Bill Haley's

Original Comets

23 June 2004

© & ® 2004 CultConsult, Germany

logo by permission of Joe "Bill" Clifton - Bill Haley & The Comets Revival - www.billhaley.de

Rock Around The Clock Tour 2004

A message from Marshall Lytle

22 June 2004

"This year on August 6th will be the 5th year in a row that The ORIGINAL COMETS have headlined the 5th annual International Rockabilly Hall of Fame Show in Carl Perkins hometown JACKSON TN.  This photo [below] was taken onboard the Costa Atlantica Cruise, 2004 and we are DOING IT AGAIN Jan 30 2005 [and 2006 - webmaster] - www.oldiescruise2006.com

Come join us thru Harmon Travel, you won't regret it. We are also DOING IT AGAIN at the Oneida Casino, Greenbay WI July 11, 12, 13th and again at their 2nd BIG Rockabilly FESTIVAL on April 16, 2005.

The Festival starts on April 10th I think. Everybody will be there. Doing it Again in the UK, July 2nd at the Stardust Dinner Theatre in Leicester, the 3rd at the Keys Theatre in Peterbourgh, and July 4th , AGAIN at The LOWESTOFT FESTIVAL at PONTINS by The SEA. The COMETS will arrive by HELLICOPTER.

Back to the US on July 5th then July 10th in Milwaukee WI at VNUKS. The next day after the Rockabilly Fest in Jackson Tn.

August 7th and 8th The COMETS are doing a show with Lloyd Price at the Mohegen Sun Casino in Uncasville,CT.  Then BACK TO EUROPE again on August 16th with shows in Budapest, Senigallia, Italy, Austria, and Germany.  Returning back to the US on August 30th in time for our DOING IT AGAIN 5th Time at Bubba Maxx in Sommers Point NJ.

Then we are taking 10 days OFF to recharge our batteries before we DO IT AGAIN Sept 17th for the City of LAS VEGAS. We leave for the UK AGAIN on Sept. 22nd for another DO IT AGAIN SHOW.

2nd time at the EDDY COCHRAN FESTIVAL on Sept 24th, the 25th at a Theatre and the 26th another DO IT AGAIN SHOW (About the 10th time ) at the TENNESSEE CLUB. The 27th we Fly to Genoa Italy for a 7 day cruise thru the MED.   We return home on October 3rd.  Then another 10 day battery charge. 

Then on October 16th we are doing The "ROCK AROUND THE CLOCK" FESTIVAL in WILDWOOD NJ. The place where we first performed RATC in public.  On October 19th we start a 10 day Tour of the west coast with Little Richard and Jerry Lee Lewis ending on October 30 in Phoenix AZ.  Then another 2 week battery charge then leave for ANOTHER TOUR OF EUROPE on NOV.14th.   I guess we will get home about December 1st.  That's enough for this year.  It is a tough job, but somebody's gotta DO IT AGAIN..... Love to ALL , Marshall"

IN EUROPE, they're very aware of the 50th Anniversary," says Marshall Lytle, sounding a little neglected but jovial. "But here in the States I can tell you that there will be very little publicity about this event that changed the music of the world. Hey, we were there. We were it. We should be on "Good Morning America." But they think that Little Richard started it. Or, Elvis. Well, whatever happened to Bill Haley and "Rock Around The Clock?"

Johnny Grande, Marshall Lytle, Joey Ambrose,

Dick Richards (obscured) & Franny Beecher

(photo taken onboard the Costa Atlantica Cruise, 2004)

ROCKABILLY FESTIVAL (USA) - AUGUST 2004

From: Henry Harrison
rock@rockabillyhall.org
Date: 06/03/04 11:53:40
To: Marshall Lytle

A Musical Extravaganza and the Legendary Sun Record Company Awards ceremonies will light-up opening night of Rockabilly Festival 2004. Celebrities from across the nation will be in attendance - August 5, 2004.

The Carl Perkins Civic Center in Carl's hometown of Jackson, Tennessee will be the venue for the event.

Glenn Ford sat in his den discussing the movie "Black Board Jungle", which would star Sidney Poitier and himself. His young son Peter was playing Bill Haley's "Rock Around the Clock" in an adjoining room. It was decided then "Rock Around the Clock" would not only be included, but also featured, in the movie.
Peter Ford was to become a life time fan of these artists and their music. The one female artist he liked best, Brenda Lee, he has never met. Peter emailed Marshall Lytle (lead singer for Bill Haley's - The Original Comets) and asked if he flew to Nashville - rented a car - and drove to Jackson could he meet Brenda on opening night of Rock-A-Billy Festival 2004. Arrangements have been made and Peter Ford will meet Brenda Lee at the "Stars-Sponsors" party which opens this musical and awards extravaganza held annually in Jackson. Peter will also stay over to attend the Comets' performance on August 6th.

Peter will be joining artists from across the nation in Jackson, Tennessee. Wink Martindale, Brenda Lee, The Comets, The Jordanaires, Narvel Felts, Ace Cannon, Sonny Burgess, D. J. Fontana, W. S. Holland, The Vegas Valentinos, Larry Cole, Eddie Bond, Rayburn Anthony, and Matt Lucas will lead the "World's Largest Gathering of Rockabilly History Makers" in this parade of stars.

Shelby Singleton, Chairman of the Board, Sun Record Company, will be joined by Barry Coburn (former President of Atlantic Records) and who, with wife Jewel, is current owner of TenTen Productions, Rose Phillips, (Original committee member of "Entertainment Tonight") and husband Jud will join Don Light, (former manager Jimmy Buffet) current President - Don Light Talent Agency, will be among the music industry executives present on opening night.

A special tribute to Brenda Lee, Johnny Cash and Jerry Lee Lewis is planned. Life-size oil portraits of each of these three "Larger Than Life" artists will be unveiled. Painted by Artist Lendon Noe, their unveiling will be surrounded by music and the "tales and stories" of their life.

________________________________

Rockabilly Festival 2004 is produced by

THE INTERNATIONAL ROCK-A-BILLY HALL OF FAME, INC. and the
SUN RECORD COMPANY.

Tickets are $50.00, $25.00 and $12.00 on opening night August 5th.

Tickets are $25.00 and $12.00 for August 6th and 7th.

Stars-Sponsors Party tickets are sold separately and available through ticket outlet Concrete Products Company, 531 Riverside Drive, Jackson, Tennessee 38301).
telephone (731) 427-8521 web page www.rockabillyhall.org email rock@rockabillyhall.org

Few pop recordings of the past century could be said to have had a more primal impact on the course of American Music than "Rock Around The Clock." The Comets' Decca disc of Max C Freedman and Jimmy de Knight song would log 24 weeks on the charts, a feat not even Sinatra, Presley, or The Beatles would equal and almost no one would surpass until the 1990s. And rock has been the life of the party ever since.

Joey Ambrosio & Franny Beecher

WANTED!

AUSTRALIAN PROMOTER

1954  ~  50 Years  ~  2004

Rock Around The Clock

The Comets want  to Tour Australia

~

If you are a promoter or know of one that might be interested in bringing

(Bill Haley's) The Original Comets to Australia in 2004 / 2005

please phone or email VJ King Sr immediately

mobile 0414 44 99 44

email

The Original Comets is proudly brought to you by HeartBeat Entertainment & VJ King Jr