rock and roll revival
The rock and roll revival was a back-to-basics musical trend of the late 1960s and early 1970s, in a sort-of backlash against the psychedelic and pop sounds then in vogue.
rock and roll revival
- Field
- rock and roll
Reference Check
Propose documentary evidence for rock and roll revival. A contribution is never written directly as fact: identity, source, rights and evidence gates still decide.
Sign in to contribute
Documentary evidence
Documentary basis
Authority files
wikidata · Q668657 · wikipedia · Rock and roll revival
In this article
History
History
As the Sixties ended, several early rock and rollers like Little Richard, Chuck Berry, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, Bill Haley & His Comets and Bo Diddley, who had been out of fashion since the British Invasion, experienced a resurgence in popularity, performing their old hits to a mix of old and new fans. Rock and roll revival festivals became popular, and anticipated the "oldies show" package tours of later years. Bo Diddley announced "I'm back and I'm feelin' fine" in his comeback single titled Bo Diddley 1969, released by Checker Records. Sha Na Na performed "At the Hop" at the Woodstock Festival in 1969, in the revival spirit. John Lennon and Yoko Ono had a surprise hit album in 1970 with Live Peace in Toronto 1969, recorded at the Toronto Rock and Roll Revival in September 1969. Appearing on the spur of the moment, with a hastily assembled band (composed of Lennon, Ono, Eric Clapton, Klaus Voormann and Alan White), Lennon led off their set with familiar songs (like "Blue Suede Shoes" and "Money (That's What I Want)") that suited the mood of the program. In 1970, Dave Edmunds scored a big hit on both sides of the Atlantic with his cover of "I Hear You Knocking", and Chuck Berry's only song to hit #1 on the Billboard charts, his 1972 single "My Ding-a-Ling", were both written in the 1950s by Dave Bartholomew. Elton John's 1972 hit "Crocodile Rock" was an homage to early rock 'n 'roll. In 1977 and 1978, British band The Darts scored three top-10 singles on the UK charts with covers of early rock/doo-wop oldies. Showaddywaddy, a rock and roll group formed in Leicester, England, in 1973. Specialising in revivals of hit songs from the 1950s and early 1960s, while also issuing original material. They have spent 209 weeks on the UK Singles Chart, and had 10 Top Ten singles, one reaching number one, "Under the Moon of Love", in 1976. The popularity of the movement peaked with the release of the George Lucas film, American Graffiti, in 1973, with the soundtrack featuring rock and doo-wop hits from the late 1950s and early 1960s. By the mid-1970s, however, record sales of rock 'n' roll reissues and retro releases had greatly declined as the music industry turned its attention to other musical trends.
Key facts
Key facts
• Name — 1950's Rock & Roll Revival • Genre — Rock and roll, rhythm and blues, doo-wop • Location — Madison Square Garden, New York City, NY, United States • Years Active — 1969–1978 • Founders — Richard Nader 1950's Rock & Roll Revival was a concerts arranged by a disk jockey and the entertainment promoter Richard Nader who pushed the concept of oldies mainstream, beginning with his first Rock and Roll Revival concert October 18, 1969. 1950's Rock & Roll Revival • 1950's Rock & Roll Revival • Date — Artists — Venue — Tour • October 18, 1969 — *Chuck Berry *The Platters *Bill Haley & The Comets *The Shirelles *The Coasters *Jimmy Clanton *Sha Na Na — Felt Forum at Madison Square Garden, New York City, NY — 1950's Rock & Roll Revival • February 27, 1970 — *Bill Haley & The Comets *Bo Diddley *Jackie Wilson *The Coasters *The Drifters *The Shirelles — Detroit Olympia, Detroit, MI — 1950's Rock & Roll Revival • March 20, 1970 — *Little Richard *Gene Vincent *Bo Diddley *Timi Yuro *The Five Satins *The Drifters *Ruby & the Romantics — Felt Forum at Madison Square Garden, New York City, NY — 1950's Rock & Roll Revival • October 10, 1971 — *Chuck Berry *The Shirelles *The Coasters *Gary U.S. Bonds *Bo Diddley *Joey Dee & The Starliters — Richmond Coliseum, Richmond, VA — 1950's Rock & Roll Revival • November 18, 1971 — *Bill Haley & The Comets *Chuck Berry *Bo Diddley *Gary U.S. Bonds *Bobby Comstock *The Dovells *The Shirelles — Spokane Coliseum, Spokane, WA — 1950's Rock & Roll Revival • November 24, 1971 — *Bill Haley & The Comets *Chuck Berry *Bo Diddley *Gary U.S. Bonds *Bobby Comstock *The Dovells *The Shirelles — Sacramento Memorial Auditorium, Sacramento, CA — 1950's Rock & Roll Revival • April 22, 1972 — *The Chiffons *Danny & The Juniors *The Crystals *Chuck Berry — State University of New York at Binghamton, Vestal, NY — 1950's Rock & Roll Revival • July 14, 1972 — *Bill Haley & The Comets *Chubby Checker *Freddy Cannon *The Coasters — Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville, IL — 1950's Rock & Roll Revival • October 22, 1972 — *Chuck Berry *Bo Diddley *The Coasters *The Chiffons *The Dovells *Freddy Cannon *Lloyd Price *Bobby Comstock — Cobo Arena, Detroit, MI — 1950's Rock & Roll Revival • December 27, 1972 — *Jerry Lee Lewis *Lloyd Price *The Shirelles *The Drifters *The Skyliners *The Clovers *Bobby Comstock *Chubby Checker — Providence Civic Center, Providence, RI — 1950's Rock & Roll Revival • March 2, 1973 — *Little Richard *Wilson Pickett *Chuck Jackson *The Chantels *The Flamingos *The Orlons *Bobby Day *Billy Vera *The Cleftones — Madison Square Garden, New York, NY — 1950's Rock & Roll Revival • April 14, 1973 — *Chuck Berry *Bill Haley & The Comets *Bo Diddley *The Five Satins *The Flamingos *The Dovells *Bobby Comstock *The Coasters — The Spectrum, Philadelphia, PA — 1950's Rock & Roll Revival • May 6, 1973 — *Little Richard *Chubby Checker *Bill Haley & The Comets *Bo Diddley *The Five Satins *Danny & The Juniors *Bobby Comstock — Buffalo Memorial Auditorium, Buffalo, NY — 1950's Rock & Roll Revival • May 11, 1973 — *Bill Haley & The Comets *Little Richard *Bo Diddley *Chuck Berry *Chubby Checker *The Coasters *Danny & The Juniors *Dion & The Belmonts *Brenda Lee *The Shirelles — Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Uniondale, NY — 1950's Rock & Roll Revival • May 13, 1973 — *Bill Haley & The Comets *Little Richard *Bobby Comstock *Bo Diddley *Danny & The Juniors *The Crystals — Utica Memorial Auditorium, Utica, NY — 1950's Rock & Roll Revival • May 18, 1973 — *Bill Haley & The Comets *Little Richard *Bo Diddley *Chuck Berry *Chubby Checker *The Coasters *Danny & The Juniors *Dion & The Belmonts *Brenda Lee *The Shirelles — Cobo Arena, Detroit, MI — 1950's Rock & Roll Revival • May 19, 1973 — *Bill Haley & The Comets *Little Richard *Bo Diddley *Chuck Berry *Chubby Checker *The Coasters *Danny & The Juniors *Dion & The Belmonts *Brenda Lee *The Shirelles — Maple Leaf Gardens, Toronto, ON — 1950's Rock & Roll Revival • June 24, 1973 — *Bill Haley & The Comets *Bo Diddley *Chuck Berry *The Coasters *Danny & The Juniors — Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway, Nashville, TN — 1950's Rock & Roll Revival • September 30, 1973 — *Chuck Berry *Jerry Lee Lewis *The Shirelles *The Platters *The Dovells *Shirley & Lee *The Moonglows *Bobby Comstock — The Spectrum, Philadelphia, PA — 1950's Rock & Roll Revival • March 23, 1974 — *Chuck Berry *Jackie Wilson *The Coasters *The Angels *Johnny Maestro *Chubby Checker — Civic Arena, Pittsburgh, PA — 1950's Rock & Roll Revival • May 11, 1974 — *Lloyd Price *The Orlons *Jimmy Clanton *Lee Andrews & the Hearts *The Dovells — Valley Forge Music Fair, Devon, PA — 1950's Rock & Roll Revival Rock & Roll Revival/Spectacular Vol. • Rock & Roll Revival/Spectacular Vol. • Date — Artists — Venue — Tour • February 7, 1971 — *Jerry Lee Lewis *Bill Haley & The Comets *Jay & The Americans *The Five Satins *The Skyliners *Freddy Cannon *The Dovells *Carl Perkins *The Angels *Ruby & The Romantics *Bobby Comstock — Madison Square Garden, New York City, NY — Rock & Roll Revival Vol. V • June 11, 1971 — *Jerry Lee Lewis *Bo Diddley *The Drifters *Duane Eddy *Little Eva *The Four Seasons *Jay & the Americans *The Crystals *Bobby Lewis *Bobby Comstock *The Del-Vikings — Madison Square Garden, New York City, NY — Rock & Roll Revival Vol. VI • October 15, 1971 — *Bo Diddley *Rick Nelson *Chuck Berry *Bobby Comstock *Bobby Rydell *The Shirelles *The Coasters *The Chiffons *Gary U.S. Bonds — Madison Square Garden, New York City, NY — Rock & Roll Revival Vol. VII • June 2, 1972 — *The Cleftones *Little Richard *Lloyd Price *Danny & The Juniors *Dion & The Belmonts *The Exciters *Shirley & Lee — Madison Square Garden, New York City, NY — Rock & Roll Spectacular Vol. IX • December 29, 1972 — *Jerry Lee Lewis *Lloyd Price *The Drifters *The Shirelles *Johnny Maestro *The Skyliners *The Clovers *Roy Orbison — Madison Square Garden, New York City, NY — Rock & Roll Spectacular Vol. XI • June 1, 1973 — *Chuck Berry *Bo Diddley *Chubby Checker *The Shirelles *The Five Satins *Danny & The Juniors *Brenda Lee — Madison Square Garden, New York City, NY — Rock & Roll Spectacular Vol. 13 • March 14, 1975 — *Jerry Lee Lewis *Johnny Maestro *Lesley Gore *The Belmonts *The Drifters *Bo Diddley — Madison Square Garden, New York City, NY — Rock & Roll Spectacular Vol. 18 • October 3, 1975 — *Bobby Comstock *Bobby Rydell *Chuck Berry *Jay & The Americans *Jerry Lee Lewis *Lloyd Price *Sha Na Na *The Coasters *The Five Satins — Madison Square Garden, New York City, NY — Rock & Roll Spectacular Vol. 19 • March 12, 1976 — *Fats Domino *Little Anthony & The Imperials *Lesley Gore *Jay & The Americans *Johnny Maestro *Sha Na Na — Madison Square Garden, New York City, NY — Rock & Roll Spectacular Vol. 20 • October 15, 1976 — *Chuck Berry *Bo Diddley *The Shirelles *The Drifters *The Coasters *The Five Satins *Sha Na Na — Madison Square Garden, New York City, NY — Rock & Roll Spectacular Vol. 21 • March 4, 1977 — *The Supremes *Jay & The Americans *Lloyd Price *The Duprees *Johnny Maestro *Dion DiMucci — Madison Square Garden, New York City, NY — Rock & Roll Spectacular Vol. 22 • March 3, 1978 — *Sha Na Na *Jay & The Americans *The Four Tops *Tommy James & The Shondells — Madison Square Garden, New York City, NY — Rock & Roll Spectacular Vol. 24 • October 20, 1978 — *Jerry Lee Lewis *Bo Diddley *Bill Medley *Johnny Maestro *Martha Reeves & The Vandellas *Ronnie Spector *Wolfman Jack — Madison Square Garden, New York City, NY — Rock & Roll Spectacular Vol. 25
Primary material
Documents and archives
institutional register
- Internet Archive holdings naming rock and roll revival
General reference · Internet Archive
reference work
- “Rock and roll revival”, English Wikipedia, consulted as further reading
Reputable secondary · Wikipedia
authority record
- Wikidata, structured authority record Q668657: rock and roll revival
General reference · Wikidata
Text attribution
Licensing
Text attribution
Part of the biographical narrative on this page reuses licensed material. Its origin, revision and licence are recorded here.
The biographical narrative on this page is based on the Wikipedia article Rock and roll revival, revision 1367314342 (EN edition), by its contributors. VALÉORINE has edited that text and built its own documentary record around it. The reused material is available under CC BY-SA 4.0, and this page's reuse of it is offered under the same licence. Everything else on this page — the chronology, the holdings, the evidence, the plates and the connections — is VALÉORINE's own record. Sources and licences.
References
Citations
References
Each reference names the institution holding it, so a reader may go to the document itself.
institutional register
Internet Archive holdings naming rock and roll revivalInternet Archive
Secondary witnessreference work
Secondary witnessauthority record
General reference
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 16 August 2026.
Elsewhere in Terminology
620 published records in this field, each with its sources named.
- RexurdimentoMovement
- Rimpa schoolMovement
- Rivington SchoolMovement
- Rock Against RacismMovement
- Rock in OppositionMovement
- Rococo paintingMovement
- Rococo RevivalMovement
- Roman SchoolMovement
Best supported in this field
For owners
Own an object connected with rock and roll revival?
A specialist will read what you send and tell you what the house can establish, what it cannot, and whether the object is suited to sale. There is no charge and no obligation. The object stays with you throughout; nothing is shipped to us unless it is arranged in writing beforehand.