Nick Santiago and Cassidy Czerpak

“Rock 'n' Roll” seemed to spring up out of nowhere overnight. “When the mode of the music changes, the walls of the city shake" -Plato

Rock 'n' Roll started off down in the American south during the late 40's through the early 50's. It's basically a combination of rhythm blues, country, jazz and gospel. The earliest "rock" pioneers were black. This "black" music gradually started to catch on with white America.

Around 1946, Disc Jockeys started playing rhythm and blues in the south for their black listeners on the late night radio. The younger white kids slowly started to get drawn into this new kind of music.

Rock and Roll was a black slang term for sex. In 1951, the legendary Disc Jockey, Alan Freed, coined the term Rock 'n' Roll, when introducing the new rhythm and blues black music to a white audience. Long standing boundaries between music, race, and class began to buckle.

Fats Domino was one of the first really popular black rhythm and blues singers that really did well with all races, selling 30 million records in the 50’s alone. Fats’ was the easy first step into black music. He was definitely less intimidating than what was to be following him. His most famous songs were: I’m Walkin’ - 1957 Blueberry Hill - 1956 Goin’ Home - 1952

Little Richard is the perfect example of the early rock pioneers. He started off in playing obscure black venues, and eventually blew up the mainstream. He was an extreme extrovert for a taste for something different. He was very influenced by the gospel and singing during childhood church gatherings. He also drew his inspiration from Boogie Woogie (piano-based blues) and he added a country twang to it. White stations still wouldn’t play him for a long time though. His most famous songs were: Tutti Frutti – 1955 Lucille – 1957 Long Tall Sally – 1956

One of the most classic songs from the 50’s and one of the first “rock” songs, was Rocket 88’ by Ike Turner. The album is considered the first “rock and roll” record. Ike was discovered by Sam Phillips at Sun Records. Sun Records was recording all different kinds of obscure artists at the time. But, one day someone stumbled into Sun Records who had changed the course of Rock and Roll forever…

Everyone knows the name. He started off as a nobody, singing blues, influenced very much by the black culture he grew up with all around him. His first song ever played on the Radio was titled “That’s Alright Mama” on July 8th, 1954. At first, people had mixed feelings about him. But, then he started making appearances on TV doing his shaking and dancing, and the rest is history… ELVIS

Another extremely influential person who shaped Rock into what it is today, was the one of the first electric guitar gods, Chuck Berry. He inspired people from John Lennon, to the rock bands of today. “If you tried to give rock and roll another name, you might call it 'Chuck Berry.’” -John Lennon His most famous songs were: Johnny B. Goode – 1958 Maybellene – 1955 Roll Over Beethoven – 1957

Despite the backlash and hate from some of racist white America because of this “Devil Music”, the Rock ‘n’ Rollers stayed strong. Until, an extremely unfortunate series of events. 1957 - Little Richard turned to Religion, abandoning his rock career. 1958 - Presley was sent off into the army. 1958 -Jerry Lee Lewis (known for Great Balls of Fire) was blacklisted. 1959- Chuck Berry was arrested. 1959- The Day the Music Died; Buddy Holly, Ritchie Vallens, And The Big Bopper died in a horrible plane crash. Hope was lost for years for any true revival of Rock music, until the 60’s with…

But, that’s a whole other story. But, those in the 60’s and those of us today, are still influenced by what was accomplished in the 50’s. If it wasn’t for them… we wouldn’t have…

I think the significance and impact is pretty obvious…

fin

Bib: Esper, David. Rock'n Roll Renegades. 2009. PBS. Youtube.com. Web. 29 Jan 2012.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IzylKK8huQc Images: www.Google.com  Music: www.youtube.com