Rock and the Gathering of America’s Music

Rock and the Gathering of America’s Music Chapter 15

Introduction • Rock came from several styles and several regions at once • Fused disparate ethnic music traditions with the pop music industry

World War II • World War II had an incredible influence on the development of rock music • General pace of life accelerated • Diverse cultural groups intermingled • More Americans experienced prosperity (after the war) • Americans had more leisure time

Kids VS Parents • America’s youth was bored with the polite music of their parents • They were looking for a unique sound • Took an interest in the driving rhythm and raw excitement of black rhythm and blues • Parents were outraged when they heard this antithesis to their own music blaring through their children’s bedroom doors • If the youth were originally drawn to rhythm and blues for its sound alone, they soon embraced it as a tool of rebellion against the conformist expectations of their parents

The Southwest • Country music in the southwest was prominent in developing the use of the electric guitar • It was the same for southwestern blues and jazz musicians • With the electric guitar’s louder volume and ability to sustain notes, it was able to be used as a lead instrument that could be heard over the horn section

The Southeast • Beale Street had been a gathering place for country blues musicians. • W.C. Handy had developed a highly commercial version of the blues. • The blues tradition of Beale Street remained strong into the early 1950s. • The black church was also highly influential

T-Bone Walker • Believed by many to be the first musician to perform with the electric guitar • Listed as an influence by Chuck Berry, B.B. King and Jimi Hendrix • With the sheer power and potentially raucous tone of the electric guitar, Walker helped to usher in hard-driving urban blues that were not as delicate as acoustic country blues • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V1xvx0UHa0A Don’t Throw Your Love on Me So Strong

Boogie Woogie • Rhythmic bass pattern originated on the piano • The actual notes played varied from performer to performer but were secondary to the bouncing feel that was created • Was developed by black blues pianists such as Pete Johnson http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C-84ShDVwjc • Eventually found its way into the repertoires of western swing bands • These western swing bands would eventually heavily influence the young rockabilly artists of the South

Boogie Woogie, cont…. • The catchy boogie rhythm led to popular white imitations such as “Boogie-Woogie” by Tommy Dorsey http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IxlL8l48qcM and “Boogie-Woogie Bugle Boy” by the Andrews Sisters http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2oZITtcORjQ

Early Rock Genres • As rock and roll began to appear around 1954-1956, it was comprised of 5 basic styles, defined by region, that developed independently of each other: • Northern Band Rock and Roll • New Orleans Dance Blues • Memphis Rockabilly • Chicago Rhythm and Blues • Doo-Wop

Northern Band Rock and Roll • This style can basically be described as white cover versions of certain black rhythm and blues numbers • The primary inspiration for this style was jump blues

Characteristics of Jump Blues • Based on a heavy boogie rhythm • Strong backbeat • High-spirited feelings with novelty appeal instead of being depressed • Notable performer – Louis Jordan • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_A2pRVyBmOY Choo - Choo Ch’Boogie

Bill Haley • Born in Detroit • In the late 40s he led a western swing band in the northeast • He gradually began incorporating elements of jump blues into his style becoming a white rhythm and blues band with a country flavor • In 1951 he changed the name of his group from the Saddlemen to Bill Haley and the Comets, disassociating the band from country music and moving toward rock and roll http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N-qjc17KEsc

New Orleans dance Blues • Fats Domino didn’t shout like Bill Haley • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KNNiBcU3BR4 • Sang in a relaxed mellow voice; had a tinge of coarseness • Overall feel was looser than other types of rock • Richard Penniman, also known as Little Richardhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QFL047fmsgg • Didn’t shout; screamed instead

Memphis Rockabilly • A truck driver named Elvis Presley came to Memphis to record some songs for his mother; he was discovered by producer Sam Philips • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MMmljYkdr-w • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gj0Rz-uP4Mk • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mLSgqH2BOeg

Elvis Presley • Young and good looking • Wore outrageous clothes • Had equally outrageous body movements onstage • Could convincingly sing country, gospel and blues • Producers such as Chet Atkins set about glamorizing and smoothing out his sound

Jerry Lee Lewis • Played piano professionally since the age of 15 • Blend of boogie woogie and pentecostal church piano • Outrageous stage presence – kicked piano bench across the stage, played piano with his feet • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lidFipyLG8k • Married his 13-year old cousin – scandal!

Chicago Rhythm and Blues • Blacks steadily migrated to the North (including Chicago) during and between the two World Wars • The South Side was home to Louis Armstrong, Jelly Roll Morton, and Blind Lemon Jefferson • While these musicians were influential in the development of rock and roll, they didn’t successfully cross over to pop audiences because of their deeper “adult” voices and often slurred speech

Chuck Berry • Singer/guitarist • Originally from St Louis • Combined a rockabilly style twangy guitar with a lively backbeat rhythm http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ofD9t_sULM • Sang with a high youthful clear voice • His music would continue to find popularity through the 1960s due to interpretations by British rock artists and even later in movies http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S1i5coU-0_Q

Vocal Groups (Doo-Wop) • The tradition of black male vocal groups dates back to gospel quartets of the 1800s • Originally started out as untrained singers without instrumental accompaniment • A high tenor sang the melody, two middle voices sang the inner harmony and a bass sang far below everyone else • Because they had no instrumental back up they had to create their own rhythm many times using the syllables doo-wop • These syllables became the name used by fans for this style of music, just like _____???_______

“Sh-Boom” was recorded in 1954 by the Chords • It was a rhythm and blues song that became popular enough to get onto Billboard’s top 10 list in the pop category • Set a standard in pop music that would be imitated for years • Was such a turning point in the development of rock that some consider it the first rock record • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LTRfRK0ahYs

The Platters • One of the most successful doo-wop groups • Based in Los Angeles • The lead singer had a distinctive “hiccup” effect that he used in his vocals, something imitated by a number of musicians afterward • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pzkszgjkj6Q

Buddy Holly (1936-1959) • Originally from Texas • Grew up listening to Hank Williams and Bill Monroe and rhythm and blues • His voice had a light, tense quality with an occasional cry like hiccup that added to the excitement of his performances http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kVGM86XIilw • Buddy Holly and the Crickets toured England in 1958, where there were already a significant number of fans of rock and roll

Buddy Holly, cont. • One such band chose their name as a tribute - ? THE BEATLES!!! • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kemivUKb4f4 • Buddy Holly famously died in a plane crash in 1959 with Ritchie Valens and the “Big Bopper” – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nPa_xSt_wP8 this date would come to be known as “The Day the Music Died” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uAsV5-Hv-7U

Rock and the Gathering of America’s Music