In 1959, radio and television personality and television producer

Dick Clark Richard Wagstaff Clark (November 30, 1929April 18, 2012) was an American television and radio personality and television producer who hosted ''American Bandstand'' from 1956 to 1989. He also hosted five incarnations of the Pyramid (game show), ...

organized and produced a concert tour of

rock and roll Rock and roll (often written as rock & roll, rock-n-roll, and rock 'n' roll) is a Genre (music), genre of popular music that evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s. It Origins of rock and roll, originated from African ...

and

rhythm and blues Rhythm and blues, frequently abbreviated as R&B or R'n'B, is a genre of popular music that originated within African American communities in the 1940s. The term was originally used by record companies to describe recordings marketed predomina ...

artists, many of whom had appeared on his music performance and dance television program,

American Bandstand ''American Bandstand'' (AB) is an American Music television, music performance and dance television series that aired in various iterations from 1952 to 1989. It was hosted by Dick Clark who also served as the program's Television producer, pr ...

. The show was billed as Dick Clark's Caravan of Stars. Its success prompted additional tours. The last of the concerts toured in 1966.

Origin and structure

Dick Clark observed that in the late 1950s, rock and roll had little acceptance as a form of live entertainment. Seeing an opportunity, he formed the Caravan of Stars, which, during its seven-year existence grew to gross nearly $5 million annually (more than $45 million in 2021 dollars). The concert promoted up to seventeen acts, each performing two or three songs, all backed by the same band. In the beginning, admission was $1.50 ($13.50 in 2021). By 1965 the price had risen to $2.50 ($22.50 in 2021). The summer tour went out from Memorial Day to Labor Day, sixty to ninety days on the road, nonstop. Tours were added throughout the other seasons.

Headliners

The show always spotlighted a major artist, who closed the show, like Bobby Vee or

Paul Anka Paul Albert Anka (born July 30, 1941) is a Canadian and American singer, songwriter and actor. His songs include " Diana", “ You Are My Destiny", “Lonely Boy", " Put Your Head on My Shoulder", and " (You're) Having My Baby". Anka also wr ...

. Other artists included Jewel Akens, Freddie Cannon, Brian Hyland,

Little Eva Eva Narcissus Boyd (June 29, 1943 – April 10, 2003), known by her stage name Little Eva, was an American singer, well known for her 1962 hit "The Loco-Motion". Biography Boyd was born in Belhaven, North Carolina in 1943 and had twelve siblin ...

Lloyd Price Lloyd Price (March 9, 1933May 3, 2021) was an American R&B and rock 'n' roll singer, known as "Mr. Personality", after his 1959 million-selling hit, "Personality (Lloyd Price song), Personality". His first recording, "Lawdy Miss Clawdy", was a ...

, Linda Scott, and Johnny Tillotson, Groups included

The Coasters The Coasters are an American rhythm and blues/rock and roll vocal group who had a string of hits in the late 1950s. With hits including "Searchin'", "Young Blood (The Coasters song), Young Blood", "Charlie Brown (The Coasters song), Charlie Bro ...

, The Crystals, The Drifters, The Premiers, The Skyliners, and

The Supremes The Supremes were an American girl group formed in Detroit, Michigan, in 1959 as the Primettes. A premier act of Motown Records during the 1960s, the Supremes were the most commercially successful of Motown's acts and the most successful Amer ...

Reception

The August 30, 1959, concert at the Hollywood Bowl in Hollywood, California, reflected the early success of the Caravan. The performance set an all-time attendance record at the Bowl, with more than 5,000 being turned away. Variety reported that police set up loudspeakers six blocks away to tell people the show was sold out. A week later, at the Michigan State Fair, the show set another attendance record, surpassing the previous attendance record by more than 15,000 concert goers over the previous record in the 110-year history of the fair.

Legacy

In 1978, in a commemorative piece on the 25th anniversary of the birth of rock and roll, Clark recalled the Caravan days, commenting that today's artists:

Rosters

Except where noted, the following lineups are taken from concert posters promoting the Caravan in various cities throughout the United States. The popularity of the shows led to the production of multiple units traveling the country. ''August 1959'' *Frankie Avalon * Annette * Anita Bryant * Dodie Stevens * Skip & Flip *The Strangers * Duane Eddy *Freddie Cannon *

Jan and Dean Jan and Dean were an American rock music, rock duo consisting of William Jan Berry (April 3, 1941 – March 26, 2004) and Dean Ormsby Torrence (born March 10, 1940). In the early 1960s, they were pioneers of the California Sound and vocal surf m ...

Bobby Rydell Robert Louis Ridarelli (April 26, 1942 – April 5, 2022), known by the stage name Bobby Rydell (), was an American singer and actor who mainly performed rock and roll and traditional pop music. In the early 1960s, he was considered a teen idol. ...

* Jack Scott *Ray Sharpe * Jerry Wallace *The Young Lions ''October 1959 (Canton, Ohio)'' *Paul Anka *Lloyd Price *Annette *Duane Eddy * Jimmy Clanton * LaVern Baker *The Coasters *The Drifters *The Skyliners *Bobby Rydell *The Jordan Brothers * Phil Phillips *Lloyd Price and His Caravan of Stars Orch ''Spring 1961'' *Jan & Dean *Freddie Cannon *

Johnny Burnette John Joseph Burnette (March 25, 1934 – August 14, 1964) was an American singer and songwriter of rockabilly and pop music. In 1952, Johnny, his brother Dorsey Burnette, and their mutual friend Paul Burlison, formed the band that became ...

* Gary U.S. Bonds * Danny & The Juniors * The Earls *The Fabulous Four * The Five Satins *The Four Sportsmen *Dick Lee * Bobby Lewis * Little Caesar & the Romans *The Mello Kings *The Miller Sisters * The Olympics *The Doc Bagby Big Beat Orch ''Summer 1961'' *

Chubby Checker Chubby Checker (born Ernest Evans; October 3, 1941) is an American singer and dancer. He is widely known for popularizing many dance styles, including the Twist, with his 1960 hit cover of Hank Ballard & The Midnighters' R&B song " The Twis ...

*Jan & Dean *Bobby Rydell *Freddie Cannon *Frankie Avalon * Mike Clifford *Gary U.S. Bonds * The Shirelles * Johnny & The Hurricanes *Chuck Jackson *Dodie Stevens *Bobby Lewis * Jo Ann Campbell ''Fall 1961 (Milwaukee)'' *Paul Anka *Chubby Checker *Linda Scott *Duane Eddy * Clarence "Frogman" Henry *The Shirelles * The Jive Five *The Caravan of Stars Orch ''Fall 1963'' *Bobby Vee *Brian Hyland *Jimmy Clanton *Linda Scott * The Essex *The Jaynettes * The Ronettes *Little Eva * The Dixie Belles * Dale & Grace * Joe Perkins *Donald Jenkins & The Delighters * The Dovells * Paul & Paula * The Tymes *Jeff Condon *Myron Lee & His Orch ''Summer 1964'' *

Gene Pitney Gene Francis Alan Pitney (February 17, 1940 – April 5, 2006) was an American pop and country singer, songwriter, and musician. Pitney charted 16 top-40 hits in the United States, four in the top ten. In the United Kingdom, he had 22 top-40 h ...

* The Dixie Cups *Dean & Jean *Mike Clifford * The Rip Chords *The Coasters * Brenda Holloway *The Crystals *Brian Hyland *The Kasuals * Major Lance * Donna Loren *George McCannon * The Reflections *Round Robin *The Shirelles *The Supremes ''Fall 1964 (Conneaut Lake Park, Pennsylvania)'' *Gene Pitney *Bobby Rydell *Paul Anka *

Neil Sedaka Neil Sedaka (; born March 13, 1939) is an American singer, songwriter and pianist. Since his music career began in 1957, he has sold millions of records worldwide and has written or co-written over 500 songs for himself and other artists, collabo ...

* Sue Thompson *

Sam Cooke Samuel Cooke (; January 22, 1931 – December 11, 1964) was an American singer and songwriter. Considered one of the most influential soul music, soul artists of all time, Cooke is commonly referred to as the "King of Soul" for his distin ...

*The Crystals *

Del Shannon Charles Weedon Westover (December 30, 1934 – February 8, 1990), better known by his stage name Del Shannon, was an American musician, singer and songwriter, best known for his 1961 number-one ''Billboard'' hit " Runaway", which was covered la ...

Connie Francis Concetta Rosa Maria Franconero ( ; born December 12, 1937), known as Connie Francis, is a retired American Pop music, pop singer, actress, and top-charting female vocalist of the late 1950s and early 1960s. She is estimated to have sold more th ...

* Ral Donner * The Teddy Bears * Buzz Clifford * Johnny Preston * Gene Chandler * Conway Twitty ''Fall 1964 (Worcester, Massachusetts)'' *Johnny Tillotson *The Drifters *The Supremes *Brian Hyland * Bobby Freeman * The Hondells *The Crystals * Dee Dee Sharp * Sonny Knight *Mike Clifford *The Velvelettes * Lou Christie *Jimmy Ford & The Chicago Casuals *Little Al Guitar ''April 1965'' * The Shangri-Las *The Larks *The Hondells * Dion *Dee Dee Sharp *Reparata & The Delrons * Mel Carter * Mickey Rooney Jr. ''April 1965'' * Bobby Goldsboro *Gene Pitney *Tim Tormey * Chad and Jeremy * Vic Dana * Bill Black's Combo *The Reasons *Darin D’Anna * Gary Lewis & The Playboys *The Crystals *The Reflections *The Rag Dolls *Brian Hyland *Ronnie Cochran *Susan Wayne ''May 1965 (Bluefield, West Virginia)'' *Bobby Vee * Herman's Hermits *

Little Anthony & The Imperials Little is a synonym for small size and may refer to: Arts and entertainment * ''Little'' (album), 1990 debut album of Vic Chesnutt * ''Little'' (film), 2019 American comedy film *The Littles, a series of children's novels by American author John P ...

The Ikettes The Ikettes, originally The Artettes, were a trio (sometimes quartet) of female backing vocalists for the Ike & Tina Turner Revue. Despite their origins, the Ikettes became successful artists in their own right. In the 1960s they had chart-toppe ...

*Freddie Cannon *Bobby Freeman *Brenda Holloway *The Detergents *Round Robin *The Hondells *Reparata & The Delrons *Billy Stewart *George McCannon III *Myron Lee & The Caddies *Little Jr. Mann ''August 1965 (Conneaut Lake, Pennsylvania)'' * Peter & Gordon * Tom Jones *The Shirelles * Them *

Ronnie Dove Ronald Eugene Dove (born September 7, 1935) is an American pop music, pop and country music singer who had a string of hit pop records in the mid to late 1960s and several country chart records in the 1970s and 1980s. Early life Ronnie Dove, th ...

*Mel Carter *Brian Hyland * Billy Joe Royal *George McCannon *Jimmy Rice *Jimmy Ford's Executives *Timothy Wilson ''November 1965'' * Paul Revere & The Raiders *

The Byrds The Byrds () were an American Rock music, rock band formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1964. The band underwent multiple lineup changes throughout its existence, with frontman Roger McGuinn (known as Jim McGuinn until mid-1967) being the so ...

* We Five *

Bo Diddley Ellas Otha Bates (December 30, 1928 – June 2, 2008), known professionally as Bo Diddley, was an American guitarist and singer who played a key role in the transition from the blues to rock and roll. He influenced many artists, including Buddy ...

*The Dutchess *Dale Wright & The Wright Guys *Men of Action *The Results *

The Rolling Stones The Rolling Stones are an English Rock music, rock band formed in London in 1962. Active for over six decades, they are one of the most popular, influential, and enduring bands of the Album era, rock era. In the early 1960s, the band pione ...

(Pittsburgh only) ''August 1966'' * The Happenings * Mitch Ryder *Capitols *Strangeloves *Thomas Group * Keith Allison * Dean Parrish *Cash McCall *Lou Christie ''October 1966'' *Gary Lewis & The Playboys * Sam the Sham & The Pharaohs *

The Yardbirds The Yardbirds are an English rock music, rock band formed in London in 1963. The band started the careers of three of rock's most famous guitarists: Eric Clapton (1963–1965), Jeff Beck (1965–1966) and Jimmy Page (1966–1968), all of whom ...

*Distant Cousins * Bobby Hebb *Brian Hyland

References

{{Reflist Concert tours of the United States