Sh-Boom!: The Explosion of Rock 'n' Roll, 1953–1968A rip-snorting rock 'n' roll memoir from the legendary disc jockey who's been called "the missing link to the Sixties." There was a small sliver of time between Bebop and Hip-Hop, when a new generation of teenagers created rock 'n' roll. Clay Cole was one of those teenagers, as the host of his own Saturday night pop music television show. Sh-Boom! is the pop culture chronicle of that exciting time, 1953 to 1968, when teenagers created their own music, from swing bands and pop to rhythm and blues, cover records, a cappella, rockabilly, folk-rock, and girl groups; from the British Invasion to the creation of the American Boy Band. He was the first to introduce Chubby Checker performing "The Twist"; the first to present the Rolling Stones, Tony Orlando, Dionne Warwick, Neil Diamond, Bobby Vinton, the Rascals, the Ronettes, the Four Seasons, Dion, and dozens more; the first to introduce music video clips, discotheque, go-go girls and young unknown standup comedians Richard Pryor, George Carlin, and Fannie Flagg to a teenage television audience. But after fifteen years of fame, Clay walked away from his highly popular Saturday night show at the age of thirty—and remained out of the spotlight for over forty years. Well, he's missing no longer; he's back with a remarkable story to tell. Brimming with the gossip, scandal and heartbreak of the upstart billion-dollar music biz, Sh-Boom! is a breezy, behind-the-scenes look at "live" television, mom-and-pop record companies, and a boozy, Mafia-run Manhattan during the early days of rock 'n' roll. |
Contents
4 NBC to Channel 13 1957 1959 | |
5 Channel 13 NYC 1959 | |
6 Payola Scandal 1959 | |
7 Copacabana | |
12 WPIXTV | |
13 Channel 11 1963 | |
14 Family Matters | |
15 Girl Groups | |
16 British Invasion | |
17 Clay Coles Happening Place | |
18 Motown | |
19 American Boy Bands | |
8 Palisades Amusement Park 1960 | |
9 Twist 1961 | |
10 Apollo | |
11 Brooklyn Paramount Theatre | |
20 The Partys Over | |
Coda | |
Other editions - View all
Sh-Boom!: The Explosion of Rock 'n' Roll (1953-1968) Clay Cole,James C. Dalessandro No preview available - 2009 |
Common terms and phrases
Alan Freed album American Apollo appearance arrived artists backstage Bandstand Beach Beatles became blues Bob Crewe Bobby Bobby Darin Bobby Rydell Boy Bands broadcast Broadway Brooklyn Brothers Buddy called camera career Channel 11 charts Chubby Checker Clay Cole Show club Cole's comedy Connie Francis Copa dance deejays Dick Clark Dion disc jockeys Elvis fans film Frankie girl group guest guitar Hollywood host Hotel invited Jack Jackie Jerry Jimmy Joey Johnny Kenny kids ladies later Lewis live Love manager Manhattan Mickey Motown movie musicians Neil Neil Sedaka never Park Paul Paul Anka performance played produced radio Ray Charles Raysa record rock Rolling Stones Ronettes Roz Ross Rucker Saturday night singer singing song stage star Steve Street studio audience summer teen teenage television show Theatre Tony tour Twist vocal week William Morris WPIX York young