You've probably encountered those obsessive record collectors who lust after a rare pressing of a 1950s garage act, can recite the entire line-up of a one-hit wonder R&B band, and treasure a single by an unknown blues singer more than their first-born child. Now imagine if these collectors had coaxed those obscure musicians out of retirement and convinced them to step on stage just one more time. That, my friends, is what happens once a year at New Orleans' Ponderosa Stomp.

The two nights of the Stomp, April 26 and 27, celebrate the unsung creators of rock 'n' roll, R&B, rockabilly, blues, and swamp pop. The Stomp is held at the historic Rock 'n' Bowl in the week between the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. The performers, some who might ring a bell and other who will produce only a blank stare from even ardent music fans, will be tearing up the stage and digging up old history.

Tickets are $35 and sell out quickly. Hurry, it just might be too late for this year. The lineup for the fourth annual Ponderosa Stomp includes: The Bad Roads, Classie Ballou, Archie Bell, Eddie Bo, Blowfly, Lonnie Brooks as Guitar Junior, The Carter Brothers, Jay Chevalier, Joe Clay, Larry De Riuex, Deke Dickerson & the Eccofonics, Skip Easterling, Nokie Edwards (of the Ventures), Johnny Farina (of Santo & Johnny), H Bomb Ferguson, Henry Gray, Betty Harris, Dale Hawkins, Roy Head, Al Johnson, Johnny Jones, Little Freddy King, Eddie Kirkland, Lady Bo, Lazy Lester, Robert Jr. Lockwood, Matt Lucas, Barbara Lynn, Mando & the Chili Peppers, Nathaniel Mayer, Scotty Moore, Phil Phillips, Freddie Roulette, Lil' Buck Senegal & the Top Cats with Stanley "Buckwheat Zydeco" Dural on Hammond B3 organ, Ray Sharpe, Warren Storm, Willie Tee, Travis Wammack, Barrence Whitfield, Brenton Wood and Link Wray.