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.

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.

1950's Rock & Roll Revival

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 TourOctober 18, 1969Chuck Berry  The Platters Bill Haley & The Comets  The Shirelles  The Coasters  Jimmy Clanton Sha Na NaFelt Forum at Madison Square Garden, New York City, NY1950's Rock & Roll RevivalFebruary 27, 1970Bill Haley & The Comets Bo Diddley Jackie Wilson The Coasters The Drifters The ShirellesDetroit Olympia, Detroit, MI1950's Rock & Roll RevivalMarch 20, 1970Little Richard  Gene Vincent Bo Diddley  Timi Yuro  The Five Satins  The Drifters Ruby & the RomanticsFelt Forum at Madison Square Garden, New York City, NY1950's Rock & Roll RevivalOctober 10, 1971Chuck Berry  The Shirelles The Coasters  Gary U.S. Bonds  Bo Diddley  Joey Dee & The Starliters Richmond Coliseum, Richmond, VA1950's Rock & Roll RevivalNovember 18, 1971Bill Haley & The Comets  Chuck Berry Bo Diddley  Gary U.S. Bonds  Bobby Comstock  The Dovells The ShirellesSpokane Coliseum, Spokane, WA1950's Rock & Roll RevivalNovember 24, 1971Bill Haley & The Comets  Chuck Berry Bo Diddley  Gary U.S. Bonds  Bobby Comstock  The Dovells The ShirellesSacramento Memorial Auditorium, Sacramento, CA1950's Rock & Roll RevivalApril 22, 1972The Chiffons Danny & The Juniors The Crystals Chuck BerryState University of New York at Binghamton, Vestal, NY1950's Rock & Roll RevivalJuly 14, 1972Bill Haley & The Comets Chubby Checker Freddy Cannon The CoastersSouthern Illinois University, Edwardsville, IL1950's Rock & Roll RevivalOctober 22, 1972Chuck Berry Bo Diddley The Coasters The Chiffons The Dovells Freddy Cannon Lloyd Price Bobby ComstockCobo Arena, Detroit, MI1950's Rock & Roll RevivalDecember 27, 1972Jerry Lee Lewis  Lloyd Price The Shirelles  The Drifters  The Skyliners  The Clovers Bobby Comstock Chubby CheckerProvidence Civic Center, Providence, RI1950's Rock & Roll RevivalMarch 2, 1973Little Richard Wilson Pickett Chuck Jackson The Chantels The Flamingos The Orlons Bobby Day Billy Vera The CleftonesMadison Square Garden, New York, NY1950's Rock & Roll RevivalApril 14, 1973Chuck Berry Bill Haley & The Comets Bo Diddley The Five Satins The Flamingos The Dovells Bobby Comstock The CoastersThe Spectrum, Philadelphia, PA1950's Rock & Roll RevivalMay 6, 1973Little Richard Chubby Checker Bill Haley & The Comets Bo Diddley The Five Satins Danny & The Juniors Bobby ComstockBuffalo Memorial Auditorium, Buffalo, NY1950's Rock & Roll RevivalMay 11, 1973Bill Haley & The Comets Little Richard Bo Diddley Chuck Berry Chubby Checker The Coasters Danny & The Juniors Dion & The Belmonts Brenda Lee The ShirellesNassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Uniondale, NY1950's Rock & Roll RevivalMay 13, 1973Bill Haley & The Comets Little Richard Bobby Comstock Bo Diddley Danny & The Juniors The CrystalsUtica Memorial Auditorium, Utica, NY1950's Rock & Roll RevivalMay 18, 1973Bill Haley & The Comets Little Richard Bo Diddley Chuck Berry Chubby Checker The Coasters Danny & The Juniors Dion & The Belmonts Brenda Lee The ShirellesCobo Arena, Detroit, MI1950's Rock & Roll RevivalMay 19, 1973Bill Haley & The Comets Little Richard Bo Diddley Chuck Berry Chubby Checker The Coasters Danny & The Juniors Dion & The Belmonts Brenda Lee The ShirellesMaple Leaf Gardens, Toronto, ON1950's Rock & Roll RevivalJune 24, 1973Bill Haley & The Comets Bo Diddley Chuck Berry The Coasters Danny & The JuniorsNashville Fairgrounds Speedway, Nashville, TN1950's Rock & Roll RevivalSeptember 30, 1973Chuck Berry Jerry Lee Lewis The Shirelles The Platters The Dovells Shirley & Lee The Moonglows Bobby ComstockThe Spectrum, Philadelphia, PA1950's Rock & Roll RevivalMarch 23, 1974Chuck Berry Jackie Wilson The Coasters The Angels Johnny Maestro Chubby CheckerCivic Arena, Pittsburgh, PA1950's Rock & Roll RevivalMay 11, 1974Lloyd Price The Orlons Jimmy Clanton Lee Andrews & the Hearts The DovellsValley Forge Music Fair, Devon, PA1950's Rock & Roll Revival Rock & Roll Revival/Spectacular Vol. Rock & Roll Revival/Spectacular Vol. Date Artists Venue TourFebruary 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 ComstockMadison Square Garden, New York City, NYRock & Roll Revival Vol. VJune 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-VikingsMadison Square Garden, New York City, NYRock & Roll Revival Vol. VIOctober 15, 1971 Bo Diddley Rick Nelson Chuck Berry Bobby Comstock Bobby Rydell The Shirelles The Coasters The Chiffons Gary U.S. BondsMadison Square Garden, New York City, NYRock & Roll Revival Vol. VIIJune 2, 1972The Cleftones Little Richard Lloyd Price Danny & The Juniors Dion & The Belmonts The Exciters Shirley & LeeMadison Square Garden, New York City, NYRock & Roll Spectacular Vol. IXDecember 29, 1972Jerry Lee Lewis Lloyd Price The Drifters The Shirelles Johnny Maestro The Skyliners The Clovers Roy OrbisonMadison Square Garden, New York City, NYRock & Roll Spectacular Vol. XIJune 1, 1973Chuck Berry Bo Diddley Chubby Checker The Shirelles The Five Satins Danny & The Juniors Brenda LeeMadison Square Garden, New York City, NYRock & Roll Spectacular Vol. 13March 14, 1975Jerry Lee Lewis Johnny Maestro Lesley Gore The Belmonts The Drifters Bo DiddleyMadison Square Garden, New York City, NYRock & Roll Spectacular Vol. 18October 3, 1975Bobby Comstock Bobby Rydell Chuck Berry Jay & The Americans Jerry Lee Lewis Lloyd Price Sha Na Na The Coasters The Five SatinsMadison Square Garden, New York City, NYRock & Roll Spectacular Vol. 19March 12, 1976Fats Domino Little Anthony & The Imperials Lesley Gore Jay & The Americans Johnny Maestro Sha Na NaMadison Square Garden, New York City, NYRock & Roll Spectacular Vol. 20October 15, 1976Chuck Berry Bo Diddley The Shirelles The Drifters The Coasters The Five Satins Sha Na NaMadison Square Garden, New York City, NYRock & Roll Spectacular Vol. 21March 4, 1977The Supremes Jay & The Americans Lloyd Price The Duprees Johnny Maestro Dion DiMucciMadison Square Garden, New York City, NYRock & Roll Spectacular Vol. 22March 3, 1978Sha Na Na Jay & The Americans The Four Tops Tommy James & The ShondellsMadison Square Garden, New York City, NYRock & Roll Spectacular Vol. 24October 20, 1978Jerry Lee Lewis Bo Diddley Bill Medley Johnny Maestro Martha Reeves & The Vandellas Ronnie Spector Wolfman JackMadison Square Garden, New York City, NYRock & Roll Spectacular Vol. 25

See also Boogie rock Revivalist artist Roots rock Swing revival

References