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SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - They say the music died in 1959. Buddy Holly, the Big Bopper and Ritchie Valens perished in a plane crash early that year.

Rock 'n' roll was already reeling, however. In 1958, Jerry Lee Lewis was blacklisted for marrying his 13-year-old cousin and the U.S. army drafted Elvis Presley. In 1957 Little Richard renounced rock n' roll to better serve God.

Rick and the Relics are, from left, vocalists Connie Hinchey, Karen Rawson and Kelley Merilees-Keppel, front man Rick Poltaruk, sax player Howard McKay and Gary Tees on bass. Not pictured are drummer Shawn McLennan, horn player Mike Hiltchey and vocalist Norma Giovanetto. - photo courtesy of Rick Poltaruk

But the influential musical genre lives on in the age of iPods and electronica.

Rick and the Relics are keeping vintage rock 'n' roll alive with an homage to rock's formative years next week at the Top Knight.

Polar Bear Grease features an evening of musical, comical dinner theatre that touches on some of the greatest doo-wop hits of the era.

"It goes back to a time when radio was king and rock was born," said Rick Poltaruk, front man for the 'Relics. "It was the music that made the world go 'round. It defined a generation and generations to come."

Poltaruk is joined by Gary Tees on bass, Howard McKay on sax, Shawn McLennan on drums, Mike Hiltchey on horn and vocalists Karen Rawson, Norma Giovanetto, Connie Hinchey and Kelley Merilees-Keppel.

"I love the simplicity of the music and how genuine it is," Keppel said. "It was more of a big band sound and it wasn't all techno. It was back to basics."

The Relics welcome special guest vocalist Brenda Lowen and DJ Jay Bear on stage, as well.

"It's so much fun to get together with this incredibly talented group of people," Keppel said.

The Relics hosted a tribute to the music of the 1960s late last year, during which they presented a repertoire of folk revival

classics. Next week's show will range from The Everly Brothers, The Crew Cuts and Elvis Presley to girl groups like The Raelettes and The Angels.

The shows run on April 17 and 18 and again on April 24 and 25. Dinner is served at 6:30 p.m. and the beats begin at 8 p.m.

Tickets are available at Sutherland Drugs and Birchwood Gallery.