Page "Bill Haley & His Comets" Paragraph 19

The band's popularity in the United States began to wane in 1956 – 57 as sexier, wilder acts such as Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis and Little Richard began to dominate the record charts ( although Haley's cover version of Little Richard's " Rip It Up "-which was released in direct competition-actually outsold the original ).

After " Skinny Minnie " hit the charts in 1958, Haley found it difficult to score further successes in the United States, although a spin-off group made up of Comets musicians dubbed The Kingsmen ( no relation to the later group of " Louie, Louie " fame ) did score a hit with the instrumental, " Weekend " that same year.