A “Revue” of the West Coast “Eastside Sound” Music Scene During the Early 1960’s in Southern California.
Those with a soul and a heartbeat know that music has the power to move us physically and emotionally. The music of the 1950s and 1960s captured the hopes, fears, and realities of an entire generation. Youthful innocence was shaped by the Cold War, the Space Race, the Vietnam War, and the growing civil rights movement, as awareness of social injustice spread across America.
In both light and dark times, music has always served as a powerful form of expression, fulfilling a deep, primal need for melody and connection. During this often turbulent era, our spirits were uplifted by the sounds of The British Invasion, Motown, R&B, Country, Rock and Roll, Rockabilly, and Chicano Soul, among many others.
In Los Angeles, and East Los Angeles in particular, a renaissance of youthful local talent emerged. The lasting contributions of East LA bands and singers became an essential part of this musical explosion. These artists helped guide us through formative years marked by love, heartbreak, and social awakening, bringing joy and meaning through their songs. Their voices remain a timeless soundtrack to a powerful cultural moment.
Historic Bands of the West Coast “Eastside Sound” from the Early 1960’s
These historic images of bands and recording artists represent only a small portion of the vibrant and influential popular music scene of the era. Even as a partial snapshot, this collection offers a powerful glimpse into the immense musical talent that defined the time. There were hundreds of outstanding music groups, many of whom shaped the sound and culture of their communities and beyond.
The slideshow features legendary artists and groups such as Cannibal and the Headhunters, Lil Ray Jimenez, Mickey and the Invaders, the Ambertones, the Blendells, the Blue Satins, the Enchantments, the Jaguars, Thee Midniters, the Mixtures, the Premiers, the Romances, the Sisters, the Village Callers, Mark and the Escorts, Johnny and the Crowns, and the Salas Brothers.
Also included are many other notable and influential groups, including the Silhouettes, the Originals, the Imperials, Ronnie and the Casuals, the Counts, the Progressions, the Atlantics, the Heartbreakers, the Five J’s, the V.I.P.s, Clarence Playa, the Impalas, the Lyrics, the Nite-Liters, the Viscounts, the Story Tellers, the Essents, the Epics, the Exotics, Los Blue Angels, the Checkmates, the Alderman, the Fabulons, the Eternals, the Emeralds, and the Prophets.
Together, these images celebrate a golden era of music history, honoring the artists whose creativity and passion left a lasting legacy.
Historic Posters, Flyers, Gatherings, & TV Radio Personalities from a Storied Celebrated Era
The southland’s music scene was alive and experiencing an increased awareness and celebration of different styles of music driven by the emergence of local bands. This fueled the need for the teenagers to have a safe location to listen and dance to the relatively new music. Since the audience and band members were mostly under 21 years of age, the established bars and nightclubs were restricted. The teens and bands found several accommodating locations like: The GiGi Room, The Carpenter’s Union Hall, The Big Union Hall in Vernon, The Little Union Hall in East LA, The Montebello Ballroom, Croatian Hall, Montebello Armory, El Monte Community Center, CYO Hall, The Alexandria Hotel, The Kennedy Hall, Saint Vibiana’s Auditorium, Huntington Park Ballroom, The Old Dixie Ballroom, The Rainbow Gardens, Echo Park Gym, The Pasta House, The Elk’s 99 Club, Saint Nicholas Hall, Saint Alphonso’s Auditorium, El Sereno Teen Post, The Palladium in Hollywood, Lincoln Park Gym, Hawaiian Gardens Teen Post, The Carolina Lanes, East Los Angeles City College Auditorium, Our Lady of Lourdes Hall, Paramount Ballroom, The El Monte Legion Stadium, Dom Pulaski Hall, South Gate Palace, Lincoln Heights Teen Club, The Shrine Auditorium, The Serbian Hall, The Huggy Boy Theater, The Roger Young and many local High School Gymnasiums.
We have also included some the regional radio and television personalities who took a keen interest in the Eastside Sound music explosion. Radio stations like KRLA, KFWB, KHJ and Disc Jockeys Art Laboe, Wolfman Jack, Huggy Boy, Godfrey Kerr, Sam Riddle, Mucho Morales, Dick Clark, Lucky Pierre, Hunter Hancock, and Chico Sesma. This marriage created more TV shows like Al Jarvis, Lloyd Thaxton, Sam Riddle and 9th Street West, Shebang, Hullabaloo, and American Bandstand, who would televise the local teens and the latest dances.
To view the posters below, simply click on the arrows on the right or left side – or the arrows below the posters. If you click on the “X” on the navigation bar at the bottom, the posters will appear in full screen. To exit the full screen, simply hit the “esc” on your keyboard.
“The East LA Sound Special” on KRLA AM/FM Radio
.This radio documentary “The East LA Sound Special” on KRLA AM/FM Radio originally aired in the Los Angeles, California area on July 1, 1983. It was hosted by a very popular radio DJ, Mucho Morales. Part 1 features interesting and entertaining interviews, great music and original commercials for the movie “Doctor Detroit” with introductions by the late Johnny Chingas. The interviews on this special include John Martinez and Ruben Guevara (Ruben & the Jets), Bob Keane (Delphi Records), Art Laboe (Radio DJ), Dick “Huggy Boy” Hugg (Radio DJ), Frankie “Cannibal” Garcia (Cannibal & the Headhunters), Eddie Davis (Rampart Records), Willie Garcia (Thee Midniters) and much more. These reel to reel tapes were found deep in the music vaults and made available for this special commentary. (For your listening convenience, we have edited to run both parts continuous and without any interruption).
On part 2 of “The East LA Sound Special” radio documentary, the special continues with interesting and entertaining interviews, great music, and original commercials for the movie “Dr. Detroit” with introductions by the late Johnny Chingas. The interviews on part two of this special are with Stevie Salas & Rudy Salas (Salas Brothers & Tierra), Bobby Navarette, Joey Guerra, & Mike Jimenez (Tierra), Papa Dee Allen & Harold Brown (WAR), Eddie Davis (Rampart Records), and members of the music groups El Chicano, The Village Callers, and Los Lobos. These tapes were given to Eddie Davis/Rampart Records by the producers at KRLA, and now we are able to share this historical broadcast to educate and entertain the listening audience. This rebroadcast has an introduction by Hector Gonzalez. We thank Rampart Records for making this available for us on the East LA Revue Internet Radio. Recording Time 2h 2m 7s.
Historic Venues and DJ’s
