Guitar Boogie Shuffle

Album

Single

Label

Hunt

Genre

Rock & Roll

Media Type

45

Duration

2:22

Composer(s)

Arthur Smith

Entered Chart

Mar 9, 1959

Peak Date

Apr 27, 1959

Released

Feb 1959

Recorded

Unknown

Catalog #

Hunt 324

B-Side

Guitar In Orbit

In the 1950s, rock and roll versions of "Guitar Boogie", usually titled "Guitar Boogie Shuffle" (but credited to Arthur Smith), were recorded. AllMusic critic Bruce Eder describes these renditions as having "new accents and a beat that took it out of country boogie and Western swing". in 1953, a version by the Super-Sonics was titled "New Guitar Boogie Shuffle" and another by the Esquire Boys with Danny Cedrone on guitar was titled "Guitar Boogie Shuffle". In 1958, a Philadelphia band, Frank Virtue and the Virtues, recorded it as "Guitar Boogie Shuffle". In 1959, the Virtues' single reached number five on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and number 27 on the Hot R&B Sides chart, which Eder calls "one of the most popular and influential instrumentals of its era". In Canada it reached number two. Also in 1959, a version of "Guitar Boogie Shuffle" by Bert Weedon backed with "Bert's Boogie" reached number ten in the UK charts. A version of "Guitar Boogie Shuffle" (simply titled "Guitar Boogie") by New Zealand musician Peter Posa became a bit hit in his native country in 1962. Ten years later, a rendition appeared on the Ventures' 1972 album, Rock & Roll Forever with Harvey Mandel guesting on lead guitar.

Instrumental