Hometown Station AM 1220 - Santa Clarita Radio - Peeples Place at KHTS, Sept. 16, 2011

Hometown Station AM 1220 - Santa Clarita Radio - Peeples Place at KHTS, Sept. 16, 2011

GENE VINCENT FANS MARK 40th YEAR SINCE DEATH, BURIAL AT FRIENDLY VALLEY — First-generation rockabilly/rock 'n' roller Gene Vincent, whose immortal single "Be Bop A Lula" and rock movie appearances with his group The Blue Caps made him a superstar on both sides of the Atlantic in 1956, died 40 years ago Oct. 12 at age 36.

A posthumous Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame inductee in 1988, Virginia-born Vincent is one of the most famous residents of Eternal Valley Memorial Park and Mortuary on Sierra Highway in Newhall. He's buried in Plot 91 in the Garden of Repose.

Christian Bouyer, a fan from Angouleme, France, who now lives in L.A. and works at DisneyToon Studios as a CG character modeler, is coordinating a memorial gathering for Vincent fans. He's setting it up in conjunction with the Gene Vincent Lonely Street international fan club run by Lee Loo, who's traveling from her home in France to attend the event and visit Vincent's burial site.

The gathering at Joe's Great American Bar & Grill in Burbank on Wednesday, Oct. 12, starting at 6 p.m., and it's free (you pay for your own food, though). Fans are invited to share Vincent stories and memories, and perhaps perform a song or two.

For more info or to sign up to play, check out the event website. There's also a Facebook page for the fan club and an event page Loo and Bouyer put together. And find out more about Vincent, his music, troubled life, tragic death, and profoundly lasting influence with a visit to the Rockabilly Hall of Fame site.

Gene Vincent Fan club website http://gene.vincent.fanclub.voila.net/

GENE VINCENT FAN CLUB LONELY STREET WEBSITE