Rock and Roll: The Beginning

What was the first rock and roll record? Qualifications: -Heavy backbeat -Heavy backbeat -Even eight-beat style beat -Even eight-beat style beat

The Candidates: 1. Jackie Breston - Rocket Big Joe Turner - Shake, Rattle, and Roll 3. Wynonie Harris - Good Rockin’ Tonight 4. Elvis Presley - That’s All Right Mama 5. Bo Diddley - Bo Diddley 6. Chuck Berry - Maybelline 7. Little Richard - Tutti-Frutti

The Candidates: 1. Jackie Brenston - Rocket 88 –Boogie-woogie bass –8 beat shuffle –Solidly in R&B tradition 2. Big Joe Turner - Shake, Rattle, and Roll –Heavy backbeat stands out –Eight-beat style beat, but shuffle feel –Jump blues with strong boogie-woogie feel

The Candidates: 3. Wynonie Harris - Good Rockin’ Tonight –4 beat shuffle style beat –Slow tempo –Jazz/jump blues ensemble –On edge… 4. Elvis Presley - That’s All Right Mama –Two-beat country style - no subdivision of beats –Cover of R&B hit by Arthur “Big Boy” Crudup –Mix of R&B and country - proportions wrong

The Candidates 5. Bo Diddley - Bo Diddley –“rock band” instrumentation –steady eight-beat rock rhythm in maracas –no strong backbeat

The Candidates 6. Chuck Berry - Maybelline 7. Little Richard - Tutti-Frutti –Both have underlying eight-beat rock rhythm –Strong accent on backbeat Boogie-woogie influence on Tutti-Frutti evidentBoogie-woogie influence on Tutti-Frutti evident Hard to say what Maybelline is….except rock and rollHard to say what Maybelline is….except rock and roll

When does rock happen? “Getting ready for rock and roll” “Getting ready for rock and roll” –Youth market with independent purchasing power arises –Cheaper, smaller radios –First stations begin to carry black R&B WDIA in MemphisWDIA in Memphis Then stations in NYThen stations in NY –R&B becomes popular with white listeners

Changes in record industry Format changeFormat change –78 rpm records replaced with 45 rpm 45s cheaper to produce, buy45s cheaper to produce, buy can be played on any turntable, with standard needlecan be played on any turntable, with standard needle –33 rpm long-playing records (LPs) used for multiple tracks of popular music -- increase of profitability

Changes in record industry Influence of major labels abrogated by small, independent labels –Chess –Imperial –Atlantic –Essex

When does rock and roll happen? Rock and roll happens when two musical streams -- R&B and country music (with dashes of jazz, Latin, and pop music) come togetherRock and roll happens when two musical streams -- R&B and country music (with dashes of jazz, Latin, and pop music) come together

First Rock and Rollers Chuck BerryChuck Berry Little RichardLittle Richard

Chuck Berry (Charles Edward Anderson Berry, ) Grew up in St. LouisGrew up in St. Louis Solid background in R&B, though familiar with many stylesSolid background in R&B, though familiar with many styles Popular club act in St. Louis playing R&B versions of Western swing hitsPopular club act in St. Louis playing R&B versions of Western swing hits

Chuck Berry (Charles Edward Anderson Berry, ) Auditions for Chess Records with folk song “Ida Red”Auditions for Chess Records with folk song “Ida Red” –Alters rhythmic approach –Eight beat style beat and accented backbeat Lyrics re-written = MaybellineLyrics re-written = Maybelline

Johnny B. Goode From country musicFrom country music crisp, exact timekeepingcrisp, exact timekeeping vocal stylevocal style From pop musicFrom pop music –storytelling lyrics –verse and refrain form

Johnny B. Goode From R&BFrom R&B refrain: 12 bar bluesrefrain: 12 bar blues verses: story over one chordverses: story over one chord vocal stylevocal style backbeatbackbeat call and response from gospelcall and response from gospel

Johnny B. Goode From R&BFrom R&B –Refrain = 12-bar blues –Walking bass (refrain) –Guitar style 8 beat rhythm transferred to guitar8 beat rhythm transferred to guitar out front; not accompanimentout front; not accompaniment call and response with guitarcall and response with guitar double-note guitar styledouble-note guitar style

Little Richard (Richard Penniman, ) Born Macon, GeorgiaBorn Macon, Georgia At age 14 traveled with medicine shows, blues bands, and other traveling musical actsAt age 14 traveled with medicine shows, blues bands, and other traveling musical acts –Masters pop, blues, R&B, gospel styles 1952 becomes affiliated with Specialty Records1952 becomes affiliated with Specialty Records –Producer Bumps Blackwell looking for gospel singer who could sing the blues

Little Richard - Elements of Style Wild, uninhibited vocal styleWild, uninhibited vocal style –Blues shouter –With elements of gospel shout Outrageous performing styleOutrageous performing style High energy of gospelHigh energy of gospel

Little Richard - Elements of Style Speeds up boogie-woogie until shuffle rhythms break downSpeeds up boogie-woogie until shuffle rhythms break down Percussive piano style that combines boogie-woogie and bluesPercussive piano style that combines boogie-woogie and blues Ex. Tutti FruttiEx. Tutti Frutti