CARAVAN OF STARS
The Caravan of Stars was formed by Dick Clark in 1959 and was a road show featuring some of the most popular stars and musical groups of the day. Chubby Checker, Duane Eddy, Bobby Darin, Fabian, Buddy Holly, Annette Funicello, and Bo Diddley toured with the Caravan. Chuck Berry joined the tour as well but chose to drive his pink Cadillac. The 17-piece orchestra of singer Lloyd Price was used as back up for all of the seasoned veterans on the stage. (More from Wikipedia)
Rich Rotkin and Arnie Marcus were never involved in any of their recordings, but – together with Phil Stewart – they were the public face of the Rip Chords, since Ernie Bringas was unavailable, and Bruce Johnston and Terry Melcher were much too involved in record production to tour with a band. These Rip Chords had an appearance on Dick Clark’s American Bandstand and joined his Caravan of Stars; they were even in a Hollywood movie, A Swingin’ Summer.
(July 2011)
