PostRanger's Retro 50's Stream

Swinging 50's....

Swinging 50's coming Soon!

“Female Elvis” dead at 67

A woman dubbed the “female Elvis” with the blessing of “the King” himself died Monday after teenage fame, a lifetime of near obscurity and a revival of her musical legacy in later life.

Janis Martin ranks with Wanda Jackson and Lorrie Collins as one of the female trailblazers of early rock n’ roll.

An obituary in the Washington Post and here at BookOfJoe follows her early years as a regular on a country music radio show at age 11 and later appearances with country legends Ernest Tubb, Hank Snow and Porter Waggoner then eventually as Elvis’s label mate on RCA.

Her elopement and pregnancy at age 15 ended her bid for stardom effectively relegating her to a life of near anonymity, but an emergence from retirement in 1982 rekindled her career.

Above she sings her minor hit dedicated to the rock ‘n roll legend who inspired her stage nickname at the 10th Rockabilly Rave 2006, Camber Sands, UK.

“Ultimate Elvis” named

A resident from an obscure Pennsylvania coal town has been named the “Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist” by Elvis Presley Enterprises Inc. and on Sunday, Pittston native Shawn Klush’s local newspaper ran a story about his hometown’s plans to honor him.

Klush was given the title Aug. 17 in Memphis after a contest sponsored by the company created by the Elvis Presley Estate and The Elvis Presley Trust that continues to operate the singer’s Graceland mansion now open for public tours and handle merchandising of related products.

Klush’s past accomplishments include portrayal of Elvis in the 1999 CBS miniseries “Shake, Rattle and Roll” and the winning of a “Worldwide Elvis Competition” in Montreal followed by a starring role in “Legends in Concert” beginning in 2004 with performances in Branson, MO, Las Vegas and Atlantic City, according to his website.

In 2005, he became grand champion of the “World Elvis Tribute Artist Competition” and in 2006 was chosen to headline the first Tribute Artist Showcase in Memphis hosted by Elvis Presley Enterprises.

Back in 2002, Klush sat down with Melody Saunders, a freelance writer for Suite 101 for this two part interview.

Ads by AuctionAds       Elvis       50's Collectibles       Memphis

Retro dick returns

Fifties era “Tiki Noir” comic series Hawaiian Dick returns this fall as an ongoing series, according to creator and writer B. Clay Moore.

James Sime, proprietor of San Francisco comic shop Isotope and an early supporter of the series according to Moore, waxes poetic about the “heavy pour of two-fisted noir, sexy island girls, tropical luau cocktails, angry island gods” in this post on his store’s website.

Sime’s post also includes links to panels from the comic’s first two mini series and a look at an early review by Randy Lander as well as his own celebration of all things Tiki.

The original series has been optioned for film by New Line Cinema with a tentative release in 2009 and a list of personnel including Johnny Knoxville and director Frank Coraci.

Photo Credit: BadRobot, morgueFile

Ads by AuctionAds       50's Furniture       Vintage Comics       Tiki Bar Decore