The Roots and Early Years of Rock                Back to Pop Music 101

     I.   The Roots of Rock ‘N’ Roll
        A. Electric Blues
            1. Moved rhythm section into foreground
            2.  Moved electric guitar into spotlight (has been the featured instrument since)
        B. Swing oriented rhythm & jump bands    
            1. Heavy backbeat            
        C. Boogie woogie
            1. Piano blues styles from rural south    
            2. In the 30s moved north into Kansas City & Chicago
    II.  The Emergence of Rock ‘N’ Roll
        A.  Began in to emerge in 1955 with a few artists
            1. Bill Haley
            2.  Chuck Berry
            3. Fats Domino
            4. Little Richard
        B. The next few years were the glory days of Rock ‘n’ Roll
            1. Began as an outsiders’ music
            2. Two dominant figures defined the sound
                a. Chuck Berry - set forth instrumentation & boogie-woogie style
                b. Elvis Presley - projected rebellious attitude and sexual energy
    III.  Rhythm and Blues in the Fifties
        A.  African-American Gospel Style
            1. Male Quartets and Quintets - often sang a cappella (no instruments)
            2. Female Solo Singers
        B. Secularization        
            1. Same styles and influences of gospel music with full instrumentation backup
            2. Later, many gospel singers began to sing non religious songs
                a. Sam Cooke
                b. Ray Charles - most important and influential gospel-inspired performer
    IV.  The Influence of Country in the Early Rock Years
        A. Folk Revival
            1. Coffeehouse-type performers - not from the south-  cultivated a new style
                a. Kingston Trio,
                b. Joan Baez
                c. Peter, Paul, & Mary
                d. Bob Dylan        
        B. Rockabilly
            1. An interpretation of rhythm and blues by white country musicians
                a. Elvis, Carl Perkins, Jerry Lee Lewis
                b. Buddy Holly-wrote songs with several innovationsform/instrumentation
 Listening Samples:
            pg. 200 Ex. 14.1  [IV-1]  Roll ‘Em Pete, Joe Turner
            pg. 200 Ex.14.2   [IV-2] Shake Rattle and Roll, Joe Turner
            pg.202  Ex. 14.3  [IV-3] They Call Me Muddy Waters, Muddy Waters
            pg. 202 Ex. 14.4  [IV-4] Stormy Monday Blues, T-Bone Walker
            pg. 203 Ex. 14.5  [IV-5]  Johnny B. Goode, Chuck Berry    
            pg. 209  Ex.14.7  [IV-6]  The Golden Gate Gospel Train, Golden Gate Jubilee
            pg. 209  Ex. 14.8 [IV-7]  How I Got Over , Clara Ward
            pg. 210  Ex. 14.9 [IV-8] Have Mercy, Baby, The Dominos
            pg. 213 Ex. 14.13 [IV-9] That’ll BE the Day, Buddy Holly
                                                Back to Pop Music 101