The Virtues - Guitar Boogie Shuffle (78rpm - 1959)

The Virtues were an early rock and roll group from Philadelphia, US.
They took their name from the leader of the group Frank Virtue who had originally been a member of the Philadelphia Orchestra. At the beginning he had formed the Virtuoso Trio in 1947 and accompanied many popular vocalists at the time including Dick Haymes, Patti Page and Rosemary Clooney. By the time rock and roll had emerged the group had expanded to five members and in 1959 they recorded this rock and roll version of Arthur Smith's country hit, Guitar Boogie. The track became a huge hit achieving the No.5 spot on the Hot 100 in the US.
The number was covered in the UK by guitar legend Bert Weedon who reached the No.10 spot on the chart around the same time.
Played here on South Africa issue 78rpm ABC-Paramount ABC4016.
Note: Sadly some inherent surface noise on this record.