Gene Vincent - Capitol Collectors Series

Gene Vincent (1935 – 1971) pioneered rock and roll and rockabilly. His 1956 top ten hit with his Blue Caps, "Be-Bop-A-Lula", is considered a significant early example of rockabilly. He is a member of both the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Rockabilly Hall of Fame.

After "Be-Bop-A-Lula" became a hit (peaking at No. 5 and spending 20 weeks on the Billboard Pop Chart, and No. 5 and 17 weeks in the Cashbox Chart), Gene Vincent and His Blue Caps were unable to follow it up with the same level of commercial success, but released critically acclaimed songs like "Race with the Devil" (No. 96 in Billboard and No. 50 in Cashbox) and "Bluejean Bop" (No. 49 in Billboard).

Cliff Gallup left the band in 1956 and Russell Williford joined as the new guitarist for the Blue Caps. Williford played and toured Canada with Vincent in late 1956 and left in early 1957. Gallup came back to do the next album, left again, then Russell came back and exited before Johnny Meeks entered the band.[citation needed] The group had another hit with 1957's "Lotta Lovin'" (highest position No. 13 and spending 19 weeks in Billboard, and No. 17 and 17 weeks in Cashbox). Vincent was awarded gold records for two million sales of "Be-Bop-A-Lula" and 1.5 million sales of "Lotta Lovin'". The same year he toured the east coast of Australia with Little Richard and Eddie Cochran, drawing audiences totaling 72,000 to their Sydney Stadium concerts. Vincent also made an appearance in the film, The Girl Can't Help It with Jayne Mansfield, performing "Be-Bop-A-Lula" with The Blue Caps in a rehearsal room.

"Dance to the Bop" was released by Capitol records on October 28, 1957. On November 17, 1957 Vincent and His Blue Caps performed the song on the nationally-broadcast Ed Sullivan Show. The song spent nine weeks on the Billboard charts and peaked at No. 23 on January 23, 1958 and No. 36 and 8 weeks in Cashbox, and would be Vincent's last American hit single.