The “Band Cards” were a quick and effortless way of introducing a music band, and an economic way of advertising. The cards were approximately one and a half by two and a half inches and made of card stock. The cards were printed on one side and differed in colors, varied in surface textures, and distinguished by style. The cards had the name of the band printed on the front, sometimes with a slogan included. The name of the band leader or manager and the telephone number would be printed at the bottom. There were no emails or cell numbers at that time. Many of these cards were printed by the local high school print shops. The others were printed by the local shops.
The Band Cards were a statement by the band and a style of the time. An urban status symbol. For some it was a simple business exercise but for others it was fun to collect the different band cards.
Here are 32 Band Cards from the Golden Era of the Eastside Sound 1960 – 1969. They include cards from The Ambertones, The Apollos, The Artistic, The Blendells, Blue Notes, The Blue Satins, Thee Counts, Desires, The Emeralds, Thee Essents, Bobby and the Esquires, The Exotics, The Fabulons, Four Queens, The Heartbreakers, The Impalas, The In Crowd, Mickey and the Invaders, The Jaguars with the Salas Brothers, Lil Ray Jimenez, The Leisures, Mark and the Escorts, The Medallions, The Men from S.O.U.N.D., Thee Midniters, The Premiers, The Rhythm Playboys, The Romancers, Ronnie and the Pomona Casuals, The Sisters, Velvetones, and The V.I.P.’s.
