Jerry Lee Lewis: original concert poster 1958. From the cancelled 'scandal' tour
£
217
$
288
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Description
Jerry Lee Lewis
Original playbill 1958
For a cancelled gig on the “13 year-old bride” tour
In May 1958, there was huge excitement among the rock’n’rolling young people of Great Britain, when Jerry Lee Lewis became the first truly authentic US rocker to tour the country. Unfortunately the whole thing ended in tears after it was revealed that 22 year-old Jerry Lee was accompanied on the tour by his 13 year-old third wife (and distant cousin), Myra. An enormous scandal ensued in the popular press and the promoters were forced to abandon the 37-date tour after only the first three gigs had been played (all three in London – Edmonton, Kilburn and Tooting). To the glee of the tabloid press, Jerry Lee and his entourage were compelled to leave the country only a couple of weeks after arriving. Many establishment observers expressed satisfaction at this outcome and suggested that it spelled the end for rock’n’roll and teenage rebellion in the UK. Just goes to show how wrong you can be!
This is an original poster, or playbill, for one of the cancelled gigs, scheduled for the Gaumont Theare, Doncaster on June 18th 1958. The poster is lithographed in yellow, red and black with half-tone photographic inserts of Jerry Lee Lewis and the other American tour headliners, vocal group, the Treniers. The poster is printed on stiff paper, almost thin card; this is typical for this kind of theatrical playbill which would have been intended for indoor display in local shops and cafés. There is just a very slight grubbiness in places and a surface scratch at the bottom right corner - but essentially, this poster is in very clean, bright condition with virtually no physical damage.
My guess is that, because the tour was cancelled, those venues that had had posters printed would not have distributed all of them for display. This one may well have come from a surplus of unused examples. It is a rare survivor and an interesting artefact, not just in relation to the history of rock’n’roll but also in relation to an event of great national interest at the time. The poster is unframed and is offered at low starting price for what I think must be a very scarce item.
Dimensions:15 inches by 10 inches (38 x 25 cms approx).
Postage and packing within the UK will be £4.00. Posting anywhere else in the world will be £8.00.
I hope this description has given you enough to go on but should you require any further information, or more images, please do e-mail. I am happy to post to anywhere in the world. There is no reserve beyond the minimum bid. Thanks for your interest in this auction and good luck if you decide to bid.
Please also visit my About Me page to read more about the fish that flew.
Please note:
I will not respond to requests to close the auction early regardless of the value of the offer made, nor will I respond to requests to change the listing to “Buy It Now” for the benefit of an individual buyer. To do either of these things is contrary to both the principle and spirit of an auction – and unfair to other eBayers.
The Killer rock and roll doo wop
