Ready to take a walk down memory lane? Who better to do it with than three groups that have recorded some of the greatest recorded music in history.

On Saturday, May 16, local residents will get the chance to see three of these all-star singing groups sing those hits as Cornell Gunter’s Coasters, the Marvelettes and the Platters take the stage as part of the Sampson CenterStage Performing Arts Series at the Agri-Expo Center in Clinton — it will be the final show of the 2008-09 season.

Cornell Gunter’s Coasters

Cornell Gunter was a member of the legendary group The Coasters from 1958 to 1961 along with Carl Gardner, Billy Guy and Will “Dub” Jones who ranked as one of the most popular groups in America and was the first vocal group to be inducted into the Rock N’ Roll Hall of Fame with a string of hits such as “Charlie Brown”, “Searchin’”, “Youngblood”, “Yakety Yak”, “Little Egypt” just to name a few.

In 1962 Gunter departed the Coasters and in 1963 formed his own group,

Cornell Gunter’s Coasters until his untimely death in 1990.

Upon Cornell’s death, Charlie D (Charlie Duncan), who in 1963 joined Cornell and shortly after became one of his Coasters and sang with him for many years, vowed to carry on the tradition of excellence he shared with Gunter and subsequently won the right to continue to use the name Cornell Gunter’s Coasters Inc. in a federal court in 1993 — the group has performed non-stop since.

Along with Charlie D, the 2009 incarnation of the Original Cornell Gunters Coasters features Lionel Pope (Z-Man), who has been described as one of the best front men in the business, and Eddie Tarver (Eddie-T), who has the ability to sing any note from first tenor to bass, have toured extensively, including recent standout shows in Las Vegas.

The Platters

The Platters’ 1955 recording “Only You” brought instant stardom to a group that was to become the trademark romantic sound of a decade. With record sales topping 80 million, The Platters’ 16 gold records continue to be heard on radio stations across the country. Their international careers have taken them to 75 countries, and they have played for heads of state at home and abroad.

The group was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1990 and into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in its inaugural year of 1998. The Platters were the first rock and roll group to have a Top Ten album in America. They were also the only act to have three songs included on the “American Graffiti” soundtrack which sparked an “oldies revival” in the early to mid-1970s: “Smoke Gets in Your Eyes”, “The Great Pretender” and “Only You (and You Alone)”.

Fans can expect to hear all the hits in Clinton on Saturday, from “Twilight Time” to “Harbor Lights,” from “I’ll Never Smile Again” to “Smoke Gets In Your Eyes,” the Platters are sure to bring back those great memories of yesteryear.

Little known facts: the hit song, “The Great Pretender” was written in the washroom of the Flamingo Hotel in Las Vegas by music entrepreneur and songwriter Buck Ram.

The smash hit, “Only You (And You Alone)”, was originally written by Ram for the Ink Spots and was deemed unreleasable by the band’s original label Federal Records.

The Marvelettes

The Marvelettes have the distinct pleasure of being Motown’s first successful female vocal group. The group is most notable for recording the company’s first U.S. No. 1 pop hit, “Please Mr. Postman” and also for setting the precedent for later Motown girl groups such as Martha and the Vandellas and The Supremes.

During their eight-year run on the Billboard charts, the group scored 19 top 40 American R&B singles and 10 top 40 American pop singles. Of these hits, three were top 10 pop singles; nine were top ten R & B singles, and one was number one on both charts.

In addition to “Please Mr. Postman”, the Marvelettes also recorded some of the most memorable classic tunes in music history, such as 1962’s “Beechwood 4-5789"; 1964’s “Too Many Fish in the Sea"; 1966’s “Don’t Mess With Bill"; and 1968’s “Destination: Anywhere”, which was given a rightful tribute in the 1991 film and soundtrack, “The Commitments”.

Tickets for the show are still available, says Ray Jordan, executive director for the Sampson County Agri-Exposition Center.

For tickets, click on to www.sampsoncenterstage.com, visit the box office or call 910-592-7200 for more information.

To reach Doug Clark call 910-592-8137 ext. 139 or send e-mail to sisports@myclintonnc.com.