Loading details…
Artist
Gene Vincent & His Blue Caps
12+ albums
rockabillyRock and Roll50srock n rollclassic rock
about
Gene Vincent & His Blue Caps was an American rockabilly band formed and led by Gene Vincent (Blue Caps being a term used in reference to enlisted sailors in the U.S. Navy). The band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2012 by Smokey Robinson. When formed in 1955, the band included Willie Williams on rhythm guitar (replaced in late 1956 by Paul Peek), Jack Neal on upright bass, Dickie Harrell on drums, and Cliff Gallup on lead guitar. The band quickly gained a reputation playing in various country bars in Norfolk, Virginia (where Vincent was born. There they won a talent contest organized by a local radio DJ, "Sheriff Tex" Davis, who then became Vincent's manager. After "Be-Bop-a-Lula" became a hit, Vincent & His Blue Caps were unable to follow it up with the same level of commercial success, although they released critically acclaimed songs like "Race with the Devil" (number 96 on the US Billboard chart and number 50 on the US Cash Box chart) and "Bluejean Bop" (number 49 on the US Billboard chart and another million-selling disc). Cliff Gallup left the band in 1956, and Russell Williford joined as the new guitarist for the Blue Caps. Williford played and toured Canada with Vincent in late 1956 but left the group in early 1957. Gallup came back to do the next album and then left again. Williford came back and exited again before Johnny Meeks joined the band. The group had another hit in 1957 with "Lotta Lovin'" (highest position number 13 and spending 1
