I recently purchased this historic Jerry Lee Lewis concert poster.
The concert took place at The Tower Ballroom New Brighton.
Just a Ferry 'Cross The Mersey in 1962.
I decided to track down the man who made it.
I caught up with Tex O'Hara at his sisters house in Liverpool.
He spoke to me in great detail about the techniques he used to design it, and about the concert itself.
Tex O'Hara designed many of the early Beatles posters.
His brother Brian O'Hara was lead guitarist in the Fourmost, who were in The Brian Epstein stable of Merseybeat groups. They played many times at The Cavern in Mathew Street Liverpool, England. And in the 60's they had a big hit with a John Lennon penned song, Hello Little Girl. And many others.
They had a residency, that lasted for over a year at The London Palladium.
Brian Epstein would employ Tex to produce the posters that promoted many of his concerts.
Though he was not too happy when he spelt The Beetles incorrectly on one poster.
That poster is now worth a lot of money. Tex O'Hara designed the first Beatles Drum Logo.
The 'Thank Your Lucky Stars' Concert at The Tower Ballroom took place on 17th May 1962.
Many of the Merseybeat groups would be there to pay homage to The Big Bopper.
Appearing with JERRY LEE LEWIS were The Echoes, BILLY KRAMER and the Coasters, LEE CASTLE and the Barons, THE BIG THREE, THE PRESSMEN, THE UNDERTAKERS, THE STRANGERS, VINCENT EARL and the Zeros, KINGSIZE TAYLOR and the Dominoes, STEVE DAY and the Drifters, and RIP VAN WINKLE and The Rip It Ups.
Tex tells me about Rory Storm being manhandled off The Killer's White Piano and how Jerry Lee Lewis from The Deep South who had just married his 13 year old bride was welcomed to The Wild West of Merseyside.
I got him to sign the poster. YOU CANT GET BETTER PROVANENCE THAN THAT.
Watch the video below for more information about this historic event.
