1. What is Rock n’ Roll?
“When the defiant beat of Rock n’ Roll burst onto the American scene in the mid-1950s, few people remained impartial about its sound or its impact.”
Listen to the song and brainstorm some characteristics of Rock n’ Roll….. 1

2. What is Rock n’ Roll?
Rock n’ Roll grew out of Rhythm and Blues but is a combination of many styles of music
It often has a driving beat and simple melodies
Has mass appeal – People are more likely to like things they can sing
It is musical poetry. It often includes:
rhymes, metaphors, cliches, and imagery. 2

3. Where Did It Come From?
During the 1920s and 1930s, many white Americans enjoyed listening to African-American jazz and blues
They often objected to that music if it was performed by the original black musicians but found it acceptable when it was performed by white musicians 3

4. Sam Phillips
Sam Phillips was a disc jockey who started the Memphis Recording Service in 1950.
Memphis Recording Service later became Sun Records
From he recorded black R&B artists that included B.B. King, Little Milton, Herman “Little Junior” Parker, Rufus “Hound Dog” Thomas. 4

5. Sam Phillips
Sam Phillips was concerned his black artists would not be able to break through into the “white mainstream” market.
He began searching for a white artist “who could play and sing in this same exciting, alive way.”
A few black R&B singers were able to break through this racial barrier but most were unsuccessful 5

6. Sam Phillips Rock and Roll had to fight racism.
“Midnight Special” is a folk song popularized by an African-American blues singer.
It did not become famous until it was covered the white group, Creedence Clearwater Revival.
It has since been covered by ABBA, Van Morrison, and Paul McCartney
watch?v=Bi6YHWjy3uU 6

7. ROCK N’ ROLL
Alan Freed
Disk jockey Alan Freed is widely credited with coining the term “rock and roll” to describe the uptempo black R&B records he played as early as 1951 on Cleveland radio station WJW. 7

8. Alan Freed
In 1951, Alan Freed began playing this type of music for a multi-racial audience.
He is credited with creating the phrase “Rock and Roll” to describe this “rollicking” R&B Music 8

9. Elvis Presley Received his first guitar at 11.
Early influences included:
hymns, gospel, country, and blugrass.
In 1947 his family moved to Memphis and he began listening to blues and R&B.
Before Elvis, everything was in black and white. Then came Elvis. Zoom, glorious Technicolor. -- Keith Richards. 9

10. Elvis Presley
In 1950 he began hearing Sam Phillips’ Sun Studios recordings.
In 1953 he paid $4 to record “My Happiness” and “That’s When Your Heartaches Begin”
at Sun Studios. 10

11. Elvis’ Break
During a break in a 1954 recording session Elvis began singing a blues song, “That’s All Right.”
It was released 2 weeks later with and caused a sensation.
Two months later he released “Good Rockin’ Tonight” and in less than a year he became the most popular entertainer in the mid-south.
In 1955 Colonel Tom Parker arranged for RCA to buy out Elvis’ contract for $35,000. 11

12. Elvis Destroys the World
Many adults believed Rock n’ Roll would be destructive to the youth of America.
In 1956, Elvis appeared on the famous The Ed Sullivan Show. While they loved his music, they thought his dancing was immoral so they only showed him from the waist up. 12

13. Little Richard Born Richard Wayne Penniman.
Producer Bumps Blackwell was looking for a “new Ray Charles” for Specialty Records.
On September 13, 1955 Richard recorded “Tutti Frutti.”
They wanted Richard to be popular so he was forced to change many of lyrics to meet the mass appeal. 13

14. Little Richard
Little Richard’s vocal style influenced Paul McCartney, Mick Jagger, and many more.
In October 1957 he left show business to enroll at a Bible college. He returned in 1959 but was never as popular.
In 1962, he toured the UK supported by The Beatles and The Rolling Stones who were big fans.

15. Chuck Berry
Chuck Berry was born in St. Louis. His influences included Nat King Cole, T. Bone Walker, and Muddy Waters.
In 1955 Waters discovered him at a small blues club in Chicago and introduced him to Leonard and Cliff Chess of Chess Records.
In September ’55 he recorded “Maybellene,” (a remake of the country hit, “Ida Red”) which reached #5 on the pop charts and #1 on the R&B charts. 15

16. Berry’s Hits
“Roll Over, Beethoven,” “School Days,” “Johnny B. Goode,” and “Sweet Little Sixteen.”
Influenced numerous guitarists including Jimi Hendrix and Keith Richards.
Had legal troubles in 1960 and would never regain his popularity.
                                    

17. Buddy Holly Born Charles Hardin Holley
Buddy Holly was working with Bob Montgomery to bring elements of rhythm and blues into country music.
They were influenced by Elvis Presley to give their music a “harder rhythm and blues edge.”
In October 1955, Decca Records wanted only Holly for a record deal.
Recorded “Love Me” and “Modern Don Juan” – modest hits. Called it quits with Decca in 17

18. Holly’s Hits
Rerecorded “That’ll Be the Day” which reached # on the R&B charts.
First white performer to use the “hiccup” vocal technique on a popular recording.
In 1958 he toured England, where he had an influence on The Beatles 18

19. “The Day the Music Died” February 3, 1959
Holly participated in a 2-week tour of the northern Midwest.
The tour featured Dion and the Belmonts, Frankie Sardo, J. P. Richardson, and Ritchie Valens (“La Bamba”).
After a performance in Iowa, Holly chartered a plane to Fargo, North Dakota
The plane crashed shortly after takeoff killing the pilot, Holly, Richardson, and Valens.
The three singers are immortalized in Don McClean’s 1971 anthem, “American Pie.”

20. British Bands Discover Rock n’ Roll in the Early 60s
In 1961, Brian Epstein discovered The Beatles. They were doing covers of 1950s American rock and roll standards.
Early influences were Little Richard, Chuck Berry, and Buddy Holly .
The “Liverpool sound” is “…the same as the rock from five years ago.” (George Harrison)
In 1962 drummer Ringo Starr replaced Pete Best. Around the same time, the band began to do original songs by Lennon and McCartney 20

22. Beatlemania
In January 1963 “I Want to Hold Your Hand” reaches #1 on the pop charts.
In February 1963 The Beatles debuted on The Ed Sullivan Show.
The Beatles quickly became popular in America. The sensation was called Beatlemania
The influenced Bob Dylan, Brian Wilson, Frank Zappa, and the Rolling Stones 22

23. The Who Led by guitarist Pete Townshend and vocalist Roger Daltrey.
Were known for wild antics in their live performances such as smashing instruments
In 1969 they released “Tommy,” the first commercially successful rock opera.
Their song, “Who are You?” is the theme song for the TV Show CSI 23

24. The Rolling Stones
Most successful of the hard rock, blues-inspired British bands.
They were known for pushing the envelope of what was acceptable in lyrics.
“Sympathy for the Devil” (1968) was a deliberate attempt to offend their critics. 24

25. Fighting the British Invasion
Many American musicians wanted to respond to the “British Invasion”
Bob Dylan, The Beach Boys and Frank Zappa created new personal styles that would have an enormous impact throughout the rest of the 60s. 25

26. Bob Dylan
He was born Robert Allen Zimmerman (1941- ). Took name from Welsh poet Dylan Thomas.
He arrived in New York in 1961, determined to become a famous musician.
His debut album that year contained folk standards “In My Time of Dying,” “Man of Constant Sorrow,” and “The House of the Rising Sun.” 26

27. Bringing it All Back Home
Bringing It All Back Home (1965) was recorded with rock and roll and blues musicians playing electric instruments.
Folk purists were offended, but the album was his first to sell a million copies. 27

28. The Beach Boys
Formed in 1961 by Brian Wilson and his cousin Mike Love. The band also included younger brothers, Dennis and Carl Wilson, and Al Jardine.
The were known for their vocal harmonies
Many of their songs were about surfing, drag-racing and dating.
Early hits: “Surfer Girl,” “Little Deuce Coup,” “Surfin’ U.S.A.,” and “Surf City.” 28

29. Pet Sounds The Beach Boys did not want to be outdone by The Beatles.
Competition with The Beatles inspired Wilson to produce Pet Sounds in 1966 which would raise the standard of the quality of artists’ recordings.
Songs included: “Wouldn’t It Be Nice” and “Sloop John B
Influenced Lennon and McCartney to write “Here, There and Everywhere.” 29

30. Eric Clapton
Began career as a rhythm and blues guitarist for the Roosters and Casey Jones and the Engineers.
Abandoned performing to study guitar techniques of blues masters Robert Johnson, Skip James, and B. B. King.
Was determined to transfer King’s style into rock and roll. 30

31. Cream In 1966 Clapton formed Cream with Jack Bruce and Ginger Baker.
Cream combined “aggressive covers of blues standards” like “Crossroads” and “I’m So Glad” with their own “off-beat, drug-inspired tunes.”
In concert Cream was “thunderously loud” and would expand “3 minute songs into minute improvisations.” 31

32. The Late 60s and Early 70s
Young people who earlier believed that rock and roll music could be used to fight racism and injustice, to stop war, and to change the status quo, became less confident and more introspective.
“Intensely personal” folk songs began to replace the “hard, aggressive protest songs.”
In early 1970 folk music regained popularity – This played a strong role in the Vietnam War 32

33. Different Directions
While the majority of Americans were listening to folk and soft rock artists like James Taylor, Carole King and Neil Young, musicians playing “hard rock,” “heavy metal,” “art rock,” and “glam rock” were becoming popular to fans who missed the “energy, spectacle and sheer volume of late 1960s rock and roll.”

34. Led Zeppelin
Fronted by “squealing tenor” Robert Plant and guitarist Jimmy Page.
They borrowed a lot of music and lyrics from old blues songs.
By 1970 had released three very successful albums.
Influenced Black Sabbath, Aerosmith, AC/DC, Guns’n’ Roses, and Metallica. 34

35. “Art Rock”
Rock and Roll began to attract artists with backgrounds in classical and jazz music.
From the late 60s bands such as Genesis, Jethro Tull, and Pink Floyd represented what some have called “art rock.”
“Art Rock” intended to use the music as a more sophisticated form of art – it had deeper meaning 35

36. Pink Floyd – The Wall
The Wall is the 11th album released by Pink Floyd. It was performed with elaborate theatrical effects and was later adapted into a movie.
It is a concept album that deals largely with themes of abandonment and personal isolation.
The main character, Pink, experiences a series of negative events (death of his father, bullying, failed marriage). Each experience becomes a metaphorical brick in a wall that he builds to isolate himself from human contact. 36