The Golden Age of Rock n Roll in Colorado: 1950s
In 1953 through 1956, there weren’t too many venues in the Denver area who brought us that new thing called Rock and Roll. But as time passed going into 1957 and continuing to 1960, things got better.
We had the Auditorium occasionally, but thankfully we have the Rainbow Ballroom at 5th Avenue and Broadway, the Casino in Five Points and for a brief time, Mammoth Garden just off East Colfax.
Without the efforts of the Rainbow Ballroom, Denver would have very few opportunities to enjoy the burgeoning rock/R&B genre before 1956.
JANUARY 11TH, 1953 – RAINBOW BALLROOM – ROY BROWN BAND & THE RAVENS
This may have been the first appearance of the “new” music that would in short order sweep the nation and then the world!
JANUARY 12TH, 1953 – RAINBOW BALLROOM – BILLY WARD AND HIS DOMINOES
APRIL 14TH, 1954 – “BIG” JOE TURNER – SMILEY LEWIS – The Casino
APRIL 13TH, 1953 – RAINBOW BALLROOM – JIMMY WITHERSPOON ORCHESTRA
MAY 4TH, 1953 – RAINBOW BALLROOM – JOE LIGGINS & HIS HONEYDRIPPERS
MAY 18TH, 1953 – RAINBOW BALLROOM – ROY BROWN ORCHESTRA
JUNE 23RD, 1953 – RAINBOW BALLROOM – JOHNNY OTIS ORCHESTRA WITH MARIE ADAMS
JULY 4TH, 1953 – RAINBOW BALLROOM – LUCKY ENOIS & RED HOT BAND
AUGUST 14TH, 1953 – RAINBOW BALLROOM – BIG JAY MCNEELY & HIS BAND
OCTOBER 13TH & 14TH, 1953 – RAINBOW BALLROOM – LOUIS JORDAN & HIS TYMPANY FIVE
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame – 1987
OCTOBER 27TH, 1953 – RAINBOW BALLROOM – SONNY THOMPSON ORCHESTRA WITH LULU REED
DECEMBER 28TH, 1953 – RAINBOW BALLROOM – JOE LIGGINS AND HIS HONEYDRIPPERS
JANUARY 11TH, 1954 – RAINBOW BALLROOM – ROY BROWN ORCHESTRA
MARCH 9TH, 1954 – RAINBOW BALLROOM – PEE WEE CRAYTON & LINDA HAYES
MARCH 30TH, 1954 – RAINBOW BALLROOM – PERCY MAYFIELD
APRIL 6TH, 1954 – RAINBOW BALLROOM – JOHNNY OTIS SHOW WITH CHRISTINE KITTRELL – MEL WALKER
MAY 7TH, 1954 – THE ORIOLES – Mammoth Garden
APRIL 19TH, 1954 – RAINBOW BALLROOM – JOE HOUSTON – CHRISTINE KITTRELL
MAY 31ST, 1954 – RAINBOW BALLROOM – ROY MILTON ORCHESTRA WITH CAMILLE HOWARD
JUNE 8TH, 1954 – RAINBOW BALLROOM – LOUIS JORDAN & HIS TYMPANY FIVE
JUNE 15TH, 1954 – RAINBOW BALLROOM – EARL BOSTIC ORCHESTRA
JUNE 22ND, 1954 – RAINBOW BALLROOM – SONNY THOMPSON ORCHESTRA WITH LULU REED
JULY 3RD, 1954 – RAINBOW BALLROOM – JIMMY LIGGINS ORCHESTRA – THE FLARES
JULY 12TH, 1954 – RAINBOW BALLROOM – TINY BRADSHAW ORCHESTRA
Songs like “The Train Kept A-Rollin'” from 1951 secured his way into the rock and roll annals.
JULY 18TH, 1954 – RAINBOW BALLROOM – ERNIE FIELDS ORCHESTRA
JULY 28TH, 1954 – RAINBOW BALLROOM – THE CLOVERS – BIG JOHN GREER ORCHESTRA
AUGUST 7TH, 1954 – RAINBOW BALLROOM – PERCY MAYFIELD ORCHESTRA
AUGUST 30TH, 1954 – RAINBOW BALLROOM – BIG JAY MCNEELY ALL-STAR JAZZ BAND
SEPTEMBER 6TH, 1954 – RAINBOW BALLROOM – THE MIDNIGHTERS – TODD RHODES BAND
SEPTEMBER 21ST, 1954 – RAINBOW BALLROOM – RAY CHARLES ORCHESTRA & MUDDY WATERS ORCHESTRA
OCTOBER 5TH, 1954 – RAINBOW BALLROOM – THE RAVENS WITH THE HAL SINGER ORCHESTRA
OCTOBER 24TH, 1954 – RAINBOW BALLROOM – THE 5 ROYALES – TAB SMITH ORCHESTRA
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DECEMBER 13TH, 1954 – RAINBOW BALLROOM – RHYTHM & BLUES SHOW WITH DINAH WASHINGTON & HER AMERICAN TRIO – COOTIE WILLIAMS ORCHESTRA – DANNY OVERBEA COMBO – THE CHECKERS
MARCH 1ST, 1955 – RAINBOW BALLROOM – THE MIDNIGHTERS WITH TODD RHODES BAND
MARCH 15TH, 1955 – RAINBOW BALLROOM – THE FIVE ROYALS WITH THE TAB SMITH BAND
APRIL 5TH, 1955 – RAINBOW BALLROOM – PEE WEE CRAYTON BAND WITH DELORES GIBSON, DADDY “CLEANHEAD”, AND CHUCK HIGGINS BAND
MAY 30TH, 1955 – RAINBOW BALLROOM – ROY MILTON ORCHESTRA WITH CAMILLE HOWARD
JUNE 28TH, 1955 – RAINBOW BALLROOM – JOE HOUSTON ORCHESTRA
JULY 18TH, 1955 – RAINBOW BALLROOM – BIG JAY MCNEELEY – THE PENGUINS
MAY 16TH, 1955 – RAINBOW BALLROOM – LOUIS JORDAN ORCHESTRA
JULY 26TH, 1955 – RAINBOW BALLROOM – LOWELL FULSOM
JULY 28TH, 1955 – RAINBOW BALLROOM – LOWELL FULSOM ORCHESTRA & CHOKER CAMPBELL
AUGUST 1ST, 1955 – RAINBOW BALLROOM – LOUIS JORDAN & HIS TYMPANY FIVE
AUGUST 8TH, 1955 – RAINBOW BALLROOM – EARL BOSTIC ORCHESTRA
AUGUST 23RD, 1955 – RAINBOW BALLROOM – GENE AMMONS ORCHESTRA WITH GENE & EUNICE
SEPTEMBER 5TH, 1955 – RAINBOW BALLROOM – ROY MILTON WITH CAMILLE HOWARD
NOVEMBER 3RD, 1955 – RAINBOW BALLROOM – B. B. KING BAND
NOVEMBER 13TH, 1955 – SONNY THOMPSON ORCHESTRA WITH LULU REED & THE CHAMPIONS
DECEMBER 6TH, 1955 – RAINBOW BALLROOM – THE LUCKY BLUES SHOW
With Earl King, Jack Dupree, Little Willie John, Little George Smith, Marie Knight, Otis Williams and His Charms and Hal “Cornbread” Singer and His Orchestra
FEBRUARY 22ND, 1956 – RAINBOW BALLROOM – SMILEY LEWIS WITH THE PAUL WILLIAMS ORCHESTRA
MARCH 1ST, 1956 – RAINBOW BALLROOM – THE CLOVERS WITH THE JOE MORRIS ORCHESTRA
MARCH 22ND, 1956 – RAINBOW BALLROOM – ROY MILTON & HIS SOLID SENDERS
MARCH 28TH, 1956 – RAINBOW BALLROOM – RUTH BROWN AND CLAUDIA SWANN WITH THE BUDDY GRIFFIN ORCHESTRA
APRIL 3RD, 1956 – RAINBOW BALLROOM – EARL BOSTIC ORCHESTRA
APRIL 8TH, 1956 – ELVIS PRESLEY – WANDA JACKSON – FARON YOUNG – Denver Coliseum
This was more or less a rockabilly event – Even Ferlin Husky could rock out when he needed to.
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APRIL 11TH, 1956 – RAINBOW BALLROOM – AMOS MILBURN ORCHESTRA
APRIL 26TH, 1956 – RAINBOW BALLROOM – BILL DOGGETT TRIO WITH FAYE ADAMS AND TOMMY BROWN
MAY 15TH, 1956 – ROCK AND ROLL REVIEW – Denver Coliseum
BO DIDDLEY – BILL HALEY & HIS COMETS – LAVERN BAKER – THE DRIFTERS – THE TEENAGERS – THE PLATTERS – RED PRYSOCK – THE FLAMINGOS – THE COLTS
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MAY 30TH, 1956 – RAINBOW BALLROOM – BIG J MCNEELEY & HIS COOL CAT DEACONS WITH THE MEDALLIONS
JUNE 9TH, 1956 – RAINBOW BALLROOM – LOWELL FULSON ORCHESTRA WITH THE MOONGLOWS
JUNE 19TH, 1956 – RAINBOW BALLROOM – RAY CHARLES ORCHESTRA
JUNE 26TH, 1956 – UNIVERSITY OF DENVER
JUNE CHRISTY – DUKE ELLINGTON – THE FOUR LADS – GOGI GRANT – FRANKIE LAINE – THE PENGUINS – CARL PERKINS
A rather odd mix of talent here but we have the Penguins and Carl Perkins
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JULY 2ND, 1956 – RAINBOW BALLROOM – THE MIDNIGHTERS WITH THE CAL GREEN UNIT
JULY 28TH, 1956 – RAINBOW BALLROOM – BILL HALEY & THE COMETS
AUGUST 1ST, 1956 – RAINBOW BALLROOM – FATS DOMINO BAND
SEPTEMBER 4TH, 1956 – RAINBOW BALLROOM – JAMES BROWN & THE FAMOUS FLAMES WITH THE FATS GONDER ORCHESTRA – THE YOUNGSTERS
SEPTEMBER 20TH, 1956 – RAINBOW BALLROOM – B. B. KING
OCTOBER 3RD, 1956 – RAINBOW BALLROOM – LITTLE RICHARD & ORCHESTRA WITH THE ROBINS
OCTOBER 22ND, 1956 – RAINBOW BALLROOM – LITTLE WILLIE JOHN WITH THE WILLIS JACKSON ORCHESTRA
NOVEMBER 5TH, 1956 – RAINBOW BALLROOM – CHUCK WILLIS ORCHESTRA – THE COASTERS – ROY GAINES
NOVEMBER 7TH, 1956 – ROCK AND ROLL SHOW – Denver Coliseum
CHUCK BERRY – BILL HALEY & THE COMETS – THE PLATTERS – THE TEENAGERS – CLYDE MCPHATTER – ELLA JOHNSON – THE CLOVERS – BUDDY JOHNSON ORCHESTRA
DECEMBER 10TH, 1956 – RAINBOW BALLROOM – SONNY THOMPSON & LULU REED WITH PAUL TATE AND TH CHAMPIONS
JANUARY 10TH, 1957 – RAINBOW BALLROOM – THE FIVE SATINS WITH THE PAUL WILLIAMS ORCHESTRA
JANUARY 31ST, 1957 – RAINBOW BALLROOM – THE MIDNIGHTERS – CAL GREEN ORCHESTRA
FEBRUARY 15TH, 1957 – RAINBOW BALLROOM – T-BONE WALKER – BIG JIM WYNN ORCHESTRA
FEBRUARY 17TH, 1957 – RAINBOW BALLROOM – DAVID CARR – THE CREATORS –
FEBRUARY 26TH, 1957 – Denver Auditorium
This was the Auditorium’s Rock and Roll Debut!
FATS DOMINO – BILL DOGGETT – THE MOONGLOWS – THE SCHOOL BOYS – ANN COLE – LAVERN BAKER – FIVE SATINS – FIVE KEYS – EDDIE COOLEY & THE DIMPLES – TOMMY BROWN – CHARLES BROWN – PAUL WILLIAMS BAND – CHUCK BERRY – CLYDE MCPHATTER
APRIL 1ST, 1957 – RAINBOW BALLROOM – EARL BOSTIC ORCHESTRA
APRIL 4TH, 1957 – RAINBOW BALLROOM – MIDNIGHTERS – LITTLE WILLIE JOHN – CAL GREEN ORCHESTRA
MAY 26TH, 1957 – THE LITTLE BRENDA – The Everly Brothers – Denver Auditorium
Not strictly a rock and roll presentation but mostly country
JUNE 3RD, 1957 – RAINBOW BALLROOM – FATS DOMINO ORCHESTRA
JUNE 3RD, 1957 – FATS DOMINO – Denver Auditorium
This concert may not have taken place
JULY 3RD, 1957 – RAINBOW BALLROOM – LITTLE WILLIE JOHN – LINDA HOPKINS – ARNETT COBB ORCHESTRA
AUGUST 26TH, 1957 – RAINBOW BALLROOM – SONNY JAMES – SHERRY DAVIS – GENE VINCENT & THE BLUE CAPS
JULY 14TH, 1957 – Johnny Cash – BEARS STADIUM
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SEPTEMBER 2ND, 1957 – RAINBOW BALLROOM – THE MIDNIGHTERS – CAL GREEN ORCHESTRA
OCTOBER 1ST, 1957 – RAINBOW BALLROOM – ETTA JAMES – CLIFTON CHENIER – THE DELLS
OCTOBER 23RD, 1957 – RAINBOW BALLROOM – CHUCK WILLIS WITH THE ROY GAINES ORCHESTRA
NOVEMBER 1ST, 1957 – “SHOW OF STARS” – Denver Auditorium
PAUL ANKA – FATS DOMINO – FRANKIE LYMON – THE EVERLY BROTHERS – CHUCK BERRY – EDDIE COCHRAN – BUDDY KNOX & JIMMY BOWEN WITH THE RHYTHM ORCHIDS – THE DIAMONDS – THE CRICKETS – THE DRIFTERS – CLYDE MCPHATTER – LA VERN BAKER
NOVEMBER 9TH, 1957 – ROCK N ROLL SHOW – Denver Auditorium
DEL VIKINGS – MICKEY & SYLVIA – BO DIDDLEY – MARY ANN FISHER – ROY BROWN – BIG JOE TURNER – LARRY WILLIAMS ORCHESTRA – THE VELOURS – TINY TOPSY – VIKKI NELSON – THE MOONGLOWS – RAY CHARLES ORCHESTRA
NOVEMBER 19TH, 1957 – RAINBOW BALLROOM – BILL DOGGETT COMBO
DECEMBER 6TH, 1957 – RAINBOW BALLROOM – LARRY WILLIAMS ORCHESTRA
JANUARY 20TH, 1958 – RAINBOW BALLROOM – B.B. KING
JANUARY 28TH, 1958 – Fats Domino – BEARS STADIUM
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FEBRUARY 13TH, 1958 – RAINBOW BALLROOM – FATS DOMINO
MARCH 13TH, 1958 – RAINBOW BALLROOM – RUTH BROWN – JOE TURNER AND PAUL WILLIAMS ORCHESTRA
October 22nd, 1958 – Carl Perkins – Johnny Cash – Sonny James – Denver Auditorium
APRIL 18TH, 1958 – RAINBOW BALLROOM – LITTLE WILLIE JOHN WITH THE RHYTHM & BLUES CAVALCADE – ETTA JAMES – AL JACKSON – 5 ROYALES – BO DIDDLEY – TINY TOPSY – LITTLE RICHARD BAND
MAY 31ST, 1958 – RAINBOW BALLROOM – THE PENGUINS AND ROY MILTON
JUNE 16TH, 1958 – RAINBOW BALLROOM – BOBBY “BLUE” BLAND
JULY 4TH & 5TH, 1958 – RAINBOW BALLROOM – THE COASTERS – THE HOLLYWOOD FLAMES – ERNIE FREEMAN BAND
JULY 16TH, 1958 – RAINBOW BALLROOM – JIMMY BOWENS – BUDDY KNOX – DON LAINER WITH THE RHYTHM ORCHIDS
JULY 15TH, 1958 – RAINBOW BALLROOM – RAY CHARLES ORCHESTRA WITH MARY ANN FISHER – THE COOKIES
AUGUST 26TH, 1958 – LITTLE WILLIE JOHN – THE UPSETTERS
OCTOBER 21ST, 1958 – RAINBOW BALLROOM – THE CHAMPS – DEL TORO AND THE ROCKERS
Del Toro and Rockers were a Denver band
OCTOBER 26TH, 1958 – RAINBOW BALLROOM – BILL DOGGETT COMBO
NOVEMBER 21ST, 1958 – RAINBOW BALLROOM – FIVE ROYALES – DON CARMICHAEL ORCHESTRA
November 1958 – The Bings – Clancy’s – Fort Collins
DECEMBER 4TH, 1958 – RAINBOW BALLROOM – LARRY WILLIAMS ORCHESTRA
SEPTEMBER 1ST, 1958 – RAINBOW BALLROOM – MIDNIGHTERS WITH CAL GREEN ORCHESTRA
ANUARY 9TH, 1959 – RAINBOW BALLROOM – JAMES BROWN & HIS FLAMES
MARCH 20TH, 1959 – BROOK BENTON – LEE ALLEN ORCHESTRA – Mammoth Garden
JANUARY 28TH, 1959 – RAINBOW BALLROOM – LIONEL HAMPTON ORCHESTRA – WITH THE FLAMES
APRIL 3RD & 4TH, 1959 – RAINBOW BALLROOM – BIG JAY MCNEELY
APRIL 21ST, 1959 – RAINBOW BALLROOM – BILL DOGGETT ORCHESTRA
APRIL 25TH, 1959 – RAINBOW BALLROOM – THE CHAMPS
MAY 15TH & 16TH, 1959 – RAINBOW BALLROOM – SONNY THOMPSON BAND – LULU READ (SP) – BILLY VALENTINE
MAY 29TH, 1959 – RAINBOW BALLROOM – ROY MILTON ORCHESTRA – THE MEDALLIONS – MICKEY CHAMPION
JUNE 5TH & 6TH, 1959 – RAINBOW BALLROOM – THE FIVE ROYALS WITH THE ED PAULING’S ORCHESTRA
JUNE 20TH, 1959 – RAINBOW BALLROOM – JIMMY REED
JULY 3RD & 4TH, 1959 – RAINBOW BALLROOM – RAY CHARLES & THE RAELETS
JULY 10TH & 11TH, 1959 – RAINBOW BALLROOM – JAMES BROWN & HIS FAMOUS FLAMES
JULY 31ST & AUGUST 1ST, 1959 – RAINBOW BALLROOM – THE MIDNIGHTERS
JULY 25TH & 26TH, 1959 – RAINBOW BALLROOM – FATS DOMINO
AUGUST 15TH, 1959 – RAINBOW BALLROOM – LITTLE WILLIE JOHN – THE UPSETTERS
AUGUST 26TH, 1959 – RAINBOW BALLROOM – LLOYD PRICE ORCHESTRA
SEPTEMBER 7TH, 1959 – RAINBOW BALLROOM – JAMES BROWN & HIS FAMOUS FLAMES
SEPTEMBER 12TH, 1959 – RAINBOW BALLROOM – JESSE BELVIN – JOHNNY & THE HURRICANES
OCTOBER 4TH, 1959 – RAINBOW BALLROOM – JIMMY REED WITH AL SMITH ORCHESTRA
(Reed failed to show)
OCTOBER 10TH, 1959 – RAINBOW BALLROOM – ALAH & THE LEBAS WITH LITTLE WILLA BOATNER
A makeup dance for the failure of Jimmy Reed to appear
OCTOBER 17TH, 1959 – RAINBOW BALLROOM – B.B. KING
October 21st, 1959 – The Champs – Fort Collins National Guard Armory
OCTOBER 24TH, 1959 – RAINBOW BALLROOM – CHUCK BERRY
OCTOBER 31ST, 1959 – RAINBOW BALLROOM – JERRY LEE LEWIS
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NOVEMBER 6TH, 1959 – RAINBOW BALLROOM – CARL PERKINS & HIS BAND
NOVEMBER 6TH, 1959 – KIMN BIG TEEN DANCE SHOW – EDDIE COCHRAN – THE SATELLITES – Denver Auditorium
NOVEMBER 7TH, 1959 – RAINBOW BALLROOM – BOBBY DAY ORCHESTRA
NOVEMBER 14TH, 1959 – RAINBOW BALLROOM – DEE CLARK – RED SAUNDERS AND THE HAMBONE KIDS – SUGAR PIE DESANTO – PEE WEE KINGSLEY ORCHESTRA
NOVEMBER 21ST, 1959 – RAINBOW BALLROOM – BROOK BENTON – RUTH BROWN – JAMES MOODY ORCHESTRA – THE FALCONS
DECEMBER 5TH, 1959 – RAINBOW BALLROOM – CHUCK BERRY
December 5th, 1959 – Chuck Berry – Pueblo
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