roll, its history, and its many talented artists and musicians alive for posterity and future generations – this through sharing articles that have appeared in our magazines over the years, helping each other with publicity and generally spreading the word not just to the converted, but also to those yet to share our enthusiasm.
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American Music Magazine är producerad av 1950s fans för fans och är en svensk tidning med både svensk och engelsk text. Tidningen utkommer med tolv nummer om året och handlar företrädesvis om 50-tals rock 'n' roll, och relaterade musikformer som exempelvis hillbilly/country och rhythm ’n’ blues. American Music Magazine drivs helt ideelt utan ekonomisk vinning.
American Music Magazine samarbetar med "Tales From The Wood - Roots Music Social Networking Group" som är ett namnkunnigt engelskt nätverk med bred verksamhet inom vår musik. Syftet är att gemensamt arbeta för att hålla rock 'n' rollmusiken, dess historia och dess många talangfulla artister och musiker levande för eftervärlden och kommande generationer - detta genom att dela artiklar som publicerats i våra respektive tidningar genom åren, hjälpa varandra med publicitet och sprida det glada budskapet inte bara till de redan frälsta utan också till sådana som ännu inte delar vår entusiasm och passion för denna musik.
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