Bill Haley - Goofin Around

[vincenz55]

so your italian with a name like carmela? yur grpa too?

[Bajuiceta5]

EPIC BASS SOLO!

[vincenz55]

you guys forget danny cedrone was the best guitarist haley ever had with all due respect to franny beecher danny was the best

[TheCarmela2006]

@vincenz55 You are entitled to your opinion but what facts back that up my friend? My grandfather was self taught and created his own style. You have no clue and need some education on our rock and roll history

[vincenz55]

whoever mentioned reinhardt in this discussion is an idiot

[willpn100]

The Comets are - quite literally - The First Band of Rock 'n' Roll.

[GregSeaShepherd]

De la vrai musique

[gleekFinnhudson]

my hamster dances to this

[BEATNIKCASS]

thank you, Franny.

[doubleotwentyone]

Love that Les Paul Black Beauty...

[Erkele]

YEP ! - Erkele

[wrecker8888]

Franny Beecher.... what an astonishing sound!!

Every time I hear Franny Beecher play I think he's the very best I've ever heard. Thank you for a lifetime of enjoyment!

[MrB17FlyingFortress]

It was part swing/beebop/rockandroll. It was evolving into rock.

[dookieday1]

great musicianship,but many people would not be aware that back in those days they did not have light guage string sets ,not by todays standards anyway franny sure hits those notes solidly .

[willpn100]

In 1956, the album "Rock and Roll Stage Show" was released and became the first "concept album" of the rock history!. This song was taken from this album

[emontoya1978]

Man, to honest, I never listened carefully to this guy, but he is amazing, I'm surprised he does not get the credit he deserves. He created the first rock and roll solo, and it is a good one, tasty and challenging. How many "guitar heroes" can say that?

[Costadelsolshow]

Francis "Franny" Beecher (b. September 29, 1921, Norristown, Pennsylvania), also known as Frank Beecher, was lead guitarist for Bill Haley & His Comets from 1954 to 1962, and is best remembered for his innovative guitar solos combining elements of country music and jazz. He composed the classics "Blue Comet Blues", "Goofin' Around", "Week End", and "Shaky" when he was the lead guitarist for Bill Haley and the Comets. He continued to perform with surviving members of the Comets into 2006.

[wweoutsider91]

@ squirrelnutcased lol

[willpn100]

Franny Beecher dá uma aula de guitarra solo, nesse filme de 1956, intitulado no Brasil de "Ritmo Alucinante". A banda, que é a primeira da história do rock, é de primeira qualidade.

[wweoutsider91]

Just imaging zakk wylde going into a time machine to this video and play the hell outta that les paul them guys would crap them selves

[squirrelnutcased]

@wweoutsider91 theyd probably laugh and kick him off the stage. with his cheesy clothes and playing style. he has nothing on the comets

[richard42960]

I'd give up my right nut to have that Les Paul!!!

[wildcatfalling]

Thats the sound

[Dkenady353]

Can't play without my guitar string. LOL

[willpn100]

The Comets (Bill Haley); The Upsetters (Little Richard); and The Blue Caps (Gene Vincent) were the best supporting bands of the fifties. Any doubt?

[rocknroll56able]

@willpn100 I agree..they were the best and of course thge COMETS are still playing shows.

[ginger1959able]

Salute Bill and all Comets

[MrB17FlyingFortress]

He may have been one of the first but that doesn't mean no one else was any good.

[rocknroll56able]

@MrB17FlyingFortress There were many great guitarists around at the time and franny was one of them.

[lupotimmy]

XOXOXO!! =)))

[RockabillyWilly1]

So great slap solo!!!

[lupotimmy]

to 1withpossibility , my grandfather is doing quite well I think he will out live us all <3

[chronicsmoke2k]

wow the godfather of rock at his peak

[oldschool619619]

Love the bass work JUST GREAT

[1withpossibility]

To lupotimmy - you're Grandfather is the best. I had the pleasure of seeing him with the Original Comets in Jackson, TN at the Rock-a-billy Festival. I saw them four years in a row. They were all great musicians and fantastic together. Plus, all were nice as could be. I got to talk with your grandfather, have pictures made, etc. I hope he is in good health and still playing.

[CaveNeil9]

Totally agree about the about the guitar...but how the hell is the bassist pulling that solo off, even in a studio?

[CTNWB]

What a find! Bill Haley and the Comets were the first rock and roll band I became aware of as a young teenager in North Carolina. I blog at WES BRYAN - MY LIFE IN MUSIC. I'm Wes.

[contrastedview]

@CTNWB if you want to plug your blog upload a video about it.

posting comments about it on other people's videos is comatose and sleazy

[TheDJGrandPa]

... And they say 50's music is simple, hehe... :P

[26highstreet]

No effects peddles or modding amps, just pure guitar sound heard through a valve amp.. cant beat eat.

This guy is guitar hero

[fanmarti09]

Franny's technique at that time must have Been awsome!! I'm so impressed over that playing, this inspire me to keep playin rockabilly:)

[evets1968]

Lupotimmy,proud much?Damn straight!

[Pickinbuddy]

"This guitarist has NEVER been surpassed...not by ANYONE in the entire history of Rock."

Bill Turner

[PeteyHop]

Outstanding!!!

In response to steve7onfire, you need to check out some old school Joe Maphis or Jimmy Bryant, guitar hero's for sure.

[ELVISCHEVY3]

top class  rocknroll

[harvey1954]

Part of the reason Haley's music swings is that Franny had played with Benny Goodman before he played with Bill Haley. Ths sound on this video is not the actual performance if you watch the bassist do his solo. You hear him slapping, but he's not doing that in the video.

[ceira7]

BIG Charlie Christian influence here.

[BradBrassman]

Alan Freed there, bless him!

[Wanderer123]

One hell of a guitar player!

[steve7onfire]

Forget Hendrix, forget Van Halen, forget Steve Vai, Franny is the FIRST ever guitar hero!!!! He was the first shredder and he did with style and taste!!!!!!!!!!!

[Weidenberg]

@steve7onfire

I totally agree with you! He followed Danny Cedrone to play lead guitar after Danny had died in 1954.l

[Weidenberg]

@steve7onfire

Don`t forget Danny Dedrone. Just listen to the "Esquire Boys-Caravan". He was the one who did the guitar solo on "clock".

[VonNashman]

@steve7onfire Franny sounds great, but first guitar hero? Seriously?

[sthugh]

@steve7onfire Apparently you never heard of Django Reinhardt.

[lupotimmy]

<3 <3 <3 <3

[leone7227]

Absolutely awesome!!!

[ginger1959able]

MAGNIFICENT Lets hope Frannie is still rocking at a 100

[lupotimmy]

hey that's my grandfather franny beecher on lead gutar and stll sounding great at 88 !! rock on grandf !!! love you !!

[Chimbo65]

@lupotimmy

Franny is your grandad ?

You are very lucky.He is fantastic.

All the best to you and Franny

Happy new year from Chimbo65

[CON19723]

@lupotimmy

No way. That is absolutely amazing. Your pops made history and still rocks!!!

[TheRealToReal55]

@lupotimmy is he really your grandfather or not?

[TheCarmela2006]

Respond to this video... Yes he is =)) I have a new account on here so that's me lupotimmy!

[JohnnyReb2009]

Franny Beecher is an outstanding guitar player!

[RockabillyWilly1]

One of my favourites - listen to the triplets bass solo at 1:10 . So awsome!!!

[johnnyweep59]

ahhh..sweet sweet tone..

[ilford57]

I guess the original idea for laying the double bass down is to get more volume through it vibrating the floor.

[rutlegirl]

haha totally cool!!!

[rockindaddio]

The masters at work. What an incredible cut! Thanks for posting this amazing clip.

[Weidenberg]

Sorry. I wanted to say "Johnny Grande".

[FFSSAKE]

Johnny Grande was a pianist/accordionist.

[speedy1251254]

who's playing the contrabass in this song?

[Weidenberg]

I think it`s Al Rex.

[speedy1251254]

thanks

[Weidenberg]

Never mind. "Goofin`around" was recorded in Pythian Temple, New York, March 23, 1956.

BILL HALEY (Vcl; rhythm gtr)

FRANNY BEECHER (lead gtr)

BILLY WILLIAMSON (steel gtr)

RUDY POMPILLI (tenor sax)

JOHNNY GRNDE (pno; accordion)

AL REX (double bs)

RALPH JONES (drums)

[DaveSwinger]

It might also be noted that this recording is an alternate take. Normally, these movies just used the issued Decca recording but, this one is not the same one issued.

[Chimbo65]

Al Rex

[thevoodoo57]

Wild!!! Thanx for the post!

[53mileswestofvenus]

I agree with thevoodoo57, who said:

1. Wild!!!

2. Thanks for the post.

"You gotta jump

You gotta jive

You gotta dance

To be alive!"

- quote by Bill Haley & His Comets -

[g3tfamiliar]

what a post

[jafigueroa41]

Gracias. Mi ejemplo desde hace 50 años. El maestro Beecher, tuve el honor de conocerlo en México. Tengo mi foto con ellos. Saludos a todos (y a Rudy Pompilli).

[Weidenberg]

Terrific.

[Weidenberg]

Franny and Danny: very good guitar players.

[saskabush2006]

Just a little trivia - this performance is different from the one that was released on record. A recording taken off the soundtrack was put out by Hydra Records 10 years ago but it's just the incomplete version heard here. The full alternate performance is still sitting in a vault someplace.

[Pickinbuddy]

This guitarist Frannie Beecher is still living today--at 87 years young!

And he can still play this song!

[Weidenberg]

He`s so great! But don`t forget Danny Cedrone!

[Pickinbuddy]

Oh, absolutely! It's a shame he died so early--he would've been one of the more well-known rock & roll heavyweights. There were many years where he was a total unknown! Only this past year, his family put out a CD featuring his old recordings which he did on his own--before playing with Bill Haley!

[Chimbo65]

That`s true,but poor Danny Cedrone

was in Rock and Roll heaven by then

[kechidax]

Franny Beecher

[allclacks]

A gem! Fantastic to see Bill and the boys 'Goofin Around' again. They dont make em' like that any more.

[kechidax]

Excellent