What records were you buying for your listening enjoyment?

we had Jimmy dean, andy williams, a dozen polka albums, tennesee ernie ford, a dozen broadway musicals, nat king cole ,tony bennett

so before 1961

I’m plenty old, but for once I can say, “I’m not that old!”

Elvis, Ricky Nelson, lots of country and cowboy western. A few big band era and movie tunes.

Idunno, Duke Ellington or Bing Crosby could be a possibility.

Elvis, Roy Orbison, Beach Boys, Jan & Dean, and the Ventures. Mostly 45’s but a few lp’s.

There was no music before The Beatles.

Next question.

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PS: There is a whole lot of outstanding Jazz music during the 50's.

Plenty of Classical music to choose from.

Blues, folk, the roots of rock and roll, that stuff is still with us.

One of my favorite albums was recorded in 1958, before I was born.

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Billie Holliday, big band stuff. If this guy had lived he would have given Elvis some competition.

Seriously!

I remember the SNL skits on Perry Como. Music for the almost dead was the theme. I now find I enjoy it.

oh, lots

The Ventures, Herb Alpert, Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra, The Beach Boys....some Johnny cash, Hank Snow, Glen Miller

These were in my parents' collection...

Trini Lopez, Vikki Carr, Percy Faith, Martin Denny, Arthur Lyman.

The Blues and this guy who was good friends with Elvis. Always had a smile on his face.

Growing up in the 50's and it was always Elvis, Ricky Nelson (he was big), Buddy Holly, Everly Brothers, just to name a few.

 
Chuck Berry
Elvis
Sam Cooke
Bo Diddley

I first came into record buying age about the time the Beatles, Stones and others were starting to make their mark, mid to late 60's.
I remember Elvis before that and a few others that were not all that appealing.

I was 14 in 1956, so I was there at the beginning. I saw Elvis in that first year of his fame. It was a madhouse. My hero and main interest was Bill Haley and his Comets. I actually got to meet him backstage at one of his concerts. I have never been so nervous before or since. With the exception of those two white guys, most of my interest was in the black artists. That would include Chuck Berry, Little Richard, Bo Diddley, Fats Domino, The Coasters, The Platters, James Brown and others too numerous to mention. One of my friends, who lived down the street, somehow became friendly with Bo Diddley. We lived in a upper middle class white neighborhood in a time, when segregation was still the norm. Several times, when he was in town for a concert,a Cadillac would roll up in front of my friend's house . Out of it would emerge Bo with his guitar and three or four of his band members. They'd head inside and jam with my friend for an hour or so, then take off. Have no idea what the neighbors thought, nor did we care.