An early Cameo-Parkway artist and another Elvis wannabe. Cameo did well later with Chubby Checker and Bobby Rydell and Frankie Avalon and Fabian and The Tymes and The Orlons and even ? And The Mysterians. But Gracie’s career was underwhelming; he only ever had three hits, all in 1957, and I have two.Charlie Gracie:
• Butterfly – The girl flits from guy to guy, I guess. A number 1 hit in the winter of 1957.
• Fabulous – An Elvis soundalike record. Think Treat Me Nice, which actually didn’t come out till later. From the summer of 1957.
1 comment:
Hello Groovysounds DJ!
Charlie Gracie, Jr., here--son of Philly's very first rock n roll star...and the artist who put Cameo (later Cameo-Parkway) Records on the map. He was also the first solo U.S. rocker--after Haley's Comets--to tour the United Kingdom. Dad is still going playing and touring the world. He'll be back in England and Ireland for shows this fall. He had 5 top 30 hits in the U.K. and has played there every year since. Paul McCartney (covererd Fabulous in 2000), Van Morrison (dad opened for him on a West Coast Tour a few years ago), Graham Nash and the late George Harrison have all credited Charlie Gracie as an early guitar influnce. Dad is currently working on a new CD with Graham Nash, AL Kooper, Peter Noone, Keb Mo, Albert Lee, Dennis Diken and others--whom he inspired eerly on. PBS aired a documentary; CHARLIE GRACIE: FABULOUS! in 2007. Dad actually got his start on the Paul Whiteman Show and cut his first record in 1951 on the Cadillac label. He was just 15 at the time. This was three years before Elvis, Eddie Cochran, Buddy Holly and others had even gotten started! Dad's first record--BOOGIE WOOGIE BLUES has been credited as one of the first rock 'n' roll records(even though the term hadn't been coined yet) cut by a white artist. I can send you an MP-3 if you'd like.
Anyway, just wanted to enlighten your readers. For all this and more--go to WWW.CHARLIEGRACIE.COM
Thanks again!
Sincerely, Charlie Gracie, Jr.
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