1. 50s Music a CHC2D Canadian History presentation

3. New Music ★ at the start of the decade, popular music shifted from the big bands of the 40s to small jazz bands behind singers with smooth voices like Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Tony Bennett ★ Ottawa’s own Paul Anka was a 16 year-old singer in that style when he made his debutPaul Anka ★ Anka’s career includes hits “Diana” and “Lonely Boy,” as well as the song “My Way” for which he wrote the lyrics Frank Sinatra took to the top of the charts

4. New Music ★ African American music was rooted in blues rather than jazz, with a more energetic beat ★ because the raucous dancing to “black music” involved a lot of “rocking and rolling,” the new style of pop music was called “rock and roll” ★ because American television and movies did not put blacks on screen in lead roles, the decision was to push white performers and white response in order to make rock and roll acceptable to the general audience

5. New Stars ★ early rock performers to note: ★ Buddy Holly (“That’ll Be The Day”) who along with Richie Valens (“La Bamba”) and The Big Bopper (“Chantilly Lace”) died in a plane crash ★ Jerry Lee Lewis (“Great Balls Of Fire”), who’s stardom disappeared when it was learned he was dating his underage cousin

6. New Stars ★ Elvis Presley, the “King of Rock and Roll,” who was a truck driver turned singer that ended up going into the movies — and was never shown below the waist when he performed in the 50s because his hip shaking was causing girls to act ‘manic’ ★ despite his popularity, Elvis would only visit one country outside of the U.S. — Canada ★ he even played Ottawa!