Gene Vincent

By Kiran

 Gene Vincent was born February 11th, 1935, and died October 12th,1971.
Though he landed his contract with Capitol Records largely because he
sounded like Elvis Presley, Vincent quickly established himself as a
rockabilly pioneer and the very personification of rock and roll rebellion.
Born Vincent Gene Craddock, he grew up in Norfolk, Virginia. He loved
country music, and he began playing guitar in his teens. In 1952, after the
Korean War broke out, he dropped out of school at the age of 17 and
enlisted in the U.S. Navy. He would entertain his fellow servicemen by
playing guitar and singing country tunes.
In July 1955, Vincent, who had planned to reenlist in the Navy, injured his
left leg in a motorcycle crash in Norfolk. His injury was quite serious, but
he refused to have his leg amputated. Later in his career, Vincent would
claim that he had injured the leg while serving in the Navy in Korea, either
when he stepped on a mine or was shot in the leg. No matter how his leg
was injured, he left the Navy, and, at the suggestion of his mother, he
began to pursue his musical interests.

Early Life

 Vincent won a spot on a local radio station owing to his uncanny

covers of Elvis Presley songs. He also had a song of his own
called Be-Bop-a-Lula. Capitol Records was searching for their
own Presley, and they signed Vincent. In May 1956, Vincent and
his band the Blue Caps, who took their name from President
Eisenhowers trademark blue golf cap were sent to Nashville
for a recording session. The group included lead guitarist Cliff
Gallup, rhythm guitarist Willie Williams, bassist Jack Neal and
drummer Dickie Harrell.

Vincent and the Blue Caps quickly became popular with the hit
Be-Bop-a-Lula, a rocker that Vincent and Don Graves had
written while on a train. Me and Don Graves were looking at this
bloody comic book, Vincent said. It was called Little Lulu, and I
said, Hell, man, its bebopaLulu. And he said, Yeah, man,
swinging. And we wrote the song. Just like that.

 The song made it to Number Seven. A rockabilly classic, BeBop-a-Lula ranks with Thats All Right, by Elvis Presley, Carl
Perkins Blue Suede Shoes and Eddie Cochrans Summertime
Blues known as rockabilly gold.
Gene Vincent and the Blue Caps followed Be-Bop-a-Lula with a
string of hits, including Lotta Lovin, Race with the Devil,
Bluejean Bop and Dance to the Bop.
Capitol released six albums by Vincent and the Blue Caps
between 1957 and 1960, all of which rank among the priciest and
most collectable LPs of the rock and roll era. Original copies of
Vincents Capitol albums routinely change hands for $400.
Vincent also appeared in The Girl Cant Help It (1956), one of the
earliest rock and roll films, alongside Little Richard, Fats
Domino, Eddie Cochran and others.

Hit Songs