Search the Fresh Air Archive

Close Search

Turning Rockabilly Red

Sonny Burgess was known as much for his monochromatic look as he was his wild music. Ed Ward says the word to describe him is "weird" -- Burgess favored unconventional instrumentation and bizarre lyrics.

06:32
Queue

Contributor

Related Topics

Other segments from the episode on July 14, 1987

Fresh Air with Terry Gross, July 14, 1987: Interview with Ralph Allen; Commentary on Sonny Burgess; Interview with Tony Mendoza; Review of Wilfrid Sheed's novel "Boys of Winter."
Queue
28:01

Before Burlesque was Risqué

Ralph Allen says that burlesque theater started off at the turn of the century as a comedy revue; it wasn't until the 1930s that the tradition took on its more erotic elements. Allen cowrote the play Sugar Babies, which has been produced worldwide.

Interview
Queue
03:46

Predestination Without Grace

Book critic John Leonard recommends Wilfrid Sheed's new novel The Boys of Winter. Set in the Hamptons, in questions the nature of authorship, narrative, and creativity.

Review

Transcript

Transcript currently not available.

Transcripts are created on a rush deadline, and accuracy and availability may vary. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Please be aware that the authoritative record of Fresh Air interviews and reviews are the audio recordings of each segment.

You May Also like

Queue
08:11

Jerry Lee Lewis: Live, Singing As If Life Depended On It.

In 1958, Lewis suffered a precipitous decline in popularity when people learned that his new wife was not only 13, but also his cousin. Nobody would touch his records. Then, in 1963, he signed a deal with Smash and it looked like things were getting better.

Commentary
Queue
08:03

Roy Orbison: A 'Monument' To A Pop Legend.

Roy Orbison didn't really find his identity until he signed with a small Nashville label, Monument, in 1959. Ed Ward looks at the 17 singles that put him, and the Monument label, on the map.

Review
Queue
07:40

Classic Rock Songs Shake to the 'Bones'

Rock historian Ed Ward reviews the new classic rock box set Rockin' Bones: 1950s Punk and Rockabilly. Hits from Elvis, Buddy Holly and Jerry Lee light up this 101-track, four-disc collection produced by Rhino Records

Review

Did you know you can create a shareable playlist?

Learn How
Advertisement

There are more than 22,000 Fresh Air segments.

Let us help you find exactly what you want to hear.
Just play me something
Your Queue

Would you like to make a playlist based on your queue?

Generate & Share View/Edit Your Queue