Big Blog #1: Rock and Roll

For my Big Blog #1, I will be choosing to research the music genre of Rock and Roll. No this is not the kind of rock and roll like heavy metal or 1990s but the kind from the 1950s. The term Rock and Roll was not fully developed until the 1950s.  The sound of early Rock and Roll is called "rockabilly" and is a mixture of country, swing jazz, rhythm, and blues. But even then, the genre did not just appear out of nowhere. The genre of Rock and Roll derives from many other genres of music. The main genre it derives from is Rhythm and Blues, which evolved from The Blues, the beat-heavy jump blues, boogie-woogie, up-tempo jazz, and swing music. But even with all of these genres that had more influence, there was also gospel, country and western, and traditional folk music that had influences too. Today, Rock and Roll has gone and created more subgenres like classic rock, indie rock, glam rock, alternative rock, punk rock, synth-pop, post-rock, progressive rock, ska, rap-rock, funk rock, and math rock.

The birthplace of Rock and Roll is in Memphis, Tennessee in a little studio called Sun Studio. Sun Studio opened its doors in 1950 and then a year later in 1951, Jackie Brenston and his Delta Cats recorded the first known Rock and Roll song called "Rocket 88."  In the same building at Sun Studio, Elvis recorded his first single "That's All Right" in 1954. Disk Jockeys such as Alan Freed in Cleveland Ohio, Dewey Phillips in Memphis Tennessee, and William 'Hoss' Allen in Nashville, Tennessee were the first to give Rock and Roll music airtime. This allowed people who listened to the radio to experience something new. The new music was more upbeat, exotic, and interesting to its new listeners.  

Some of the early Rock and Roll artists were Elvis Presley, Chuck Berry, Little Richard, Jerry Lee Lewis, Fats Domino, Buddy Holly, and Bill Haley and the Comets. The first number-one single of Rock and Roll was "Rock Around the Clock" by Bill Haley and the Comets. But today, the one name everyone knows is Elvis Presley. Elvis was given the nickname "King of Rock and Roll" because of many things. His presence and popularity made him the first rock star, the embodiment of an ideal others would chase for years to come. 

In the video above, it shows only a hair of what can be uncovered through early Rock and Roll because of Elvis Presley. His flamboyant clothes and personality drew so much attention and helped him with his fame. But before Elvis was what we know today, he grew up with very little. His parents, Vernon and Gladys, did everything they could to support Elvis as he grew. At ten years old, Elvis participated in a talent show where he sang "Old Shep." He placed 5th and received $5.00 in fair ride tickets. This was one of the first public musical references to Elvis as a child. In 1946, Gladys could not afford to get Elvis a bike, so she bought him a guitar from Tupelo Hardware Company. This would be Elvis' first guitar. And two years later, Elvis and his family packed up and moved to Memphis in hopes for a better life. Elvis graduated from L.C. Humes High School in Memphis in 1953. For his Mom's birthday later that year, he went to The Memphis Recording Service and into Sun Studio to make copies of him singing  "My Happiness" and "That’s When Your Heartaches Begin." It cost him about $4.00 and while he was there, the assistant of the man helping Elvis wrote down that Elvis was a "Good ballad singer." After a couple years of doing more recordings of songs and doing different shows, he signed his first contract with RCA Records. Elvis' exclusive manager, Colonel Tom Parker, made negotiations to sell his songs from Sun to RCA. This included five singles that were already done and a few other early works that had not been released. The total was an unprecedented $35,000 with a $5,000 bonus that would go to Elvis. Elvis' career took off from there making hits like "Heartbreak Hotel" and other top billboard songs at the time. Elvis performed in 31 different films too. "The year of 1956 has seen the beginning of Elvis souvenir merchandising, the beginning of a successful movie career, huge record sales (five number one singles on the pop chart, two number one albums on the pop chart, and other hits), history-making television appearances, record-breaking personal appearances and more. Elvis has become the primary symbol of the new youth culture in America. He has also become one of society’s most controversial figures. His unique blending of white country and gospel music, black R&B and gospel, white pop music, his particular brand of charisma and talent, and the resulting success and controversy, have helped him greatly to begin, without premeditation, a cycle of change in music and pop culture and the mores of American society. Nothing will ever be the same for Elvis Presley or for the world."

Above is one of his #1 hits, "Heartbreak Hotel."

One other artist that was a part of the Rock and Roll industry was Chuck Berry. Berry was born in 1926 in St. Louis, Missouri. He was given the nickname the "Father of Rock and Roll." Berry had an interest in music since he was a young boy. While he was still in high school, he was convicted of a robbery and where he spent three years in jail. After he was released, he got married and worked in an assembly line. By the late 1950s, his career was doing well. "Berry was an established star, with several hit records and film appearances and a lucrative touring career. " By the end of his career, he had 25 charting singles and 4 charting B-sides, as well as 5 charting albums. One song that almost everyone listens to each year is "Run Rudolph Run" which is one of Chuck Berry's songs. 

 

Citations

Retrieved March 30, 2023, from https://study.com/learn/lesson/rock-roll-history-artists-origins.html 

Wilmer, T. (2017, May 17). Sun Studio memphis-- birthplace of Rock & Roll. KCBX. Retrieved March 30, 2023, from https://www.kcbx.org/travel/2017-05-17/sun-studio-memphis-birthplace-of-rock-roll 

Graceland. (n.d.). Early childhood. Graceland. Retrieved March 31, 2023, from https://www.graceland.com/early-childhood#:~:text=1935%20%2D%201948,the%20center%20of%20their%20lives. 

Graceland. (n.d.). 1954 - 1957. Graceland. Retrieved March 31, 2023, from https://www.graceland.com/1954-1957 

Wikimedia Foundation. (2023, March 28). Chuck Berry. Wikipedia. Retrieved April 1, 2023, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chuck_Berry 

G, B. (2022, February 23). How has rock 'n roll influenced music? Rockit Live. Retrieved April 1, 2023, from https://www.rockitacademy.org/how-has-rock-n-roll-influenced-music/#:~:text=Because%20of%20these%20elements%2C%20it's,funk%20rock%2C%20and%20math%20rock