Arch Hall Jr. Embodies Ponderosa Stomp Spirit with B-Movies and Twangin' Guitars

Promotes Norton Records Anthology 'Wild Guitar with an appearance at Ponderosa Stomp roots romp in New Orleans on April 26 & 27

NEW ORLEANS, LA (PRWEB) April 17, 2005 -- To fans of celluloid, hot rods and twangin rock 'n roll, the name Arch Hall Jr. is that of a mysterious lost icon.

Arch Hall Jr. had all the elements of early '60s rocknroll stardom -- twangin guitars, a B-movie career and a nearly perfect blond pompadour. His career may have never gained the steam of Elvis Presley, but his body of work -- just reissued by Norton Records as Wild Guitar! -- tells the story of a consummate rocknroll best kept secret.

Appropriately, then, he will return to the stage after four decades when he performs at Ponderosa Stomp, the globally renowned annual two-day roots music romp to be held April 27 & 27 at Mid City RocknBowl in New Orleans. Tickets and information can be gleaned by visiting http://www.ponderosastomp.com . The roster of Ponderosa Stomp features many best-kept secrets alongside forgotten heroes and one hit wonders -- making it the only festival of its kind.

The Newest Rage In Teenage Music - The Jungle Beat" promised the advertising for Archs 1961 teen exploitation flick, The Choppers." With classic B-movie hustle, the album - if it was ever actually meant to be released in the first place - never got past the mock-up stages. Its sleeve was displayed in a record store scene in one of Archs later movies, The Wild Guitar," but that was the end of it.

The tragedy of all this is that our man Arch - a first class rock 'n roller who burned up stages and screens with his band the Archers - was only known for his musical talent via a series of movies produced by his dad, Arch Hall Sr. Finally, with the February 22 release of Norton Records Arch Hall Jr. anthology, Wild Guitar, a 40-year wait is over.

The disc in question features all the well-loved songs from his films - Konga Joe," Monkey In My Hatband," Yes I Will" and Vickie" just to name a few - six of which were originally issued on three rare 45 singles, as well as recently discovered tapes of Arch and the Archers performing live in '62 at a drive-in Theater in Pensacola, Florida and a similarly scintillating set from two years later at a Pasadena, California nightclub. Among the many original numbers on the disc, Arch pounds through favorites like Bobby Blue Blands Further On Up The Road" and Dale Hawkins Suzie Q." This pair of songs is telling, as Arch was not only obsessed with the blues, but his guitar idol was James Burton, who framed the lowdown swamp groove on the Dale Hawkins hit.

Wild guitars will most certainly be the order of the day when Arch makes his first return to the stage in four decades backed by certified Hall fanatics Deke Dickerson and the Ecco-Fonics at Ponderosa Stomp.

Ponderosa Stomp #4 will take place at Mid City RocknBowl Lanes, 4133 S Carrollton Ave, New Orleans, Tuesday & Wednesday, April 26 & 27, 5 p.m.--2 a.m. each night. Tickets are $35 per night and may be purchased through the web site, http://www.ponderosastomp.com

This years lineup represents Ponderosa Stomps most ambitious assemblage of American roots legends yet. Scheduled to appear are (in alphabetical order) The Bad Roads, Classie Ballou, Archie Bell, Eddie Bo, Blowfly, Lonnie Brooks as Guitar Junior, Ace Cannon, The Carter Brothers, Jay Chevalier, Joe Clay, Eddy Clearwater, Larry De Riuex, Deke Dickerson & the Eccofonics, Skip Easterling, Nokie Edwards (of the Ventures), Johnny Farina (of Santo & Johnny), H Bomb Ferguson, Henry Gray, Betty Harris, Dale Hawkins, Roy Head, Al Johnson, Johnny Jones, Little Freddy King, Eddie Kirkland, Lady Bo, Lazy Lester, Robert Jr. Lockwood, Matt Lucas, Barbara Lynn, Mando & the Chili Peppers, Nathaniel Mayer, Scotty Moore, Phil Phillips, Freddie Roulette, Lil Buck Senegal & the Top Cats with Stanley Buckwheat Zydeco" Dural on Hammond B3 organ, Ray Sharpe, Warren Storm, Willie Tee, Travis Wammack, Barrence Whitfield, Brenton Wood and Link Wray. (Individual artist bios are posted at http://www.knights-maumau.com/stomp_4.php

Complete hour-by-hour music schedule posted at: http://www.knights-maumau.com/stomp_4_schedule.php

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