1. THE HISTORY OF ROCK N’ ROLL Part 1, 1954 – By John Ross Hart Casa Grande Union High School, Casa Grande, AZ

2. Objective: Students will be able to identify those factors that brought forth the genre of rock n’ roll and the effect it would have on society for the remainder of the 20th Century

3. Vocabulary: Frank Sinatra Payola Scandal Beatniks Teen Idol James Dean The Beach Boys Elvis Presley The Motown Sound Chuck Berry Bob Dylan Pat Boone The Beatles Alan Freed The British Invasion Buddy Holly Garage Rock American Bandstand James Brown Bill Drake

4. Casa Grande Union High School Students Only:
You will be watching and listening to a PowerPoint presentation about the early days of Rock n’ Roll, which developed in the 1950’s. This is a relatively fast-moving presentation so stay focused and quick with your notes.
First…
What do you know about the roots of rock n’ roll?
What name comes to mind when you think of early rock n’ roll?
Can you name at least one early rock or blues song?
Why do you think the older generation did not like this music?
Why do you think the “War Baby” and “Baby Boom” generation embraced it?
Second… As you watch and listen, write down at least 20 notable names and/or songs that established a genre that would continue through the remainder of the 20th Century.

5. The war was over!

6. Soldiers were coming home

7. Many were starting families
People were moving
to the suburbs
Some took advantage
of the G.I. Bill and
furthered their
education

8. A new generation was evolving

9. This new generation had questions… about society, morality, and authority

10. The new generation rejected the music of their parents
Frank Sinatra:
The superstar of his generation
Tommy
Dorsey
Dinah Shore

11. Instead, they were listening to Ike Turner’s “Rocket 88”

12. In the coffee houses of San Francisco’s North Beach, the “Beatniks” rebelled against everything that came before… using coffee, pot, and obscenity to spread their message
At “City Lights Books,” Lawrence Ferlinghetti
not only dared to print the books, but he also
sold them and offered open readings by their
authors
In “On The
Road,” Jack Kerouac
went looking for America
but didn’t like what
he saw
“Howl” by Allen Ginsberg
opened up his own and the overall subject of homosexuality

13. On the silver screen, Marlon Brando and James Dean became legendary rebels in “The Wild Ones” and “Rebel Without A Cause”

14. More and more, white kids were listening to black rhythm and blues
Sonny
Boy
Williamson
Howlin’ Wolf
Muddy Waters
Ray Charles
Ivory Joe Hunter

15. In 1954, Big Joe Turner recorded “Shake, Rattle, and Roll”
A few months later, a
country band named
Bill Haley and the Comets
recorded the same song

16. Bill Haley and the Comets received more radio airplay and sold more records

17. “If I could find a white boy who could sing like a black man, I could make a million dollars” SAM PHILLIPS, SUN RECORDS

18. In Chicago, the “R & B” scene was heating up
l-r Chuck Berry, Little Richard, Bo Diddley

19. In New Orleans, Fats Domino was the rage
All four recorded songs that became classics

20. But another country artist, Pat Boone, covered their songs, got more airplay, and sold more records

21. If you wanted to listen to rhythm and blues, you had to tune in to weak-powered AM stations from the big cities to hear the original hits

22. Mainstream disc jockeys did not play rhythm n’ blues and were threatened with termination and “blacklisting” if they did

23. But a Cleveland disc jockey named Alan Freed dared to play the music on his evening show, calling it “rock n’ roll”

24. Meanwhile, Elvis Presley’s first records made him a regional superstar
On the Louisiana Hayride
With Bill Black and Scotty Moore
along with Sam Phillips

25. In fact, Sam Phillips was putting together a stable of other talented artists
L-r
Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins,
Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash
Later, Phillips signed Roy Orbison

26. Elvis became so big, Sun Records could no longer afford to record or promote him, so his contract was sold to the larger RCA Victor Records

27. Elvis’ first recording for RCA Victor was “Heartbreak Hotel,” which quickly became a worldwide number one hit, the first of 30
But many adults found Elvis’
gyrations on stage revolting

28. In fact, when Elvis appeared on the nationally popular Ed Sullivan Show, his act was only shown from the waist up!

29. Carl Perkins recorded “Blue Suede Shoes,” but after nearly being killed in a car accident, Elvis would take his place and sing the song on the Ed Sullivan Show

30. “Great Balls of Fire!,” wildman Jerry Lee Lewis could put on a show

31. The real King? Chuck Berry was mixing R n’ B with Country Music

32. Though still rhythm and blues artists at heart, Chuck Berry, Little Richard, Bo Diddley, and Fats Domino were now considered Rock n’ Roll artists

33. Others were encouraged to play the music
Wanda Jackson
could rock with
the big boys
Gene Vincent and the Burnette Brothers were pure “rockabilly”
Ricky Nelson had
the advantage of his parent’s TV show
Eddie Cochran had an acting background

34. The Innovators who left an influence
The Everly Brothers
sang of teenage
innocence in perfect
harmony
Off the street corners of Brooklyn, Dion was the king of “Doo Wop”
Initially, Richard Berry made no money on his song, “Louie Louie,” but later success by others made him rich
Coolidge’s own,
Duane Eddy influenced
all guitarists who followed

35. Groups such as the Drifters and the Coasters were popular
Smooth-sounding Sam Cooke would score over 30 Top 40 hits

36. But Elvis Presley was the King of Rock n’ Roll

37. Then along came a bespectacled singer, guitar player, songwriter from Lubbock, Texas

38. Unlike Elvis, Buddy Holly could sing, plus play lead guitar, write his own songs, and could also produce his own records
Buddy leads the Crickets,
Joe B. Maulden on bass
and Jerry Allison on drums,
in their first appearance on
“American Bandstand”

39. In Philadelphia, kids were dancing on local television to rock n’ roll records played by a young disc jockey named Dick Clark. In 1957, “American Bandstand” went coast-to coast on ABC

40. Gordon McClendon developed the Top 40 radio format, Todd Storz adjusted it for rock n’ roll, Chuck Blore tightened the programming

41. Early Top 40 Disc Jockeys Tommy Edwards (l) and Wink Martindale not
only played records, but had their own hits
WMCA New York was the nation’s #1 station
Art
Laboe
Rocked
Southern
California
Hy Lit became a Philadelphia radio legend

42. Then the music died!

43. Elvis was drafted
into the Army
Chuck Berry was imprisoned for
violating the
Mann Act
Jerry Lee Lewis
was banned on
the radio for
marrying his
14-year-old
cousin
Eddie Cochran
was killed in a
car crash

44. It was Rock n’ Roll’s First Tragedy
Buddy Holly, J.P. “Big Bopper” Richardson, and Richie Valens were killed in a plane crash after doing a show in Clear Lake, Iowa
It was Rock n’ Roll’s First Tragedy

45. The music moguls and the “establishment” now moved to get rid of rock n’ roll once and for all

46. A congressional committee called together several notable disc jockeys asking them if they had accepted money to play
rock n’ roll records on their shows. Alan Freed was made an example of by the committee, was fired by his radio station, and became destitute leading to his early death.

47. Enter the clean-cut, innocent, teen idol
Clockwise from
Top left: Frankie
Avalon, Bobby Rydell,
Bobby Vee, Bobby
Darin, Paul Anka,
Jimmy Clanton, Bobby Vinton

48. And a couple of pretty girls…
Connie Francis and Brenda Lee became the first female stars of the Rock Era

49. But in Southern California, the Beach Boys sang about surfing, cars, and girls

50. In Detroit, a former Ford assembly line worker started “The Motown Sound”
The Supremes
Martha and
The Vandellas
Smokey and the Miracles
Berry Gordy: The Father of Motown
Marvin Gaye
The Four Tops

51. A Hollywood teenager named Phil Spector developed a “Wall of Sound” with artists that included The Ronettes, The Righteous Brothers, and Sonny and Cher

52. Folk music spoke of the times
The Springfields
Dusty would later
go on to a successful
pop career
The Kingston Trio
Peter, Paul, and Mary
Chad Mitchell Trio

53. Cynical, angry, rebellious, marching to the beat of his own drum… Bob Dylan would speak for a generation

54. So what was the big deal?
The Kingsmen were not the first (or the last) to record “Louie Louie,” but their version raised the most controversy. According to legend, the song was recorded at a different “time,” was slurred to cover profanity or hidden messages, and a written copy was passed amongst teen audiences. The song reached number one nationally despite being banned by several radio stations, and the Governor of Indiana. The FBI began investigating the song and the band but eventually found the song to be “Highly Unintelligible.”

55. Meanwhile, in Liverpool, a tough but faded English seaport, the kids still wanted to hear rock n’ roll
Rory Storm and
The Hurricanes
featured Ringo Starr
on drums
Gerry and
The Pacemakers
The Searchers

56. The biggest of the groups was The Beatles
l-r George Harrison, Paul McCartney, Pete Best, John Lennon

57. But record moguls in London continually turned down The Beatles and other British groups hoping to record their music

58. It was George Martin, a producer for a comedy label named “Parlophone” who saw “something.

59. “Love Me Do” reached #17 on the British charts
“Love Me Do” reached #17 on the British charts. But before they started recording, Ringo Starr replaced Pete Best as their drummer. Their next record, “Please Please Me” began an eight-year run of #1 hits

60. Capitol Records, which owned the rights to Parlophone and EMI refused to release The Beatles in America because they didn’t think they would sell!

61. However, The Beatles had become so huge not only in Britain, but all over Europe. Even Ed Sullivan, who hosted the top-rated variety show on Sunday nights couldn’t overlook their phenomenon. Capitol finally released “I Want to Hold Your Hand,” which went to #1 on the Billboard charts.

62. Other British acts would follow
The Rollingstones The Yardbirds
The Animals The Who Spencer Davis Group

63. America also had some groups that rocked
Paul Revere
& The Raiders
The Association
The Lovin’ Spoonful
The
Byrds
The Monkees

64. Garage Bands: Influenced by the Beatles, practicing in your next door neighbor’s garage
The Turtles:
Happy
Together
The
Grassroots
scored 18
Top 40 hits
The Seeds: They had more hair than anyone
Count 5
copied
The
Yardbirds

65. America also had soul Sam and Dave Aretha Franklin, The Queen
James Brown,
The Godfather
of Soul
Otis Reading
Booker T. & The MG’s

66. But no one ruled the charts like The Beatles

67. More platter, less chatter, Bill Drake gave us “Boss Radio”
Cousin Brucie
(Morrow) covered
the eastern seaboard
during his evening show
on WABC
Robert W.
Morgan and
The Real Don
Steele starred
at Drake’s KHJ
in Los Angeles
Out West, Wolfman Jack “howled” nightly with 100,000 AM watts from Rosarito, Mexico

68. And the kids were dancing to the Twist, Mashed Potatoes, Hully Gully, Watusi, Monkey, Slauson, Jerk, and the Skate, amongst others

69. END OF PART I

70. 1. What was notable about the postwar generation. 2
1. What was notable about the postwar generation? How did postwar teens see Frank Sinatra? These people questioned authority and the status quo? Name two legendary rebels of the silver screen? Name an early rhythm and blues performer?

71. 6. Sam Phillips claimed this would make him a million dollars. 7
6. Sam Phillips claimed this would make him a million dollars? Name one artist from the heated-up Chicago blues scene? Why was it hard to hear black rhythm and blues? What Cleveland disc jockey dared to play the music he called “rock n’ roll?” Name one other artist produced by Sam Phillips? What happened to Elvis when he appeared on the Ed Sullivan Show?

72. 12. Name the guitar player from Coolidge who influenced all rock n’ roll guitarists who followed? 13. Name at least one thing Buddy Holly could do that Elvis couldn’t do? 14. Who were Gordon McClendon, Todd Storz, and Chuck Blore? 15. What happened to Buddy Holly? 16. What was the Payola Scandal? 17. What spawned the “Teenage Idol?” 18. What did the Beach Boys sing about?

73. 19. Who started Motown Records. 20
19. Who started Motown Records? 20. Who became known as “The Voice of a Generation?” 21. Why were the Beatles (and other Liverpool groups) unable to land recording contracts? 22. Name at least two other British acts? 23. Name two popular American groups at this time? 24. Who became known as “The Godfather of Soul?” 25. Name a popular disc jockey or radio programmer from the 1960’s?