Rock and Roll: The BeginningRock and Roll: The Beginning

What was the first rock and roll What was the first rock and roll record?record?

Qualifications:Qualifications:

-Heavy backbeat-Heavy backbeat

-Even eight-beat style beat-Even eight-beat style beat

The Candidates:The Candidates:

1. Jackie Breston - Rocket 881. Jackie Breston - Rocket 88

2. Big Joe Turner - Shake, Rattle, and Roll2. Big Joe Turner - Shake, Rattle, and Roll

3. Wynonie Harris - Good Rockin’ Tonight3. Wynonie Harris - Good Rockin’ Tonight

4. Elvis Presley - That’s All Right Mama4. Elvis Presley - That’s All Right Mama

5. Bo Diddley - Bo Diddley5. Bo Diddley - Bo Diddley

6. Chuck Berry - Maybelline6. Chuck Berry - Maybelline

7. Little Richard - Tutti-Frutti7. Little Richard - Tutti-Frutti

The Candidates:The Candidates:1. Jackie Brenston - Rocket 881. Jackie Brenston - Rocket 88

– Boogie-woogie bassBoogie-woogie bass– 8 beat shuffle8 beat shuffle– Solidly in R&B traditionSolidly in R&B tradition

2. Big Joe Turner - Shake, Rattle, and Roll2. Big Joe Turner - Shake, Rattle, and Roll– Heavy backbeat stands outHeavy backbeat stands out– Eight-beat style beat, but shuffle feelEight-beat style beat, but shuffle feel– Jump blues with strong boogie-woogie feelJump blues with strong boogie-woogie feel

The Candidates:The Candidates:3. Wynonie Harris - Good Rockin’ Tonight3. Wynonie Harris - Good Rockin’ Tonight

– 4 beat shuffle style beat4 beat shuffle style beat

– Slow tempoSlow tempo

– Jazz/jump blues ensembleJazz/jump blues ensemble

– On edge…On edge…

4. Elvis Presley - That’s All Right Mama4. Elvis Presley - That’s All Right Mama– Two-beat country style - no subdivision of beatsTwo-beat country style - no subdivision of beats

– Cover of R&B hit by Arthur “Big Boy” CrudupCover of R&B hit by Arthur “Big Boy” Crudup

– Mix of R&B and country - proportions wrongMix of R&B and country - proportions wrong

The CandidatesThe Candidates

5. Bo Diddley - Bo Diddley5. Bo Diddley - Bo Diddley– ““rock band” instrumentationrock band” instrumentation– steady eight-beat rock rhythm in maracassteady eight-beat rock rhythm in maracas– no strong backbeatno strong backbeat

The CandidatesThe Candidates6. Chuck Berry - Maybelline6. Chuck Berry - Maybelline

7. Little Richard - Tutti-Frutti7. Little Richard - Tutti-Frutti– Both have underlying eight-beat rock rhythmBoth have underlying eight-beat rock rhythm– Strong accent on backbeatStrong accent on backbeat

• Boogie-woogie influence on Tutti-Frutti Boogie-woogie influence on Tutti-Frutti evidentevident

• Hard to say what Maybelline is….except Hard to say what Maybelline is….except rock and rollrock and roll

When does rock happen?When does rock happen?• 1951-1956 “Getting ready for rock and roll”1951-1956 “Getting ready for rock and roll”

– Youth market with independent purchasing Youth market with independent purchasing power arisespower arises

– Cheaper, smaller radiosCheaper, smaller radios– First stations begin to carry black R&BFirst stations begin to carry black R&B

• WDIA in MemphisWDIA in Memphis

• Then stations in NYThen stations in NY

– R&B becomes popular with white listenersR&B becomes popular with white listeners

Changes in record industryChanges in record industry• Format changeFormat change

– 78 rpm records replaced with 45 rpm78 rpm records replaced with 45 rpm• 45s cheaper to produce, buy45s cheaper to produce, buy

• can be played on any turntable, with standard needlecan be played on any turntable, with standard needle

– 33 rpm long-playing records (LPs) used for 33 rpm long-playing records (LPs) used for multiple tracks of popular music -- increase of multiple tracks of popular music -- increase of profitabilityprofitability

Changes in record industryChanges in record industryInfluence of major labels abrogated by small, Influence of major labels abrogated by small,

independent labelsindependent labels– ChessChess– ImperialImperial– Atlantic Atlantic – EssexEssex

When does rock and roll happen?When does rock and roll happen?

• Rock and roll happens when two Rock and roll happens when two musical streams -- R&B and musical streams -- R&B and country music (with dashes of jazz, country music (with dashes of jazz, Latin, and pop music) come Latin, and pop music) come togethertogether

First Rock and RollersFirst Rock and Rollers

• Chuck BerryChuck Berry

• Little RichardLittle Richard

Chuck Berry (Charles Edward Chuck Berry (Charles Edward Anderson Berry, 1926- )Anderson Berry, 1926- )

• Grew up in St. LouisGrew up in St. Louis

• Solid background in R&B, though familiar Solid background in R&B, though familiar with many styleswith many styles

• Popular club act in St. Louis playing R&B Popular club act in St. Louis playing R&B versions of Western swing hitsversions of Western swing hits

Chuck Berry (Charles Edward Chuck Berry (Charles Edward Anderson Berry, 1926- )Anderson Berry, 1926- )

• Auditions for Chess Records with folk song Auditions for Chess Records with folk song “Ida Red”“Ida Red”– Alters rhythmic approachAlters rhythmic approach– Eight beat style beat and accented backbeatEight beat style beat and accented backbeat

• Lyrics re-written = MaybellineLyrics re-written = Maybelline

Johnny B. GoodeJohnny B. Goode• From country musicFrom country music

• crisp, exact timekeepingcrisp, exact timekeeping• vocal stylevocal style

• From pop musicFrom pop music– storytelling lyricsstorytelling lyrics– verse and refrain formverse and refrain form

Johnny B. GoodeJohnny B. Goode• From R&BFrom R&B

• refrain: 12 bar bluesrefrain: 12 bar blues• verses: story over one chordverses: story over one chord• vocal stylevocal style• backbeatbackbeat• call and response from gospelcall and response from gospel

Johnny B. GoodeJohnny B. Goode• From R&BFrom R&B

– Refrain = 12-bar bluesRefrain = 12-bar blues– Walking bass (refrain)Walking bass (refrain)– Guitar styleGuitar style

• 8 beat rhythm transferred to guitar8 beat rhythm transferred to guitar• out front; not accompanimentout front; not accompaniment• call and response with guitarcall and response with guitar• double-note guitar styledouble-note guitar style

Little Richard (Richard Penniman, Little Richard (Richard Penniman, 1932- )1932- )

• Born Macon, GeorgiaBorn Macon, Georgia• At age 14 traveled with medicine shows, At age 14 traveled with medicine shows,

blues bands, and other traveling musical blues bands, and other traveling musical actsacts– Masters pop, blues, R&B, gospel stylesMasters pop, blues, R&B, gospel styles

• 1952 becomes affiliated with Specialty 1952 becomes affiliated with Specialty RecordsRecords– Producer Bumps Blackwell looking for gospel Producer Bumps Blackwell looking for gospel

singer who could sing the bluessinger who could sing the blues

Little Richard - Elements of StyleLittle Richard - Elements of Style• Wild, uninhibited vocal styleWild, uninhibited vocal style

– Blues shouterBlues shouter– With elements of gospel shoutWith elements of gospel shout

• Outrageous performing styleOutrageous performing style• High energy of gospelHigh energy of gospel

Little Richard - Elements of StyleLittle Richard - Elements of Style• Speeds up boogie-woogie until shuffle Speeds up boogie-woogie until shuffle

rhythms break downrhythms break down• Percussive piano style that combines Percussive piano style that combines

boogie-woogie and bluesboogie-woogie and blues• Ex. Tutti FruttiEx. Tutti Frutti