View source for The Blue Caps

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[[File:Woman Love - Be-Bop-a-Lula ad - Cash Box 1956.jpg|thumb|right|1956 [[Cashbox (magazine)|''Cashbox'']] advertisement for "[[Be-Bop-a-Lula]]", Gene Vincent and the Blue Caps' biggest hit]]
'''The Blue Caps''' were a pioneering American rock and roll band of the 1950s, the backing band for early [[rockabilly]] icon [[Gene Vincent]]. They were inducted into the [[Rock and Roll Hall of Fame]] in 2012, as part of a class of overlooked backing bands selected by a special committee.<ref name=Hall/><ref name=RollingStone/>

Robert Burke Warren, writing for the Hall of Fame, called them "One of the first self-contained rock & roll bands",<ref name=Hall/> while ''[[Rolling Stone (magazine)|Rolling Stone]]'' has called them "The first rock & roll band in the world".<ref name=UnleashedLinerNotes/>{{better source needed|reason=Anybody can say anything in a liner note|date=October 2023}}

Members inducted into the Hall of Fame were guitarists [[Cliff Gallup]], [[Tommy Facenda|Tommy "Bubba" Facenda]], [[Paul Peek (musician)|Paul Peek]], Willie Williams, and Johnny Meeks; bassists Bobby Jones and Jack Neal; and drummer Dickie Harrell, who died in 2023.<ref name=Hall/> Drummers Juvy Gomez and Clyde Pennington, bassist Bill Mack, piano player Max Lipscomb, and guitarists Grady Owen and Jerry Merritt were also members at various times.

{{Rquote|left|Vincent knocked the lights out of every stage he hit, and his Blue Caps picked up the pieces and threw them out the window.|''Rockabilly Legends''<ref name=Legends/>}} 
{{Clear left}}

The Blue Caps appeared, backing Gene Vincent, in the movies ''[[The Girl Can't Help It]]'' (1956) and ''[[Hot Rod Gang]]'' (1958).

The Blue Caps wore flat light blue caps on stage.<ref name=Hall/>

The Blue Caps disbanded before the end of the 1950s, but reformed with original members Meeks, Peek, Harrell, Jones, and Facenda for a 1982 tour of England and a new record.<ref name=OnRoadLinerNotes/>

==Discography==
===With Gene Vincent===
*''[[Bluejean Bop!]]'' (1956, Columbia)
*''[[Gene Vincent and the Blue Caps]]'' (1957, [[Capitol Records|Capitol]] T811, US & UK)
*''Gene Vincent Rocks! And the Blue Caps Roll!'' (1958, Capitol – T-970, US & UK)

===Solo===
*''Unleashed'' (1982, Magnum Force)
*''On The Road Again'' (1984, Magnum Force, MFLP  – 1020)
*''The Blue Caps – Hep To The Beat With The Blue Caps & Friends'' (2004, Pollytone – PEPCD 119, UK)

==References==
<references>

<ref name=Hall>{{cite web |url=https://www.rockhall.com/inductees/blue-caps |title=The Blue Caps |publisher=Rock and Roll Hall of Fame |accessdate=October 21, 2023}}</ref>

<ref name=OnRoadLinerNotes>{{cite web |url=https://www.discogs.com/master/903930-The-Blue-Caps-On-The-Road-Again |title=The Blue Caps – On The Road Again |work=Liner notes for "On The Road Again" |accessdate=October 21, 2023}}</ref>

<ref name=UnleashedLinerNotes>{{cite web |url=https://www.discogs.com/master/1156810-The-Blue-Caps-Unleashed |title=The Blue Caps – Unleashed |work=Liner notes for "Unleashed" |accessdate=October 21, 2023}}</ref>

<ref name=Legends>{{cite web |url=https://rockabillylegends.com/gene-vincent/ |title=Gene Vincent, Rock and Roll Rebel |author= |date= |work=Rockabilly Legends |accessdate=October 21, 2023}}</ref>

<ref name=RollingStone>{{cite web |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/rock-and-roll-hall-of-fame-adds-six-backing-groups-to-the-class-of-2012-77581/ |url-access=subscription |title=Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Adds Six Backing Groups to the Class of 2012 |author=Andy Greene |date=February 9, 2012 |work=Rolling Stone |accessdate=October 21, 2023}}</ref>

</references>

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Blue Caps, The}}
[[Category:American rockabilly music groups]]
[[Category:Musical groups established in the 1950s]]
[[Category:Musical groups disestablished in the 1950s]]
[[Category:Musical groups reestablished in 1982]]
[[Category:1950s establishments in the United States]]
[[Category:1950s disestablishments in the United States]]
[[Category:1982 establishments in the United States]]