REGARDING the Solid Rock 'n' Roll concert scheduled for Blackburn Public Halls on November 4 (LET, September 16), it is slightly off-centre to say the seven golden years of the rock 'n' roll era were 1957-64.

Actually, it is 1955-62 - as documented by the BBC TV series. Many are deluded that rock 'n' roll began in the Sixties.

For the uninitiated, a brief resume: 'Shake Rattle and Roll' by Bill Haley and his Comets was the start - a million-selling gold disc - which reached fourth place in the British record charts at Christmas, 1954, followed by 'Rock Around The Clock' in January, 1955.

Others were 'Heartbreak Hotel' by Elvis Presley and Gene Vincent and his Blue Caps with 'Be-Bop-A-Lula' in 1956, along with Tommy Steele and the Steelmen with 'Rock With The Caveman' and 'Singing The Blues'; and Lonnie Donegan with 'Don't You Rock Me Daddy-O' in 1957.

Then came Cliff Richard's 'Move It,' in 1958; Marty Wilde and 'A Tennager In Love' in 1959, Joe Brown's 'Darktown Strutters Ball' in 1960, and Eden Kane with 'Well, I Ask You' and John Leyton's 'Johnny Remember Me' in 1961 and the Vernons Girls and 'Lover Please' in 1962.

The real golden oldies!

J A MARSDEN, Scarborough Road, Blackburn.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.