St. Louis MO’s ROCK & ROLL Beer "I Sold My Soul for ROCK & ROLL" XL t-shirt 1982

Description

Up for sale today is: Authentic Saint Louis memorabilia from 40 years ago:
Blueberry Hill, of
St. Louis, Missouri’s ROCK & ROLL Beer
"I Sold My Soul for ROCK & ROLL" XL t-shirt
Printed in 1982
Style: 2-Sided graphic tee
Size: Sneakers Brand
-
XL
Material: 50% Kodel® Polyester / 50% Cotton
Made in the USA
Armpit to armpit: 20½”
Collar to bottom of shirt: 26"
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Unused - Never Worn /Never Washed
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We recommend that you compare the measurements listed, to the dimensions of a shirt you like the fit of, to determine if ours is suitable for you. All measurements are taken with the garment, face down, flat on a table.
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Your item will be delivered in the condition shown—this is the one you’ll receive. Utilize our snapshots to make your determination of this vintage t-shirt’s fitness. We have protected this rare t-shirt with careful storage for almost 40 years.
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We ship every business day with USPS Priority Mail, with INSURANCE, including a delivery confirmation number which you will receive. Your order will be mailed within 3 business days of your payment. All Sales are Final - No Returns
- Contact us with any questions prior to purchase.
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Beer Cans & Label are
Not for Sale
About the Beer (and the t-shirt)
:
ROCK & ROLL BEER was developed, back in the early 1980s, for Blueberry Hill, by the Royal Brewing Company, New Orleans, LA. The company’s new mascot, Johnny Longshot, a cigarette-smoking, beer-drinking greaser, bellowing on the beer’s inaugural can, “I sold my soul for Rock & Roll”, created, and illustrated by Bill Christman.
During the span of fifteen months,
Rock & Roll Beer had grown from a house beer, in a trendy St. Louis Missouri tavern, to something approaching a cult brew, around the United States. At that time, even the large beer manufacturers knew it was around.
Joe Edwards, the founder of Rock & Roll Beer, chuckled when he related his account of the beer’s beginnings. But the then 36-year-old Edwards, didn’t want his beer to be another Billy Beer (which was popular, if only for a while, but soon became unwanted to all, but a few can collectors).
Back in those days,
Edwards said, 'My long-term job was to sell it as a good beer, rather than just a name,' admitting that Rock and Roll beer was not ready to take on Budweiser, Corona, Miller, Coors, and other industry titans.
Johnny Longshot was the name given to the character in Rock & Roll Beer’s logo. He wore a leatherjacket, sunglasses, and a motorcycle cap, over his slicked-back hair. A cigarette hung from his lip.
Rock & Roll Beer began, in late 1981, as the house beer at Blueberry Hill (the St. Louis Landmark Restaurant & Music Club), which Edwards opened in 1972. St. Louis media hype, about the new beer, showed the way, to a story on a national radio news service, and Edwards' phone began ringing. Callers wanted to know where they could get Rock & Roll Beer.
Bringing out a pint, named after his favorite kind of music, was a instinctive expansion of the bar's business, Edward believed. “When the requests for the beer started pouring in, I thought, 'Oh my gosh, I'd better not let this opportunity pass me by.’''
Meeting that challenge, Blueberry Hill not only produced Rock & Roll beer for a widening nationwide consumption but, back in 1982, for a limited time, in order to promote their unique brew, they began creating collectible Rock & Roll Beer souvenirs. This included beer mugs, glasses, coasters, lighters, matches, ashtrays, calendars, jackets, buttons, keychains, plaques, posters, yo-yos, thermometers and t-shirts.
It was here, that this limited edition tee, was acquired, in 1982.
Rock & Roll beer was produced by the Royal Brewing Co. of New Orleans, brewer of Dixie beer. Soon, the alcoholic beverage’s availability spread from Edwards’ bar to about forty St. Louis retailers and other spots in Missouri, Illinois, New York, and northern California, including San Francisco.
During this period though, the state of Texas snubbed the beer. The state's Alcoholic Beverage Commission opposed Johnny Longshot's scruffy appearance. In addition, it quoted a Texas law against 'false... indecent and immoral' advertising, as another excuse to keep Rock & Roll out of the state. Paradoxically, Rock & Roll Beer's cans were manufactured in the Lone Star state.
Edwards acknowledged that the Texas commission held that it was impossible to prove, if Longshot had really sold his soul for rock and roll. So, in 1983, Edwards redesigned the beer’s label, removed the “I sold my soul …” slogan, and changed Johnny Longshot’s look to have the character appear, a little more conventional.
This 1982 t-shirt, represents the original (albeit short-lived) Johnny Longshot mascot, along withthe brewery’s original motto.
Authentic Rock & Roll Beer Co., Brewed For Blueberry Hill - 6504 Delmar Street, St. Louis, Mo. 63130 USA