No Matter how how you spell it Jo Ann was where the action was in the 60s. Proof is her remarkable collection of concert show programs from the Charlotte Coliseum in North Carolina.  What a time she must have had. She taped her ticket stubs on the inside cover of every booklet.  Always Row A, a middle seat.  $3.50.  Twice a year, she was there. Slipping backstage with Stars in her eyes she asked them to sign her program.  

Was she in the biz?  Daughter of the some bigwig? A groupie?  It seems she was a familiar face, known to the artists, not a pest.  And these were not run-of-the mill acts she’s mingling with, but the top performers at the time. Irvin Feld, the man behind G. A. C. — Super Productions (with many a variation on the name), organized these touring shows from the late 1950s to the early 1960s.  Circus tours also.  That’s about all we know.   

A cautionary tale to all you aspiring preservationists.  Jo Ann, or worse the person who got these programs before us, decided to save the signatures by placing adhesive tape over them.  The result is a 60 year harrowing yellowing blur on many of the artist’s autographs. 

 But that still leaves us with 72 perfectly legible signatures of some of the greatest R&B and early rock performers of the era.  Artist like those above along with Ben E. King, Bo Diddley, Chuck Jackson, Jeanette ‘Baby’ Washington,  Little Anthony, The Drifters, The Tams, The Orlons, Johnny Thunder and so many more, all signed.  Thanks Jo Ann…  See a complete list on the next page. 

Signed R&B and early Rock Show Programs @ ARC

• 9.5 x 12.5” program, The Biggest Show of the Stars for ’61 – Spring Edition, presented by G.A.C. Super Productions Inc. Signatures on full page photo of each artist includes,
“Luck Always To Ann from Fats Domino”
“Ben E. King” on small photo
“Here’s to you from Bo Diddley 1961”. Also in photo a maracas player, “Jerome _______”
“Ben E. King” on full page photo
“The Best to Joanne from Chuck Jackson”

• 9.5 x 12.5” program, The Biggest Show of the Stars for ’65 – Winter Edition, presented by G.A.C. Super Productions Inc. Signatures on full page photo of each artist includes,
On Chuck Berry Page. “Best Wishes Don He________”
On full page photo, “Chuck Berry”
On full page photo, “Love The King. Solomon Burke”
On full page photo, “To: Trena (?)____ ____ I _____ ____. Joe Tex”
On Little Anthony page. “_____________”
On full page photo, “Twine Time Alvin Cash The Crawlers”

• 9.5 x 12.5” program, The Biggest Show of the Stars for ’65 – Spring Edition, presented by Super Enterprises Inc.
On full page Drifters photo, “Sincerely Gene Pearson”

• 9.5 x 12.5” program, The Biggest Show of the Stars for ’60 – Spring Edition,
presented by G.A.C. Super Productions Inc.
“Little Anthony” crisp signature but under tape

• 9.5 x 12.5” program, The Biggest Show of the Stars for ’60 – Fall Edition,
presented by G.A.C. Super Productions Inc.
“Dion” crisp signature but under tape
“Bo Diddley” crisp signature but under tape
“Marv Johnson”. crisp signature but under tape
“Chubby Checker”. crisp signature but under tape
On Bobbettes full page photo “Best Luck” and “Retha” crisp signature but under tape

• 9.5 x 12.5” program, The Biggest Show of the Stars for ’61 – Fall Edition, presented by Super Enterprises Inc.
On Platters page, two signatures, in red ink, crisp signature but under tape, “Herbert Reed”; “Love and Kisses Robin.”
On the Drifters page, two signers, in red ink, crisp signature but under tape, “Lots of Luck Dock The Drifters” “From Rudy of the Drifters”
“U.S Bonds” In red ink, crisp signature but under tape
On The Jarmels page. “Robert”. “John Holsy”. Both not original members.

• 9.5 x 12.5” program, The Biggest Show of the Stars for ’60 – Winter Edition,
presented by G.A.C. Super Productions Inc.
On full page photo, “Freddy Cannon”
On full page photo, “Sammy Turner. _______”

• 9.5 x 12.5” program, The Biggest Show of the Stars for 1962 – Spring Edition,
presented by Super Enterprises Inc
On full page photo, “Luck. Fats Domino”
On full page photo, “Harold Cromer. M C”

• 9.5 x 12.5” program, The Biggest Show of the Stars for 196o – Mid Year Edition, presented by G.A.C. Super Productions Inc. Cover damaged, top
On full page photo, “Bobby Vinton”

• 9.5 x 12.5” program, The Jerry Butler Show, presented by Supersonic Attractions
On full page photo, “Love to You Always Solomon Burke” signed in red ink.
On The Drifters full page photo, “Jean or Gene ________. Sincerely” in red ink.
On The Tams full page photo, “Love Always The Tams. AL” “______ of the Tams”
On full page photo, “Soul. Jerry Butler”

• 9.5 x 12.5” program, The Record Show of Stars, presented by Supersonic Attractions
On full page photo, “Best Wishes To Jo Ann. Sam Cooke”
On full page photo, “Love You Always B.B.. King”
On The Drifters full page photo, ”Sweet (?) Charley” (?)
On The Sensations full page photo, ”To Jo Ann from Yvone of the Sensations”
[ Yvonne Mills Baker ]. “to Joann from _______________”
On full page photo, “To Joanne From Barbara George”

• 9.5 x 12.5” program, The Biggest Show of 1962, presented by Supersonic Attractions
On full page photo, “Bless You Clyde McPhatter”
On full page photo, “Love Always Little Eva”
On full page Drifters photo, Signed by full 1962 version of the group
On full page Orlons photo, Signed by “Marlena” “Rosetta”. Both in red ink.
On full page Don Gardner and Dee Dee Ford photo, Signed “To Jo Ann. Best Wishes. Sincerely. Dee Dee Ford”
On full page Upsetters Orchestra photo, Signed by “__________” and “_________”

• 9.5 x 12.5” program, Show of Stars, presented by Supersonic Attractions
On full page Impressions photo. “Best Wishes. Samual Gooden”
On full page photo. “To Jo Ann. Love You Madly. Sam & Dave”
On double page spread photo. “Luck Fats Domino”
On full page Patti La Belle and the Blue Belles photo. “Best from Nona” (Nona Hendryx, “Love Patti La Belle” “To Jo Ann Love Always Cindy” (Cindy Birdsong) “Lots of Love Pat” (Patricia Holte)
On full page Upsetters Orchestra photo, Signed by “Gene _______ _______” and
“With Love Grady _________”

• 9.5 x 12.5” program, Show of Stars of 1961, presented by Supersonic Attractions
On full page photo. “To Joanne All My Love. Jackie Wilson”
On full page photo. “Sincerely Yours Jerry Lee Lewis
On opposite page, full page photo. “Lots of Love. Ruth Brown”
On Bo Diddley page, signed by Bo’s maracas player, percussionist “Jerome Green”
On full page Coasters photo, “________. _______”
On full page Vibrations photo, “Carl” (Carl Fisher), “Always + Forever Ricky”
(Richard Owens), “Love Dave” (Dave Govan).

• 9.5 x 12.5” program, Show of Stars of ‘63, presented by Supersonic Attractions
On full page photo. “Lots of Joy. Sam Cooke”
On full page Jeanette ‘Baby’ Washington photo. “Best of Luck Baby Washington”
On full page Kingpins photo, “El Kay: (Andrew Kelly?), “Curtis” (Curtis Kelly), “Lee Roy” (Leeroy Gilbert), “J. C. Lee”
On full page photo. “To Joann. Hugs + Kisses. Al Braggs
On the same page with two performer’s photos, “Best Wishes Jo Ann Eloise Hester”.
“To Jo Ann From Lee La Mont”

• 9.5 x 12.5” program, Show of Stars, presented by Supersonic
Inside front cover signatures. “Jo Ann Best of Luck Delores Johnson of the Iketts” and under tape but clearly legible, “Ben E. King. Spanish Harlem”
On full page photo. under tape but clearly legible, “Soul Always Jerry Butler”
On full page photo. under tape but clearly legible, “Chuck Berry”
On full page Drifters photo. under tape but clearly legible, “Rudy of the Drifters”
(Rudy Lewis), “Sweet Charley (Charlie Thomas?),
On full page Cleftones photo. under tape but clearly legible, “Lots of Love Herbie (Herbie Cox), “Sincerely Gene __________”
On full page photo. At one time under tape, stained but clearly legible, “Love + Luck Bobby Lewis”
On full page Jarmels photo. At one time under tape, stained but clearly legible, “Lots of Luck Earl of the Jarmels” (Earl Christian), “Best wishes from Nate” (Nathaniel Ruff), “Love. Tommy of the Jarmels” (Tom Eldridge).
On full page photo, not captioned. To JoAnn. Lloyd Price” At one time under tape, stained but clearly legible. Price appeared with his 15 piece band!

• 9.5 x 12.5” program, Supersonic Attractions presents “..Mr. Excitement Jackie Wilson”
On inside front cover. “Love. Band Falcon’s Love Eddie” “Sincerely Falcons 1962”.
“Love Always. _______of the ___________. ____ & a _________”
On full page Fiestas photo. “To Joan Be Sweet from Randy of the Fiestas” “Joann from Eddie The Fiestas So Fine”. (Eddie Morris), “To You from George You Are Wonderful. Fiestas” (George Bullock)
On full page photo. “Love Ted Taylor”
On full page photo. “Bunker Hill”
On inside back cover “Jerome Green”

• 9.5 x 12.5” program, Supersonic Attractions presents The Sam Cooke Show
On full page, with photo. “Love Sam Cooke”
On full page photo. “With Love Dee Clark”
On full Drifters page, with photo. “The Drifters The Best to You Charley Boy(?) (Charlie Thomas?) and ” ____________. The Drifters”
On full page photo. “To JoAnn. Love + ______ Johnny Thunder”
On full page, with photo. “Lots of Luck Julius” (Little Julius High)”

• 9.5 x 12.5” program, The Dick Clark Caravan of Stars National Tour
On full page photo. “Best Wishes Dick Clark”
On full page photo. “To JoAnn Brian Hyland”
On full The Essex page, “To Joanne. A Very Lovely Young Lady From Doug of the Essex”
On full Ronettes page, “To Joanne Love Ya! Nedra” (Nedra Talley)
On full Dale & Grace page, “To Jo Ann. Love & Best Wishes. Dale + Grace”
On full The Dovells page, “Jeri” (Jerry Gross). “________________”
On full Paul and Paula page, “I’s Paul + Paula”

• 9.5 x 12.5” program, Caravan of Stars. A Dick Clark touring show
On full page photo. “Sonny Knight”

• 9.5 x 12.5” program, Alan Freed Christmas Julilee. Touring show.
Inside cover, many signatures obscured by scotch tape. Readable, “Love Johnny Coms Hurricanes”
On full page photo. “uck. Sam Cooke”
On full page photo. “Love Always Tommy Facenda”
On full The Falcons page photo. “To Jo Ann __________” (with four band members impossible to read signatures in faint blue ink)
On shared page with Wilbert Harrison “Best Wishes Always. Marv Johnson”
page dated 12-9-59
Inside back cover , heavily taped photo, ticket and signatures. Readable under tape
“My Sincere wishes Marv Johnson”. “The Platters Herb Reed”