Rock 'n' Roll

Rock Music - Rock music describes a group of related music styles that have dominated popular music in the Western Hemisphere since the 1950s. Rock music began in the United States but has been distinctly shaped by many other styles ranging from gospel to classical music. Rock 'n' roll became the first style of music to attempt to appeal directly to young people. It developed through mixing African American rhythm and blues with American country music.

Rock 'n' roll was truly made a world-wide obsession by Elvis Presley. Later, groups like the Beatles and the Rolling Stones added their own distinctive touches to rock 'n' roll. 

Soul also developed during this period through artists such as Aretha Franklin. She created a blend of R & B and gospel music to create the new style. In the late 1970s, a new version of rock 'n' roll, labelled 'punk rock' developed. During the next two decades, superstars emerged, like Michael Jackson and Madonna, who began filling huge stadiums for concerts.

The central and linking instrument of most kinds of rock music is the electric guitar.

Charlie Christian was the first person to perform using the amplified guitar as a solo instrument, but many musicians since him, such as Aaron Thibeaux Walker, Les Paul, Chuck Berry, Jimi Hendrix, and Carlos Santana have featured and experimented with the instrument.

Other instruments that are common in rock music are the electric bass guitar, various keyboard instruments (including the electric piano, organ, and synthesizer), and the drum set.

Rock music styles also share complex technical similarities. These styles are based on tonic, subdominant, and dominant chords and the twelve bar blues chord progression. Most rock music is performed at high volume levels, so it has also been closely tied to developments in electronic technology.

Origins in Barbershop sings. The long tradition of black harmony singing from Louis (before he could afford a cornet), to the Mills Brothers, and the Ink Spots, and then a sub movement of r & b and exposure by Alan Freed.

The Platters - from The Ink Spots - 'Only You', 'The Great Pretender', 'Smoke gets in Your Eyes'

The Penguins swiped by the Crew Cuts - 'Earth Angel'

Ricky Nelson - 'Hello Mary Lou'

Everly Brothers - 'Wake Up Little Suzie'

Ray Charles ( ) - 'I Got a Woman', 'What'd I Say', 'Hit the Road Jack'.

Fats Domino ( ) - 'Blueberry Hill', 'My Blue Heaven', 'Ain' that a Shame'.

Rock 'n' Roll

Alan Freed - white presentation, further softening but very different from the whipped sugar cream of the crooners! Probably more an off shoot of Country music than Rhythm & Blues, it took the Brits to get Rock 'n' Roll back to Rhythm & Blues. 

Bill Haley - 1954 a Country & Western singer changed his tune. The ODJB of the 50's! - 'Shake, Rattle and Roll', 'Rock Around the Clock'

Buddy Holly - 'That'll be the Day', 'Peggy Sue'

Chuck Berry - Muddy's protégé, blending white country with black blues, Chuck was raceless?? and the first black rocker, helped by Alan Freed, he developed the rock rhythm - 'Maybellene' 1955

Little Richard - 'Tutti Frutti 1955

Elvis Presley - 1956 from country roots records with Sam Phillips at Sun - 'Heartbreak Hotel'

Jerry lee Lewis - 'Great Balls of Fire' 1957

Carl Perkins - 'Blue Suede Shoes' 1957

Gene Vincent - 'Be-Bop-a-Lula'

Eddie Cochran - 'Summertime Blues'

Chubby Checker - 1960 a black boy from Philadelphia singing white - 'Twist and Shout'

Motown

The Supremes - 1962 White r & b sung and organised by blacks for dancing, tambourines on the drum beat - 'Baby Love'

Stevie Wonder

The British Invasion

The Beatles - 1963 Pop blues, ex Chuck Berry and Buddy Holly, (& The Everly Brothers??)
1967 'Sergeant Pepper', 1968 the beatles.

Memphis Soul

Memphis again but Stax (not Sun)

Otis Redding Aretha Franklin

WHITE BLUES US.

Bloomfield / Butterfield Janis Joplin

Folk

The Leadbetter, Seeger legacy. Exploited by the Skiffle crowd and above all ......

Bob Dylan - 1968 'John Wesley Harding', the folk song tradition, from Woody Guthrie and Pete Seeger.....
1963 'Blowin' in the Wind' 

California and the surf sound - the Beach Boys

Psychedelic rock and the hippie sound - Jefferson Airplane

Erudite to the point of serious music - Frank Zappa

Led Zeppelin - the heavy metal sound

The sex pistols - Punk rock

Dire Straits - the new wave …....

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