Piano Dedication

LEGENDARY ROCK PIONEER COMES HOME TO DEDICATE HISTORICAL PIANO

Local museum adds “Porky’s Piano” to collection of exhibits

At noon on Saturday, September 24th, Jackson County native and Rock n’ Roll pioneer Sonny Burgess will be at The Rock and Roll Highway 67 Museum in Newport for a big announcement. Burgess, who recently moved to Little Rock, will dedicate a piano to the museum for its’ historical significance as being the “House Piano” at the roadhouse known as “Porky’s Rooftop” in the mid 1950’s. The roadhouse has been the focus of much discussion for years among music historians because it was the location of one of the earliest shows by Elvis Presley in Arkansas when Presley was just beginning his career. The show literally happened on the roof of a drive-in barbecue restaurant run by local business man and bandleader ____ “Porky” Sellers. During an evening performance on March ____ , 1955, Presley amazed dozens of music lovers who packed the “Rooftop” to hear the sound that would soon become known internationally as Rock and Roll. After Presley’s spirited and gyrational performance Sellers is said to have told the young singer “Son, you’ve got a great voice but if you want to make it in the music business you better clean up your act!”

The museum is located at Second and Hazel streets in downtown Newport, Burgess as well as other early Rock and Roll legends such as Ace Canon will be on hand after the dedication to greet fans in conjunction with the nineteenth annual Depot Days festival. For more festival info go to www.depotdays.org. For more information about the piano dedication go to henryhboyce@yahoo.com or contact Henry at 870-664-0908.