what was the beginning of rock and roll

Full Answer

How did rock and roll start in America?

Rock and roll emerged as a defined musical style in the United States in the early to mid-1950s. It derived most directly from the rhythm and blues music of the 1940s , which itself developed from earlier blues, the beat-heavy jump blues, boogie woogie, up-tempo jazz and swing music.

Who were the pioneers of rock and roll?

Rock's muddiness as a genre is a function of its history. Rock and roll started out as an offshoot of jump blues; Black performers like Ruth Brown, Etta James and Little Richard sang uptempo, blues-based songs and ballads, generally backed by horns and piano.

How did rock and roll begin?

• The white 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, that broadcasts black music to ...
• The first rock and roll record, Ike Turner's Rocket 88, is released
• The first juke-box that plays 45 RPM records is introduced

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What is the birth of rock and roll?

Birth of Rock 'n Roll Rock 'n Roll came about in the early 1950's after WWII. This new Rock 'n roll music originated from the African American culture's rhythm and blues, but was taken over by white artists and gained the name Rock 'n Roll on a radio show from Disc Jockey Alan Freed.

Who was the first to start rock and roll?

Chuck Berry did in fact invent rock'n'roll. Of course similar musics would have sprung up without him. Elvis was Elvis before he'd ever heard of Chuck Berry. Charles' proto-soul vocals and Brown's everything-is-a-drum were innovations as profound as Berry's.

When was the beginning of rock and roll?

1950srock and roll, also called rock 'n' roll or rock & roll, style of popular music that originated in the United States in the mid-1950s and that evolved by the mid-1960s into the more encompassing international style known as rock music, though the latter also continued to be known as rock and roll.

Where did rock and roll first start?

Through a series of interesting personalities and promotions, rock 'n' roll was invented in Cleveland in the early 1950s. In the late 1940s, LEO MINTZ, the owner of Record Rendezvous, saw the decrease in sales of big band records.

How did rock and roll start in the 1950s?

Satan's Music Elvis Presley brought rock-and-roll music to the masses during the 1950s with hits such as "Love Me Tender" and "Heartbreak Hotel." Rock and roll sent shockwaves across America. A generation of young teenagers collectively rebelled against the music their parents loved.

Who made the first rock song?

"It's Too Soon to Know", written by Deborah Chessler and performed by The Orioles, was number one on the American rhythm and blues charts in November 1948 and is considered by some to be the first "rock and roll" song.

How did rock music start?

Rock's origins can be traced to the late 1940s, when the popular styles of the day, country music and blues, morphed into a new sound aided by electric guitars and a steady drumbeat.

Who is considered the father of rock and roll?

singer Chuck BerryRevolutionary blues singer Chuck Berry, often referred to as the "poet laureate" and "father" of rock 'n' roll, died Saturday, police in Missouri said. He was 90.

What are the roots of rock and roll?

The immediate roots of rock and roll lay in the rhythm and blues, then called "race music", in combination with either boogie-woogie and shouting gospel or with country music of the 1940s and 1950s. Particularly significant influences were jazz, blues, gospel, country, and folk.

What is the first rock n roll song?

And that's why we agree that Jackie Brenston's “Rocket 88” from 1951 should be considered the first rock and roll song.

Why is rock called rock?

Rock is derived from the Old English roccain, related to the Old Nordic rykkja meaning, “to pull, tear, move.” The earliest recorded use of the term in literature can be found in the lullaby “Rock-a-bye Baby” from 1805.

Why is it called rock n Roll?

The story: The term rock 'n' roll derives from the more literal "rocking and rolling", a phrase used by 17th-century sailors to describe the motion of a ship on the sea. Any phrase that is used to suggest rhythmic movement of this sort - particularly by lonely seamen - runs the risk of being purloined as an euphemism.

When did rock get popular?

Originating in the United States in the 1950s, it spread to other English-speaking countries and across Europe in the '60s, and by the '90s its impact was obvious globally (if in many different local guises).

Who is considered the father of rock and roll?

singer Chuck BerryRevolutionary blues singer Chuck Berry, often referred to as the "poet laureate" and "father" of rock 'n' roll, died Saturday, police in Missouri said. He was 90.

Who coined the term rock n roll in 1951?

promoter Alan FreedPerhaps best known for coining the phrase "rock 'n' roll," deejay/show promoter Alan Freed played an important role in the development an aesthetic for the newly emerging genre. For example, he steadfastly refused to play cover versions of rhythm and blues originals on his radio programs in the 1950s.

When did rock become popular?

rock, also called rock and roll, rock & roll, or rock 'n' roll, form of popular music that emerged in the 1950s. It is certainly arguable that by the end of the 20th century rock was the world's dominant form of popular music.

Why was rock and roll controversial in the 1950s?

One of the moral panics associated with the first wave of rock 'n' roll was the fear of race mixing – that young black and white kids would get together over this music that had a rhythmic, primitive, sensuous beat.

Who is considered the father of rock and roll?

Chuck Berry is considered the father of Rock and Roll. He is considered by many historians to have been the first artist to put the Rock and Roll...

How did rock and roll originate?

Rock and Roll originated in the early 1950s as mixture of rhythm and blues with country. Popular disk jockeys using the airways to spread Rock and...

Did anyone invent rock and roll?

There is not one person or band that has been credited with inventing Rock and Roll. There were many artists and bands that led to the unique soun...

Who are some of the major rock bands of today?

Some of the most popular Rock and Roll bands today are: Aerosmith, AC/DC, Guns N' Roses, Deep Purple, Kiss, and Led Zeppelin.

What bands influenced rock and roll?

Bands and artists that influenced Rock and Roll were Elvis Presley, Fats Domino, Little Richard, Chuck Berry, The Beatles, and The Rolling Stones.

When did rock and roll start?

Rock and roll, also called rock ’n’ roll or rock & roll, style of popular music that originated in the United States in the mid-1950s and that evolved by the mid-1960s into the more encompassing international style known as rock music, though the latter also continued to be known as rock and roll.

What was the golden era of Rock and Roll?

Rock and roll’s golden era had ended, and the music entered a transitional phase characterized by a more sophisticated approach: the orchestrated wall of sound erected by Phil Spector, the “hit factory” singles churned out by Motown records, and the harmony-rich surf fantasies of the Beach Boys.

What was the music industry's response to Little Richard?

The music industry’s response was to sanitize the product: it had clean-cut, nonthreatening artists such as Pat Boone record tame versions of Little Richard songs, and it manufactured a legion of pretty- boy crooners such as Frankie Avalon and Fabian who thrived on and who would essentially serve as the Perry Comos and Bing Crosby s for a new generation of listeners. By the end of the 1950s, Presley had been inducted into the army, Holly had died in a plane crash, and Little Richard had converted to gospel. Rock and roll’s golden era had ended, and the music entered a transitional phase characterized by a more sophisticated approach: the orchestrated wall of sound erected by Phil Spector, the “hit factory” singles churned out by Motown records, and the harmony-rich surf fantasies of the Beach Boys. By the mid-1960s this sophistication allowed the music greater freedom than ever before, and it fragmented into numerous styles that became known simply as rock.

What is rock and roll music?

Rock and roll has been described as a merger of country music and rhythm and blues, but, if it were that simple, it would have existed long before it burst into the national consciousness. The seeds of the music had been in place for decades, but they flowered in the mid-1950s when nourished by a volatile mix of Black culture and white spending power. Black vocal groups such as the Dominoes and the Spaniels began combining gospel-style harmonies and call-and-response singing with earthy subject matter and more aggressive rhythm-and-blues rhythms. Heralding this new sound were disc jockeys such as Alan Freed of Cleveland, Ohio, Dewey Phillips of Memphis, Tennessee, and William (“Hoss”) Allen of WLAC in Nashville, Tennessee—who created rock-and-roll radio by playing hard-driving rhythm-and-blues and raunchy blues records that introduced white suburban teenagers to a culture that sounded more exotic, thrilling, and illicit than anything they had ever known. In 1954 that sound coalesced around an image: that of a handsome white singer, Elvis Presley, who sounded like a Black man.

What did Elvis sound like in 1954?

In 1954 that sound coalesced around an image: that of a handsome white singer, Elvis Presley, who sounded like a Black man. Presley’s nondenominational taste in music incorporated everything from hillbilly rave-ups and blues wails to pop-crooner ballads.

Where did rock and roll originate?

There is general agreement that it arose in the Southern United States – a region that would produce most of the major early rock and roll acts – through the meeting of various influences that embodied a merging of the African musical tradition with European instrumentation. The migration of many former slaves and their descendants to major urban centers such as St. Louis, Memphis, New York City, Detroit, Chicago, Cleveland, and Buffalo meant that black and white residents were living in close proximity in larger numbers than ever before, and as a result heard each other's music and even began to emulate each other's fashions. Radio stations that made white and black forms of music available to both groups, the development and spread of the gramophone record, and African-American musical styles such as jazz and swing which were taken up by white musicians, aided this process of "cultural collision".

When did rock and roll get its name?

While rock and roll's formative elements can be heard in blues records from the 1920s and in country records of the 1930s, the genre did not acquire its name until 1954. According to journalist Greg Kot, "rock and roll" refers to a style of popular music originating in the United States in the 1950s.

What is rock n roll swing?

Freed did not acknowledge the suggestion about that source in interviews, and explained the term as follows: "Rock ’n roll is really swing with a modern name. It began on the levees and plantations, took in folk songs, and features blues and rhythm".

What is the meaning of the sign "Rock and Roll"?

Terminology. Sign commemorating the role of Alan Freed and Cleveland, Ohio, in the origins of rock and roll. The term "rock and roll" is defined by Greg Kot in Encyclopædia Britannica as the music that originated in the mid-1950s and later developed "into the more encompassing international style known as rock music ".

What instrument was used in the early rock and roll?

In the earliest rock and roll styles, either the piano or saxophone was typically the lead instrument. These instruments were generally replaced or supplemented by guitar in the middle to late 1950s. The beat is essentially a dance rhythm with an accentuated backbeat, almost always provided by a snare drum. Classic rock and roll is usually played with one or two electric guitars (one lead, one rhythm) and a double bass (string bass). After the mid-1950s, electric bass guitars and drum kits became popular in classic rock.

How did rock and roll influence the Civil Rights Movement?

Rock and roll influenced lifestyles, fashion, attitudes, and language. In addition, rock and roll may have contributed to the civil rights movement because both African-American and white American teens enjoyed the music. Many early rock and roll songs dealt with issues of cars, school, dating, and clothing.

What is the genre of rock and roll?

Rock and roll. This article is about the 1950s style of music. For the general rock music genre, see Rock music. For other uses, see Rock and roll (disambiguation). Rock and roll (often written as rock & roll, rock 'n' roll, or rock 'n roll) is a genre of popular music that evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s.

When did rock and roll start?

Rock and Roll originated in the early 1950s as mixture of rhythm and blues with country. Popular disk jockeys using the airways to spread Rock and Roll was vital to its popularity.

Where did rock and roll originate?

Other genres such as jazz and electric blues played a pivotal role in the emergence of Rock and Roll music. Where did Rock and Roll originate? The first radio station to play Rock and Roll was in Cleveland, Ohio, shortly followed by Memphis and Nashville, Tennessee. The first "Rock" concert was the Moondog Coronation Ball at the Cleveland, Ohio arena in March of 1952.

Who Created Rock and Roll?

The Rock and Roll definition can be described as a type of popular dance music that originated in the 1950s. Rock and Roll is characterized by a heavy beat and uncomplicated melodies. It first emerged as a fusion of rhythm and blues with country music. Common instruments used for Rock and Roll are the guitar, bass, and drums.

How has rock and roll changed?

There are many different movements throughout Rock and Roll history. Rock and Roll music changed with world events and as taste in music shifted over time. With numerous changes and constant expansion of Rock and Roll throughout its history, no one person or band can be accredited as the most important or the most influential. Rock and Roll has drastically changed over the decades and with each decade, new artists and bands have been particularly influential. Countless lasting and notoriously famous individuals and bands have helped keep Rock and Roll in the center of the music world.

What was the sound of the Beatles in 1960?

Their sound was fresh, exotic, and foreign, and their appearance consisted of long shaggy hair. This threw the youth of America into a tailspin. The leaders of the British Invasion were, without any dispute, The Beatles. The Beatles first appeared on the American charts with their hit, "Please Please Me.' In 1964 their next huge hit, "I Wanna Hold Your Hand,' caused Beatlemania to sweep the nation. Other Rock and Roll bands of the British Invasion were:

What is blues rock?

Blues Rock is a genre of music that combines blues with rock. Blues Rock got its beginnings in the mid-1960s and continues to evolve and remain popular in modern times. Popular bands of the Blues Rock genre are:

How long has Aerosmith been popular?

Aerosmith is a Rock and Roll band that has maintained global popularity for over fifty years.

What are the origins of rock and roll?

The origins of rock & roll, as told through pioneers in gospel, blues, R&B, country, folk and bluegrass. The Early Influence inductees contributed more to rock than musical influence—they were also the first to make myths of themselves, to become larger than life. Robert Johnson is at the heart of more than one rock and roll legend.

Who was the first rock star?

Talented, mysterious, tragic—Robert Johnson may be the first ever rock star. This exhibit is divided into individual cases, each devoted to one of rock and roll’s roots: Gospel, Blues, Country/Folk/Bluegrass and R&B. Each section includes a variety of artifacts and brief bios of the key artists.

What is rock and roll music?

Rock and roll is usually explained as rhythm-and-blues music —that is, music performed by black artists for black listeners—repurposed by mostly white artists for a mostly white audience. How do we know this? Because that’s the way the industry trade magazine Billboard represented it.

Who are the famous people who played rock and roll?

To this way of thinking, rock and roll—the music associated with performers like Chuck Berry, Little Richard, Buddy Holly, and the early Beatles —is music that anyone can play (or can imagine playing) and everyone can dance to.

What was Phillips' impact on the music industry?

In twenty-first-century terms, Phillips was an industry disrupter. He had a regional business, little access to capital, and no reliable distribution system for his product. He recorded a style of music that the major record companies—there were six of them when he started out, and they dominated the national market—had deemed unprofitable. But he helped identify an audience, and that audience transformed the industry and the nature of popular music.

What was the rise of radio in the 1950s?

Before the nineteen-forties, radio was dominated by national broadcast networks like CBS, NBC, and Mutual. As a consequence of an F.C.C. policy designed to break up this oligopoly, the licensing of local stations increased from around eight hundred in 1940 to more than two thousand in 1949. By 1950, the radio stations most people were listening to were local. And everyone listened. Ninety-six per cent of homes in the United States had a radio.

How did Billboard know when a song was a rhythm and blues hit, and not a pop hit?

How did Billboard know when a song was a rhythm-and-blues hit, and not a pop hit? Because its sales were reported by stores that catered to an African-American clientele, its on-air plays were reported by radio stations that programmed for African-American listeners, and its jukebox requests were made in venues with African-American customers. Black artists could have pop hits. The Ink Spots, a black quartet, had fourteen songs in the Top Five on the pop chart between 1939 and 1947. That was because their songs were marketed to whites.

How many instruments are there in rock and roll?

The instrumentation and the arrangements are usually simple: three or four instruments and, frequently, about the same number of chords. You can add horns and strings and backup singers, and you can add a lot more chords, but the important thing is the feeling. Rock and roll feels uninhibited, spontaneous, and fun.

Where did Phillips get his start?

His father was a flagman on a railroad bridge over the Tennessee River. Phillips got his start in radio, working in Decatur and Nashville, and, finally, in 1945, making it to Memphis, his version of what Paris was for Ernest Hemingway and Gertrude Stein.

Who invented rock and roll?

There are also those that think Alan Freed ‘invented’ rock ‘n’ roll. There’s no question that Freed was a key player in the development of the music. On 11 July 1951, Freed started broadcasting on Cleveland’s WJW, calling his show The Moondog House.

Who recorded the first rock and roll record?

The first rock’n’roll record was ‘Rocket 88’, recorded by Jackie Brenston And His Delta Cats at Sam Phillips’ Sun Studios in Memphis, Tennessee. Jackie Brenston and co were, however, Ike Turner And His Kings Of Rhythm, and rock’n’roll was little more than a euphemism among the African-American population in early 20th – century America.

Who recorded Around the Clock Parts One and Two?

In July 1945, along with a band put together by Johnny O tis, Wynonie recorded ‘Around the Clock parts one and two’; compare their lyrics with Tampa’s…

Who was the first person to use the word "rock" in a song?

Four years after Trixie was rockin’ and rollin’ a man got around to it too; Blind Blake, whose Christian name may or may not have been Arthur, was the first to use the word ‘rock’ in a song. His earliest record for the Paramount label in August 1926 had ‘West Coast Blues’ on one side of it. It opens with the lines….

Who invented the phrase "My man rocks me with one steady roll"?

Nor is it true that Alan Freed, the Cleveland DJ invented the term… but more of that later. “My man rocks me with one steady roll.”. – Trixie Smith, 1922. Nearly 90 years ago in September 1922 in New York City 27 year old Trixie Smith along with the Jazz Masters went into the studio to cut a couple of sides.

Who was the first lady of rock and roll?

In 1939, Western Swing star Buddy Jones released ‘Rockin’ Rollin’ Mama’. Two years earlier Teddy Grace recorded ‘Rock it For Me’, a couple of months later Chick Webb’s Orchestra with their singer Ella Fitzgerald did it too, like others they used the term in their own way, “So won’t you satisfy my soul with the rock and roll” Even Hollywood got in on the act when Betty Grable’s film, Wabash Avenue was promoted by calling her, ‘The First lady of rock and roll’. The point of it all? It was very much in the zeitgeist; it just needed Freed to bring it altogether.

Did we roll a long time?

Yes we were rolling, yes we rolled a long time. Musically there was little rock ‘n’ roll about ‘Around The Clock’ but come 1957 and the great Chuck Berry recorded ‘Reelin’ and Rockin’. As we all know he, “looked at his watch and it was 9.21”. The fact is that what had gone before all led to that moment.

Who were the first R&B artists to make rock and roll?

Among them were Muddy Waters, Willie Mae Thornton, Joe Turner and Ray Charles.

When did rock music start?

It is hard to believe, but there was once a time when there was no rock music. Most historians trace the beginning rock back to the year 1954, when a new type of music, then called Rock and Roll, appeared and revolutionized musical tastes, at least among young people, and pretty much changed the world.

How did Rhythm and Blues develop?

Rhythm and Blues developed from the music called the Blues . The Blues, to review what you have already learned in the Jazz unit, "grew out of African spirituals and work songs sung by African-Americans in the South. Many of these people had been brought to the United States as slaves, and before the Civil war they labored in difficult situations on the Southern plantations. 'Call and response' was often used as a means of communication by the workers in the fields, who fooled the plantation owners into thinking that their music was the 'happy' music of hard working slaves."

What music did the black teens play on the radio?

It turned out that the music being played on the "black" radio stations in those cities was Rhythm and Blues (R&B).

What two musical styles were created by the convergence of the music industry?

This new music, of course did not develop in a vacuum, but resulted from the convergence of two musical styles, Rhythm and Blues and Country , as well as a series of technological developments that created a new market for music.

What was the music industry like in the 1940s?

While music was developing, technology was also changing. In the late 1940's and early 1950's, phonograph records were large and heavy and easily damaged. These records played at 78 rpm's (78 revolutions per minute) and were played on rather awkward record players that were usually part of a large piece of furniture (console), which often was located in the living room. Stereo had not yet been invented. In many homes, the entire family would sit around the living room listening to bands like Glen Miller, Tommy Dorsey and Benny Goodman, and soloists like Frank Sinatra, Patti Paige, Doris Day, and Eddie Fisher. Record companies marketed music to adults and radio stations played music that would appeal to the entire family.

Why did radio stations program their music?

Radio stations began to program their music to fit the demographics of a new audience. The audience, which until the early 1950's was a pretty homogeneous audience, now was divided into segments with different interests and people listened to music in a number of places, including their cars. This all meant that some radio stations played music for adults and some stations played music for the teens.

Who is the rock and roll wrestler?

The Rock 'n' Roll Express is a professional wrestling tag team consisting of professional wrestlers Robert Gibson and Ricky Morton. The duo began teaming together in Memphis in the early 1980s, followed by Universal Wrestling Federation (known as Mid-South wrestling at the time), followed by a stint with Jim Crockett Promotions (JCP).

When was the Rock n Roll Express inducted into the Hall of Fame?

On February 6, 2017, the WWE announced it would be honoring the Rock 'n' Roll Express by inducting the team into the WWE Hall of Fame at the 2017 WWE Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on March 31, 2017. On March 20, WWE officially announced that the team will be inducted by Jim Cornette.

When did the Rock n Roll Express return to the WCW?

AWA and return to the NWA/WCW (1988-1992) In 1988, The Rock 'n' Roll Express went to Memphis and the AWA. They had a brief feud with The Midnight Rockers in the Continental Wrestling Association (CWA), over the AWA World Tag Team Championship.

Who won the 1988 Rock n Roll Express?

As 1988 began, they entered into a brief feud with the Sheepherders. On January 23, 1988 in Cincinnati, Ivan Koloff & the Warlord defeated The Rock 'n' Roll Express in twelve seconds, with Morton and Gibson leaving the company after the match.

Who did Morton and Gibson beat in the 1987 Rock n Roll match?

Morton and Gibson defeated Bobby Eaton and Stan Lane eight minutes into the match.

Who did the Rock n Roll Express beat in 1986?

They eventually would fake injuries to get days off. In November 1986 at Starrcade, The Rock 'n' Roll Express defeated Ole Anderson and Arn Anderson in a Steel Cage match to retain the NWA World Tag Team Championship.

Who is the rock and roll team?

The Rock 'n' Roll Express. The Rock 'n' Roll Express is a professional wrestling tag team consisting of professional wrestlers Robert Gibson and Ricky Morton. The duo began teaming together in Memphis in the early 1980s, followed by Universal Wrestling Federation (known as Mid-South wrestling at the time), followed by a stint with Jim Crockett ...

Overview

Rock and roll (often written as rock & roll, rock 'n' roll, or rock 'n roll) is a genre of popular music that evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s. It originated from African-American music such as jazz, rhythm and blues, boogie woogie, gospel, as well as country music. While rock and roll's formative elements can be heard in blues records from the 1920s and in country records of the 1930s, the genre did not acquire its name until 1954.

Terminology

Early rock and roll

Decline

British rock and roll

Cultural influence

Sources

External links