The paradox of many of the original rockers is that they've etched such crazed moments onto wax that, decades down the line, they can rarely live up to the over-the-cliff records that brought them notoriety in the first place. Charlie Gracie is the exact opposite of this phenomenon. While he started out rocking on the Cadillac and Twentieth Century labels, his hits for the Cameo imprint were more pop than rock 'n' roll. However, put him on a stage with his fifty-three year old X-350 Guild hollow body and he'll tear the roof off the joint like it's 1949. Gracie is, without a doubt, the hardest rocking first-tier rocker left in show business. And his guitar playing is simply mesmerizing. Not to be missed.

By Mike Hurtt

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