The legendary Charlie Gracie will be in concert on Thursday, July 10, at Disston Recreation Center, at 4510 Disston St. in Tacony. The concert will begin at 7 p.m. with a performance by Ramona Jane.
The Tacony Civic Association organizes a series of free summer concerts. Guests are encouraged to bring chairs.
Gracie was Philadelphia’s first rock ’n’ roll star. He topped the American and British music charts in 1957 with his song Butterfly, which sold more than 3 million copies. The entertainer appeared on Bandstand and The Ed Sullivan Show. He helped Philadelphia’s Cameo-Parkway record label rise to the top of the music industry in the late 1950s.
Preceded only by Bill Haley in bringing rock ’n’ roll to Great Britain, he was a major influence on budding rock legends such as Graham Nash, Van Morrison, George Harrison and Paul McCartney.
On his 1999 CD Run Devil Run, McCartney paid tribute to Gracie by recording a version of Fabulous, one of Gracie’s hits.
Last year, Gracie released For The Love of Charlie, an album that featured rockabilly, blues, country, pop and a touch of gospel music.
Gracie continues to tour the United States and Europe. In his shows, Gracie still plays the two Guild X-350 guitars he bought in South Philadelphia in 1957. ••
