The Oneida Casino in Green Bay, Wisconsin was the site for the Rockin' 50s Fest II, a six-day extravaganza of rockabilly, doo-wop, and vintage rock 'n' roll featuring over 100 bands and performers. Some of the living legends of American music were featured along with some lesser known hit-makers of yore, as well as the brightest stars in today's roots music scene.

Two ballrooms and two lounges were kept jumping for 12 hours a day, which kept bleary-eyed music fans on the run to catch their faves. There was Jerry Lee Lewis singing "Great balls of Fire", Ike Turner belting out a lively "Rocket 88", and The Bobbettes bringing down the house with "Mr. Lee"—followed by the inevitable "I Shot Mr. Lee".

Vocal group fans were in heaven as well, with great sets by The Cleftones, The Calvanes, and Frankie Lymon's Teenagers. Country fans were treated to performances by Bob Wills' Texas Playboys, Hank Thompson, and Charlie Louvin. And among all these stars, it was still a thrill to see some "flashes in the pan" as well.

In addition to "The Killer", Sun Records was well represented with a number of other artists who recorded for the famous label. Who could turn down a chance to see Clarence "Frogman" Henry sing "Ain't Got No Home", or rhythm and blues pioneer Joe Houston do his 1950 hit "All Night Long"?

Bill Haley's Original Comets—the youngest of whom was 68—may have put on the most popular and rocking set of the week. There were some touching stories played out on the stages as well. Phil Humphrey and Jim Sundquist together were known as The Fendermen in 1960, and had a huge hit with "Muleskinner Blues". Their performance in Green Bay marked the first time they had seen each other in over 40 years.

There was soul siren Barbara Lynn, who took the bus to Green Bay all the way from Beaumont Texas and wowed the crowd with her guitar playing and 1962 hit "If You Should Lose Me". The adoring crowd wouldn't let her leave until she performed it again for her encore.

One of the big reasons for the event's success was the top-notch lineup of backing bands. It was no surprise to see that so many performers were inspired by the superb accompaniment of Big Sandy's Fly-Rite Boys, Deke Dickerson, The Paladins, Jimmy Sutton's Four Charms, and Carl Sonny Leyland, all of whom performed great sets of their own during the week as well.

Hats off to Marc Mencher and crew for doing an incredible job pulling the whole event together. With so many great artists to see, many playing at the same time, the only drawback to the event was that it was impossible to see everybody. But that just gives us a chance to anticipate the next Rockin' 50s Fest, where we can pay homage to our musical heritage and look to the future with the stars of today.