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.
