Posters have been part of the music, entertainment, and art scene since there have been commercially produced shows. In the 1890s in France, poster art became an exciting new art form with names like Mucha and Lautrec leading the way. In America, poster art was often more commercial and utilitarian. American posters used bright color and large fonts to attract the attention of people and promote shows.
The first boxing style posters were used to advertise boxing matches, hence the name. The posters showcased each boxer and included venue name, address, show dates and ticket cost. One or two hundred were printed and hung on telephone poles and local stores to advertise the event. Leftover posters were usually thrown away. The top boxing style printers in the 1950s and 1960s were Hatch Show Print in Nashville, Murray Poster Printing Company in New York, and Globe Posters in Baltimore. Other large cities had local printers that produced boxing style posters for local events.
Many rock and roll shows in the 1950s and 1960s used many of the same arenas and coliseums where boxing matches were held. It was natural for these venues to call Hatch, Murray, Globe, or a local print shop to have boxing style concert posters produced for an upcoming Biggest Show of Stars, Buddy Holly, Elvis Presley, Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, Led Zeppelin, Jimi Hendrix, The Doors, or Janis Joplin show. Many posters produced for these shows were colorful and attractive.

1958 Alan Freed Big Beat Akron Armory Boxing Style Concert Poster
Akron, Ohio
Paying $5,000 and up for 1950s Big Beat Concert Posters
Call 303-670-3212
Date: April 30, 1958
Printed on Heavy Cardboard
Size: 17" x 22"
Printer: Murray Poster Printing Company, NYC'
Alan Freed, a Cleveland based Disk Jockey at WJW radio, was a legendary concert promoter that brought the latest talent to the midwest with some excursions to the east coast. Freed is credited with coining the term rock ‘n roll. The tour advertised on this poster featured many great acts of the day including Buddy Holly, Chuck Berry, and Jerry Lee Lewis. Classic Posters will pay $5,000 and up for this or any other vintage 1950’s Buddy Holly or Alan Freed concert posters. Please call 303-670-3212.

1963 Little Stevie Wonder and Marvin Gaye Motortown Revue Toledo Sports Arena Concert Poster
Toledo, Ohio Paying $3,000 Cash For Biggest Show of Stars and Motortown Revue Concert Poster Call 303-670-3212
Date: November 5. 1963 Printed on Heavy Cardboard Size: 17" x 22" Printer: Globe Poster Company Baltimore, Maryland
This vintage 1963 Motortown Revue boxing style cardboard concert poster featuring Little Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, Martha and the Vandellas. This particular poster advertises a concert at the Sports Arena in Toledo, Ohio but similar posters appear with different venues. These posters are printed on thick board by Globe Poster Company of Baltimore, Maryland. The Motown Revue Tour featured many different acts, traveling city to city in a bus!! Classic Posters will pay $3,000 for any original Biggest Show Of Stars and/or Motortown Revue concert posters. Please call 303-670-3212

1958 Buddy Holly Greatest Teenage Recording Stars
Buffalo, New York Paying $5,000 and up For Buddy Holly Greatest Teenage Recording Stars concert posters Call 303-670-3212
Date: January 18, 1958 Printed on Heavy Cardboard Size: 22" x 28" Printer: Globe Poster Company, Baltimore, Maryland
This great boxing style poster features Buddy Holly And The Crickets, The Everly Brothers, and Eddie Cochran. The concert was held on January 19, 1958 at the Paramount Theater in Buffalo, New York. This was a short two week tour called the greatest teenage recording stars of 1958. The poster was printed by the Globe Poster Company of Baltimore, Maryland. Classic Posters will pay $5,000 or more for Buddy Holly Greatest Teenage Recording Stars concert posters. Please call 303-670-3212

1957 Topeka Kansas Biggest Show Of Stars Concert Poster Featuring Buddy Holly, Fats Domino, Eddie Cochran, Chuck Berry
Topeka, Kansas Paying $3,000 for Original 1950's and 60's Biggest Show Of Stars Concert Posters Call 303-670-3212
Date: November 5, 1957 Printed on Heavy Cardboard Size: 17" x 22"
The 1957 Biggest Show Of Stars concert poster features Buddy Holly and the Crickets, Fats Domino, Chuck Berry, Eddie Cochran and a host of other musical talents from the 1950s. These Biggest Show Of Stars Tours were divided up in summer, fall, winter and spring. The acts for each season would change depending who was on tour at the time. These posters were printed in two sizes-either 17″ x 22″ or 22″ x 28″. Buddy Holly played on both the Biggest Show Of Stars For 1957 and The Biggest Show Of Stars for 1958. The posters were printed on thick cardboard and were hung locally to advertise the upcoming concerts. The Biggest Show Of Stars Tours ran from 1957 through 1967. Classic Posters will pay $3,000 for any of the original 1950’s and 60’s Biggest Show Of Stars concert posters. Please call 303-670-3212

1957 Little Richard McElroys Ballroom Portland Oregon
Portland, Oregon
Paying $2,000 for 1957-1959 Little Richard Concert Posters
Call 303-670-3212
Date: June 6, 1957 Printed on Heavy Cardboard Size: 14" x 22" Printer: Tilghman Press Oakland, California
This is a boxing style concert poster featuring the great Little Richard at McElroys Ballroom in Portland, Oregon. The poster measures 14″ x 22″ and was printed by the Tilghman Press of Oakland, California. This particular poster layout was used for many Little Richard tours throughout the country in 1957. Classic Posters will pay $2,000 for any 1957-1959 original Little Richard 1954-59 concert poster. Please call 303-670-3212