Vintage Footage From "The Golden Age Of Rock And Roll" Shows Del Shannon Performing His Hit "Runaway"

Jul 19, 2021

For some reason, old videos of music from another era always seem to make us feel good. Even if the song is originally from before our time, something about the toned-down staging and schmaltzy good vibes creates a type of inter-generational nostalgia for times gone by. If you're as into that feeling as the rest of us, then this video of Del Shannon performing his hit song "Runway" is perfect for you.

Del Shannon was a major figure in early American rock and roll in the last century. In 1961, before the war in Vietnam and before the Beatles had even touched their toes on American shores, his song "Runaway" became one of the most popular rock hits in the world.

Shannon saw the light of earth as Charles Weedon Westover on December 30, 1934, in Grand Rapids, Michigan. His parents were Bert and Leone Mosher Westover, and he grew up in nearby Coopersville. Shannon learned to play the ukulele and guitar while listening to country and western music. Even though he was drafted into the Army in 1954, he still played guitar even in Germany and was part of a band called "The Cool Flames." After his service ended, he lived in Battle Creek, Michigan, where he worked for a time as a carpet salesman and later as a truck driver employed by a furniture factory. His love for music was still big, though, and so he found part-time work as a rhythm guitarist in the band "The Moonlight Ramblers," which was working at the Hi-Lo Club.

Shannon did not have much success turning his passion for music into a well-paying job at first. However, he kept at it, finally taking the leap to try in the big leagues in 1960. Shannon made his way to New York, where he tried to persuade a big label to sign him on. Under the advice of a close friend, he changed his name to Del Shannon. According to the Del Shannon homepage, his new name derived from the wrestling name of a regular back at the Hi-Lo Club, Mark Shannon, and the name of his favorite car, the Cadillac Coupe de Ville. "Runway" was the first single he recorded in New York in 1961, and it became number 1 on the Billboard charts shortly after its release.

"Runway" was such a groovy tune that even Elvis went on to cover it during his live comeback in 1969. Once you hear it, you'll understand why. It is a truly great song, with its sweet riffs and catchy melody.

This particular video was shot for "Hollywood a Go-Go," a syndicated variety show popular in the 1960s. It has since resurfaced as part of the television series "The Golden Age of Rock'n'Roll."

And with his charming good looks and happy-go-lucky stage presence, Del Shannon certainly looks like he comes from the golden age of something. The video is grainy and sometimes it is difficult to see Del's face, but isn't that a bit what we want from these old videos? It only seems to enhance that fuzzy nostalgic feeling.

Every day gets better with a little old-time rock and roll. Once you check this out, you'll want to make sure your friends see it too. Soon enough you'll all be grooving out to Del Shannon like you're back in 1961.