If You Could Have Just One Artist from the 50s Stop by and Sing...

[Steve-o]

Who would it be? 

(OK, top 3 if you can't name just one.)

[markn]

1. Johnny Cash
2. Hank Williams
3. Loretta Lynn
Who did a show at our company Christmas party 20 plus years ago. Great show.

[glenn57]

  you guyz can remember that far back?????

[Dotch]

Jim Reeves
Johnny Horton
Patsy Cline

Maybe Buddy Holly while we're at it...

[Steve-o]

In no particular order:  Cash, Cline, and Cole (Nat King)

There were great crooners:  Bing, Como, Williams, but not in my top 3.

Certainly the Rat Packers were starting out in the 50s, but I was never a Vegas guy.

THE King?  If I had a choice to spend some time getting to know someone, it would be Cash over Elvis.  (My sister-in-law would have a different opinion)

And all the legends of early rock and roll, they have their place, but it was going to take many more years before rock and roll produced their best artists.

[mike89]

just no elvis here..  the rest that have been mentioned are all good!! 

[Dotch]

I agree Steve-O. Everything to know about Elvis has pretty much been hashed over in someone's book. And many of the guys from that general era who impacted rock and roll such as Roy Orbison really made their mark just the other side of the 50's.

My picks with the exception of Buddy Holly stem from the artists my Mom used to play on the radio & mono phonograph. She & Dad went to the Grand Ole Opry & saw Hank Williams perform at the Ryman Auditorium. They had a collection of Hank Williams 78's that were in pristine condition. I didn't realize until recently that Johnny Horton married Hank Williams widow & he was an avid fisherman. Mom had his LP's and played them frequently. Jim Reeves baritone was so smooth & soothing. KFIL in Preston played "The Blizzard" (actually a 60's hit) on days when there were school closings due to snowstorms. Sounded pretty good coming from the turquoise GE radio. Patsy Cline had one 50's hit (Walkin' After Midnight) but her voice was so expressive for lack of a better term. And who could forget that red lipstick? That was my Mom's primary makeup back then. Lots of red lipstick on kleenexes in the trash...  

[Steve-o]

My mom had a stack of old back records, but never played them.

I grew up hearing easy listening, syrupy stringed, elevator music played by Franklin Hobbs on KEEY radio. 

Recently my mom found a similar music station on cable TV and plays it frequently.  It reminds me of the background music Nurse Ratchet played for the inmates in "One Flew Over the Cuckoos Next." 

I don't have the heart to tell her that. 

[mike89]

I would say that makes you a good son Steve-o...   

[LPS]

Like your scenario Steve O.  My parents bought a console stereo when I was in my early teens.  They were a nice piece of large furniture back then.  They also joined a record club at the same place.  We had lots of Johnny Cash, (Ring of Fire) Roger Miller (King of the Road), and Harry Belafonte (he did some pretty cool stuff).  Us kids knew the words to all of them.  Belafonte was more for mood music later on for Mom and Dad.  I need to Youtube some Roger Miller now. 

[Gunner55]

Cash, Hank, & Patsy here, pretty big Orbison fan too!!