Music

Rock and Roll -

The birth of rock music

Rock-and-Roll (rok 'en rol') n.

By definition it is a form of popular music with a strong beat and simple lyrics. This phrase was first so used in 1951 by Alan Freed. He took the phrase from the song "My Baby Rocks Me with a Steady Roll". The use of rock, roll, rock and roll gave him the idea for the phrase. This form of popular music evolved in the 1950's from rhythm and blues, characterized by the use of electric guitars, a strong rhythm with an accent on the offbeat, and youth-oriented lyrics.

Rock and roll like all genres has many definitions and fans. Rock and Roll generally refers to rock music recorded around the 1950's. Rock music much was limited to jukeboxes and clubs. At that time censors were fooled allowing some songs to be played on the radio. This lead to their huge success.

In 1951 disc jockey Alan Freed of Cleveland Ohio begin playing rock and roll for his audience and it soon became a national phenomenon. Eventually it would take over the world.

Rock and Roll usually combines a vocalist, drums played with a strong beat and features electric guitars and possibly saxophone. Blues records of the 1920's were the inspiration for much of the early rock and roll sound. Early artists combined blues, boogie woogie, rhythm and blues (r&b), jazz, and gospel music to form a new genre that would become what we know today as rock-n-roll.

Music historian Peter Guralnick feels that the first rock and roll artist was Jackie Brenston and his Delta Cats. They recorded Rocket 88 for Sun Records in 1951. The first to achieve success with mostly teenager was Chuck Berry's with Maybellene. Soon after was Rock Around the Clock by Bill Haley and the Comets became a huge success.

In 1954 the "separate but equal" rule of law was overturned. This allowed all races to co-exist together. This laid the foundation for a genre of music which would combine musical genres into one of the most controversial music styles ever. A style which had parents in the 50' cringing in fear, rock and roll.

Early rock and roll bands that had been labeled as "black music" by critics was still considered to controversial. This cause controversy and protests from conservatives. From the beginning rock-n-roll was attacked for being too sexual. This fueled the interest in the style for teenagers all over the USA.

March 21, 1952 in Cleveland Ohio Alan Freed orchestrated the first rock and roll concert. The audience and the performers were racially mixed and after one song thousands of fans broke into the sold out venue causing the show to be shut down but the die was cast for rock to become the driving force in music.

In 1954 Elvis Presley would come into Sun Records with a request to record a record for his mother. Stunned by his sheer raw talent owner Sam Phillips asked Elvis to record with professional musicians. Elvis' first record released for Phillips' Sun Records was called That's All Right Mama. It became a huge hit and propelled Elvis into history as the first true rock and roll star. Rock and roll inspired more genres than any other style of music to date.

Time Line of Music in the 1950's

1951

The Cleveland disc jockey Alan Freed decides to speculate on the success of Leo
Mintz's store and starts a radio program, Moondog Rock'n'Roll Party
The first rock and roll record, Ike Turner's Rocket 88, is released
The first juke-box that plays 45 RPM records is introduced
Howling Wolf and Joe Turner popularize the "shouters"
Gunter Lee Carr cuts the dance novelty "We're Gonna Rock "
Top songs of 1951; Because of You, Be My Love, Jezebel, Mockin' Bird

1952

Bill Haley Saddlemen become the Comets
Bob Horn's Bandstand TV program airs from Philadelphia every weekday
The Cleveland disc jockey Alan Freed (aka Moondog) organizes the first rock and roll concert.
Les Paul invents the first solid-body electric guitar, named the 'Les Paul', for the Gibson Guitar Company
Sam Phillips founds Sun Records and declares "If I could find a white man who sings with the negro feel, I will make a million dollars."
Charles Brown's "Hard Times" is the first hit by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller to enter the charts
Little Richard's first records released
Top Songs of 1952; Wheel of Fortune, The Little White Cloud That Cried, I Saw Mommy Kissin' Santa Claus

1953

Bill Haley's "Crazy Man Crazy" is the first rock and roll song to enter the Billboard charts
The Orioles' "Crying in the Chapel" is the first black hit to top the white pop charts
The Stratocaster Guitar is invented by Leo Fender
Sam Phillips records the first Elvis Presley record in his Sun studio of Memphis
Elvis Presley makes his first (private) recordings
Top songs of 1953; Rags to Riches, How Much is that Doggie in the Window, Your Cheatin' Heart

1954

Doo Wop hits the top of the charts
Bill Haley's "Rock Around the Clock" is used in a movie
The record companies switch from 78 RPMs to 45 RPMs
A Japanese company TTK (later becomes Sony) introduces the world's first transistor radio
Big Joe Turner recorded Shake, Rattle and Roll.
Top songs of 1954; Mr. Sandman, Oh, My Papa, That's Amore, Shake, Rattle and Roll

1955

Chuck Berry records his first rock and roll records. This is the first to have the guitar as the main instrument
The Chordettes and the Chantels are the first girl-groups
The Blackboard Jungle is released featuring Bill Haley and His Comets "(We're Gonna) Rock Around the Clock"
RCA signs Elvis Presley
The Everly Brothers make their first studio recordings
Alan Freed's Rock 'n' Roll Ball" draws huge
Carl Perkins records "Blue Suede Shoes"
Top songs of 1955; Rock Around the Clock, Maybellene, Sixteen Tons, I Hear You Knockin'

1956

Heartbreak Hotel starts Presley-mania
Elvis Presley's first film is released Love Me Tender
The rock 'n' roll music called "rockabilly" is born
Screaming Jay Hawkins' "I Put A Spell On You" hits the charts
Wanda Jackson is labeled "Queen of Rockabilly"
The popularity of rock and roll causes the record industry to boom. This allows small/independent record labels to grow
A recording session occurs at Sun Studios with Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, Elvis Presley and Johnny Cash
Buddy Holly had his first official recording session
Brenda Lee signs a recording contract at the age of 11
Gene Vincent made his first appearance on national TV by performing on The Perry Como Show
American Bandstand first aired on nationwide TV
Top songs of 1956; Heart Break Hotel, Don't Be Cruel, The Green Door, Blue Suede Shoes, Blueberry Hill, Be-Bop-A-Lula

1957

Chuck Berry releases "School Day" and "Rock and Roll Music"
Buddy Holly recorded, That�ll Be the Day, at a Norman Petty's New Mexico studio.
Billboard begins the Hot 100 singles chart
Buddy Holly and Sam Cooke made their first appearances on the same The Ed Sullivan show
Top song of 1957; Jail House Rock, Chances Are, Bye Bye Love, All Shook Up, That'll Be The Day, You Send Me

1958

Elvis is drafted into the Army
RCA introduces the first stereo long-playing records
David Seville's "The Witch Doctor" and the Tokens' "Tonite I Fell In Love" are the first 'pop' hits
Dion and The Belmonts had their first hit with I wonder Why
Buddy Holly makes his final records It Doesn�t Matter Any More Moondreams and Raining
The Dick Clark Show TV Show began
Top Songs of 1958; At The Hop, At's All in the Game, Get a Job, To Know Him is to Love Him, Great Balls of Fire

1959

The Drifters' "There Goes My Baby" introduces Latin rhythm to pop music
600 million records are sold
Buddy Holly dies at 22 in a plane crash
Top songs on 1959; Mack the Knife, Sleep Walk, Mr. Blue, Donna, My Happiness

First, the music became popular in small clubs and on the radio. Later, with the introduction of programs such as American Bandstand, teenagers could watch their favorite bands on television. Not everyone was excited about this music. Many parents didn't like the suggestive dancing, vulgar lyrics, and loud, fast beat. But as they say.........

ROCK-n-ROLL is here to stay.