Elvis Presley died 40 years ago Wednesday. The shocking death of the King of Rock and Roll at age 42 haunts his fans to this day.
Vic Layne of Revere is one of the many musicians whose life was changed after hearing Presley’s raucous rockabilly records on the radio.
“Elvis was the roots of rock and roll, the original foundation of rockabilly music,” said Layne. “For me, as a 15-year-old kid, the impact was huge. I took piano lessons at the time, and I suddenly wanted to play in the rock and roll style. It gave a purpose to a lot of us kids.”
A few years later, Layne met Rink Gallant, a guitarist, at Salem State College. Their common bond was rock and roll. “Rink, who has passed away, and I were the best of friends. We started out doing record hops with DJs Arnie “Woo Woo” Ginsburg and Joe Smith.” Eventually, when they were family men/full-blown working adults (Layne, born Victor Lospennato, was a teacher at the Paul Revere elementary school in Revere), they formed a band, which they named the Boston Rock-a-Billy Music Conspiracy.
“In 1979, Rink and I brought it back. Rockabilly carried on in our minds, our hearts and our music,” said Layne. BRMC was pretty successful, gigging regularly, playing covers of those nervously uptempo classic 1950s songs and opening or backing up Roy Orbison, Leon Russell, Sam and Dave, Ricky Nelson, Gary U.S. Bonds, Jay and the Americans and other musical giants. Whenever Chuck Berry came to town, he insisted that Layne play piano in his band.
“I played seven shows with Chuck between 1985 and 1990,” said Layne. “Chuck bobbed and weaved and we had to stay with him. One night he decided to play ‘Honest I Do,’ a Jerry Reed blues. I’d never played the song. He came over to me, gave me the signal and said ‘Play some piano.’ The spotlight was on me. I guess he liked what he heard, cuz he grabbed the microphone and said ‘Who said a white boy can’t play the blues!’ Everybody laughed. I was flattered.” Layne turned down a New Year’s Eve job with Berry in New Orleans. “I was already booked. BRMC was playing the OK Corral (now Capone’s), one of our favorite places, on Summit Street in Peabody.”
Layne and bandmates, now dubbed Boston Rockabilly (Black Rebel Motorcycle Club has usurped the BRMC moniker), will play a rare gig Saturday night at the Spear Post in Beverly. “It’s billed as ‘A Night to Remember Elvis,’ ” said Layne, who plays Jerry Lee Lewis-style piano and sings. Bandmates are Ray Gillette (guitar), Mike Young (drums) and Jim Boisclair (bass).
“We’ll be playing a lot of Elvis, stuff by Jerry Lee, Carl Perkins, Roy Orbison, tons of rockabilly,” said Layne. “Ray Gillette, who grew up in Saugus and lives in Beverly and has been with the band for 32 years, saw Elvis’ 1970 show at Suffolk Downs. He still talks about it all the time.”
What’s up for Boston Rockabilly after Saturday night’s Elvis tribute show? Layne isn’t quite sure. “We really don’t know where the band goes from here. I’m in Florida with my wife a couple of months every winter. The guys are busy, too. All I can promise you, is that Boston Rockabilly is going to rock the Spear Post Saturday night.
Boston Rockabilly will present “A Night to Remember Elvis,” Saturday, Aug. 19, 8 p.m, at the Spear Post, 3 Judson St., Beverly. Guest DJ is Jim Reece. Tickets are $10. For additional information: 978-922-9657, bostonrockabilly.com.
