Life-lines of GENE VINCENT
(New Musical Express)
(2 June 1961)
Real Name : Gene Vincent Craddock.
Birthday : February 11, 1935.
Birthplace : Norfolk, Virginia, U.S.A.
Height : 5 ft 10 in.
Weight : 158 lb.
Colour of eyes : Brown.
Colour of hair : Dark Brown.
Sisters : Three.
Wife s name : Darlene.
Children : Two girls, one boy.
Present home : Niles, California.
Instruments played : Guitar and piano.
Musical education : Self-taught.
Age entered show business : 21.
First public appearance : Local county fairs in and around Norfolk, and after leaving the U.S. Navy in 1956.
Biggest break in career : Winning the Capitol Records audition out of 200 other applicants.
Biggest disappointment in career : Losing his lucky charm on tour. It was given to him by a spastic fan in the USA.
TV debut here : Jack Good’s “Boy Meets Girls” on December 12, 1959.
Radio debut : In the U.S. - Virginia’s “Country Showtime.” In Britain - BBC’s “Saturday Club” on March 5, 1960.
First important public performance : Sands Hotel in Las Vegas.
Million - selling records : “Be-Bop-A-Lula,” “Bluejean Bop,” and “Wear My Ring.
No. 1 disc hits : “Be-Bop-A-Lula.”
Other discs which appeared in charts : “Bluejean Bop,” “Wildcat,” “My Heart,” “Pistol Packin’ Momma,” She She Little Sheila.”
Latest release and current hit : “She She Little Sheila.”
Albums : “Bluejean Bop,” “Gene Vincent And The Bluecaps,” “Gene Vincent Rocks And The Bluecaps Roll,” “A Gene Vincent Record Date,” “Sounds Like Gene Vincent,” and “Crazy Times.”
EPs : “Hot Rod Gang,” and “Record Date” (Parts 1 and 3)
Present disc label : Capitol.
British manager : Don Arden.
Name of group : The Bluecaps.
Compositions : “Be-Bop-A-Lula,” “Bluejean Bop,”, “Baby Blue,” “Be-Bop Boogie Boy,” “The Night Is So Lonely,” “Race With The Devil,” “Important Words,” “Teenage Partner,” and “I Love You.”
Film debut : “The Girl Can’t Help It” in 1957.
Other film appearances : “Hot Rod Gang” and recent “State Fair.”
Biggest influence on career : Listening to the coloured people in his home town singing blues.
Former occupations before show business : Boiler tender in the U.S. Navy, also a despatch rider.
Hobbies : Playing guitar, listening to records, farming, driving.
Favourite colour : Blue.
Favourite singers : Brook Benton, Little Richard, Connie Francis, Johnny Cash and Cliff Richard.
Favourite actor : Late James Dean.
Favourite food : Steak.
Favourite drink : Coffee.
Favourite clothes : Very casual.
Favourite instrumentalists : The late Eddie Cochran, Joe Brown, and The Shadows.
Car : Pontiac saloon.
Miscellaneous likes : Eating, being with close friends, Britain, talking about records.
Best friend : Was the late Eddie Cochran. Now Gene says that he and Jerry Lee Lewis are like brothers.
Tastes in music : Blues, country-and-western, rock, ballads, but not jazz.
Origin of stage name : Just dropped surname-Craddock !
Personal ambition : To own a farm when he quits show business, although he has no idea when that will be.
Professional ambition : To become a better performer and sing rock ‘n’ roll a whole lot better than he does at the present moment.