Personalities | Gene Vincent | Fifties | Rock

(Vocals, 1935–71)

Virginia-born Eugene Vincent Craddock, who wore a steel leg brace after a 1953 motorcycle crash and used it as a stage prop, fronted The Blue Caps: Cliff Gallup (lead guitar), Willie Williams (rhythm guitar), Jack Neal (double bass), and Dickie Harrell (drums). Gallup’s lead guitar work on Vincent’s early recordings has been admired by innumerable rock’n’roll players. Vincent’s classic is his 1956 debut hit, ‘Be-Bop-A-Lula’, which he and the Blue Caps memorably performed in the 1956 rock’n’roll movie The Girl Can’t Help It. Surprisingly, Vincent released more hits in the UK than the US, and he suffered further injury in the 1960 car crash in Britain that killed Eddie Cochran. This led to alcohol problems, and a once-great rocker turned to country music in the last decade of his life.

Styles & Forms | Fifties | Rock
Personalities | Marty Wilde | Fifties | Rock

Source: The Definitive Illustrated Encyclopedia of Rock, general editor Michael Heatley

AUTHORITATIVE

An extensive music information resource, bringing together the talents and expertise of a wide range of editors and musicologists, including Stanley Sadie, Charles Wilson, Paul Du Noyer, Tony Byworth, Bob Allen, Howard Mandel, Cliff Douse, William Schafer, John Wilson...

CURATED

Classical, Rock, Blues, Jazz, Country and more. Flame Tree has been making encyclopaedias and guides about music for over 20 years. Now Flame Tree Pro brings together a huge canon of carefully curated information on genres, styles, artists and instruments. It's a perfect tool for study, and entertaining too, a great companion to our music books.

Rock, A Life Story

Rock, A Life Story

The ultimate story of a life of rock music, from the 1950s to the present day.

David Bowie

David Bowie

Fantastic new, unofficial biography covers his life, music, art and movies, with a sweep of incredible photographs.