Harry Aldridge
The Seemingly Endless Saga of Harry Aldridge (AKA "Bootleg") Cont'd
1955 "Go Cat Go! "
by Harry Aldridge
An all-country music show that year was very different! It was "The Hank Snow Caravan Tour". A young guy billed as the "Hillbilly Cat" made that stadium explode! Hello Elvis!! Scotty Moore! Bill Black! D. J. Fontana and all of the Sun Record artists to follow: Carl Perkins, Jerry Lee Lewis, Johnny Cash, Roy Orbison, Charlie Rich, etc. This was our first introduction to live rock-a-billy or rock 'n' roll and we loved it!
Of course by the mid-fifties I was already hearing lots of good rhythm and blues on the radio, on my older cousin's 45 RPM record player and, naturally, floating through the air from the neighbors' speakers. Hello Little Richard! Fats Domino! Chuck Berry! The Coasters! The Drifters! Welcome to my world all of my new black musical heroes!
By the way, working every summer with my Dad in construction and landscaping meant that I made enough money to buy my own school clothes, records and a new transistor radio. I went to sleep every night with that radio pressed against my ear. Ah, the joys of musical variety available in the fifties. Rock 'n' roll - rhythm and blues - country - jazz - pop and classical. Thank you, Lord! Yes, variety is the spice of life!
Mid to Late 50's
God, how I loved music, cars, guitars, sports, the beach and those beautiful, mysterious ladies. Still do!
I was learning to sing all of the latest songs and how to alter my voice to sound like the originals. My guitar playing was still very basic rhythm, but I was more into singing anyway. By now I had a huge record collection that I continued to add to with my summer work money.
1960
I started puttin together my first band with the Bailey brothers, Jan and Jack, who lived at the end of our block. We were struggling together and having great fun.