History of Rock and Roll - lesa fyrir prof

Clyde McPhatter and the Drifters were very successful on Atlantic Records

"Money Honey" (r1, 1953) "Whatcha Gonna Do?" (r2, 1955)

The Burt Bacharach-Hal David songwriting team discovered Dionne Warwick:

"Anyone Who Had A Heart" (1964) "Walk On By" (1964)

Several important rock artists covered his songs or were inspired by Orbison

"Blue Bayou" (1977) covered by Linda Ronstadt "Pretty Woman" (1982) was covered by Van Halen Bruce Springsteen was influenced by Orbison's vocals

WSB in Atlanta in 1922 broadcast performances by local artists

"Fiddlin'" John Carson Git Tanner WBAP in Ft. Worth WSM in Nashville launched the Grand Ole Opry in 1925 and became a clear channel station in 1932 WLS in Chicago broadcast the National Barndance, going national in 1933 on NBC NBC began a coast-to-coast broadcast of WSM's Grand Ole Opry in 1939 Country music during WWII

The Weavers included Pete Seeger during the early 1950s when they had some hits

"Good Night Irene" (1950) "So Long (It's Been Good to Know Ya)" (1951) "On Top of Old Smoky" (1951)

Elvis Presley: the first major label rock and roll superstar

"Heartbreak Hotel" in early 1956 Pop number one Country and western number one Rhythm and blues number five Television appearances Motion picture deals set into motion

Post-1960 Elvis recordings show European pop influence that would lend itself to an adult audience

"It's Now or Never" in the style of Italian singer Mario Lanza "Are You Lonesome Tonight" was an Al Jolson song he covered It featured a narration in the middle

Harry Belafonte had hits in the 1950s with exotic sounding Caribbean calypso folk songs

"Jamaica Farewell" (1957) "Banana Boat (Day-O)" (1957)

Important Hank Williams songs

"Lovesick Blues" "Your Cheatin' Heart" "Cold, Cold Heart" "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry" "Hey, Good Lookin'"

Post-WWI sheet music by W.C. Handy was sold nationally

"Memphis Blues" "St. Louis Blues" Recordings by singer Bessie Smith "Down Hearted Blues" Sold a million copies in 1923 Recorded in New York with finest jazz musicians Delta (rural) blues

The Buddy Holly sound

"Oh. Boy!" is a clear model of his guitar technique Based on 12-bar blues (see Interlude A) AABA form typical of rhythm and blues and country and western music Guitar part borrows heavily from the country and western approach to guitar playing

The Platters was one of the most successful vocal groups

"Only You (and You Alone)" (rl p5, 1955) "The Great Pretender" (rl p1, 1955) "My Prayer" (r1 p1, 1956) "Twilight Time" (rl pl, 1958) "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes" (r3 p1, 1958)

Roy Orbison's first of nineteen pop hits came after signing with the independent Monument Label

"Only the Lonely (Know How I Feel)" went to number two in 1960 "Running Scared" (1961) "Crying" (1961) "Dream Baby (How Long Must I Dream)" (1962) "In Dreams" (1963) His biggest hit was "Oh, Pretty Woman": number one for three weeks in fall of 1964

Some Leiber and Stoller story songs

"Smokin' Joe's Cafe" Lyrics are in an AABA formal pattern Two verses develop the story—AA The singer is sitting in Smokin' Joe's Cafe A sexy woman sits next to him and starts to flirt very suggestively Patrons warn of her jealous boyfriend A bridge brings the action to a climax—B Joe comes out from the kitchen with a knife and orders the singer to finish the meal and get out A return of the verse serves as an epilogue—A The singer is never going there again "Down in Mexico" Same form as "Smokin' Joe's Cafe" First two verses describe a bar in Mexico The bridge (B) describes a sexy dancer entering the bar and doing a "dance I never saw before" Music appropriate for a stripper is used for this section, emphasizing conga drums The last verse advises the listener to visit the bar Leiber and. Stoller use Mexican sounding nylon-string guitars and percussion for authenticity This topic was acceptable in the rhythm and blues market but not for pop audiences "Little Egypt (Ying Yang)" (r16, p24, 1961) Similar scenario as "Down in Mexico" but set in a carnival with a belly dancer She wears "nothing but a button and a bow" and does "the hootchie-kootchie real slow" The twist is that in the end of the song, it turns out that she retired to marry the singer Tape manipulation is used to portray their children singing, sounding like Alvin and the Chipmunks The catch is that this immoral woman has cleaned up and joined the middle-class family ethic A clear representation of what the music industry was doing at this time—cleaning up the music

From 1958 to 1965 the Kingston Trio had ten top 40 pop hits recorded by major label Capitol Records

"Where Have All the Flowers Gone" 1962) "Reverend Mr. Black" (1963) Great success with album sales 1950s artists' successes were judged by sales of singles Jazz, classical, and now folk music were geared toward the album rather than singles Kingston Trio had nineteen top 40 albums from 1958 to 1964 Thirteen were in the top 10 Five went number one Their first album in 1958 lasted for 195 weeks on the charts

Bing Crosby

(singer becomes the big star for the first time) -Most important pop singer of 1930s and 1940s -Relaxed crooning style generated string of hit recordings -swinging on a star -white christmas -had successful film acting career

Pop Music in the early 1950s

-singer is out in front of the music-solo vocalist with instrumental background -wholesome songs are meant for family audience: children, their parents, and grandparents -Patti Page -how much is that doggie in the window (#1 for four weeks) -Les Paul and Mary Ford introduced the solid body electric guitar to their vocal duo style -Im sitting on top of the world -invented the solid body opposed to the hollow guitar

1920s shaped by world war I

10 million soldiers killed (100,000 americans) radical art movements arose in reaction to global political upheaval -literature -dance -music

Holly used more formal designs in his songs

12-bar blues structure AABA Simple verse-chorus Contrasting verse-chorus

1930s:shaped by the stock market crash of 1929

1930 26,000 business failed by 1932 25% jobless rate forced families into shantytowns -depression was both economic and psychological -saved everything

Eddie Cochran

1958 hit "Summertime Blues" Also appeared in The Girl Can't Help It Inspired Paul McCartney with his performance of "Twenty Flight Rock" in that film Killed in the 1960 auto accident in England in which Gene Vincent was injured

The cover and crossover trend followed a pattern based on economics

A black rhythm and blues artist would release a song recorded on a small indie label A major label (or larger indie label) would release a cover of that song The cover would usually be a white artist The cover would come out quickly after the original—sometimes during the same month Major labels had the distribution system and financial wherewithal to produce their recording quickly and get it out to a national audience Therefore, the major label cover would be more successful than the original indie product

Teenage romanticization of death

A number of songs dealt with the subject of teenage death and were products under Brill Building control An early example is the song "Teen Angel" (p1, 1960) by Mark Dinning Young couple's car stalls on the railroad tracks just as a train is approaching. They escape the car, but the girl goes back to the car to retrieve the boy's class ring and is killed Other songs that had similar lyric topics were released between 1960 and 1964 Ray Peterson's "Tell Laura I Love Her" (1960) Everly Brothers "Ebony Eyes" (1961) J. Frank Wilson and the Cavaliers "Last Kiss" (1964) Shangri-Las: 1964 hit "Leader of the Pack" In 1964 Jan and Dean's hit "Dead Man's Curve" predated Jan Berry's 1966 automobile accident Berry sustained serious injuries that ended his career

Songwriters competed to see who got the next cut

A song would be assigned to a group or artist to record the song Professional producer and session musicians put the recording together Song was then released by any one of several different record labels This was a way to organize and mass-produce pop music records Singers were not as important as they had been earlier and were replaceable Emphasis was on the songwriter, producer, and musicians who recorded the music No more temperamental songwriters No more lyrics that might offend middle-class taste or morals No more temperamental singers This is how music executives regained power over the performers

Performance rights organizations that collected royalties for songwriters were also key players

ASCAP (American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers) ASCAP members were conservative, having come up through the Tin Pan Alley heyday BMI (Broadcast Music Incorporated) BMI was a newer organization and aligned itself with rock musicians and songwriters

Brill Building was two things:

Actual location where professional songwriters created songs for their publisher-employers. A term for a particular set of business practices during this time.

Radio and records

Alan Freed and the rise of the disk-jockey in regional radio Freed was an announcer on a Cleveland clear radio station WJW Sponsored by Rendezvous Records who suggested Freed start a rhythm and blues show July 11, 1951, Freed started the Moondog show (his "on-air" name) Promoted rhythm and blues concerts Moved to station WINS in New York in 1954 Stopped using the name "Moondog" because a street person was known by that name Changed the name of his show to Rock and Roll Party Soon nationally syndicated Also broadcast in Europe

Post-WWII white middle-class teens were given fewer standards to comply with

Allowed to remain teenagers Given less responsibility This was historically unique More leisure time More spending money Middle-class made efforts to return to "normalcy" after wartime domestic disruption Focus on family Focus on children's health, education, and overall happiness White middle-class teenagers embraced rhythm and blues Knowing parents wouldn't approve of suggestive lyrics This could be children's form of social rebellion Allowed an alternative to assimilating into their parents' adult world culture

"Peggy Sue" is a clear example of holly vocal technique

Also 12-bar blues Changes the notes and rhythms in each of the verses Changes the timbre of his voice in each of the verses Sometimes producing the sound back in his throat and chest Sometimes through his nose

Rodgers was known as "The Blue Yodeler"—a rustic "back porch" image

Also known as "The Singing Brakeman"—a wandering hobo type of person

The dance craze

American Bandstand Adaptation of a rock and roll radio program to television Developed especially for teenagers in the 1950s A bunch of teenage kids assembled in the TV studio Current hit records played as the kids danced Special guests were featured "performing" (actually miming a performance) their recent hits Dick Clark replaced original host Bob Horn who debuted on the show in 1952 in Philadelphia The show went national on ABC in 1957 Highly controlled environment—no surprises due to "lip-synching" Lip-synching was the miming of a performance to a tape No possibility of a wrong note or musical mistake during the broadcast Practice of "lip-synching" ensured that the show maintained a consistent flow No flying piano benches or hip-swiveling sexual references

1940s shaped by world war II

American soldiers returned in triumph GI Bill allowed highest college enrollment ever -boom in birth rate (baby boomers born in 1950s) -Children in the 1950s would have more allowance money to spend on rock and roll

November 1959: House Special Subcommittee on Legislative Oversight began investigating payola

Arkansas Democrat Oren Harris chaired the committee The Federal Trade Commission got involved So did the Federal Communications Commission It wasn't illegal to pay to have records played Gift had to be acknowledged on the air Recipient had to declare it in their tax statements Two central figures became Dick Clark and Alan Freed Clark cooperated and came out well, appearing as a fine young entrepreneurial businessman Freed was defiant and claimed never to have accepted money for a song he didn't like already Freed is named of one of writers on songs he didn't write, but promoted to great success Case in point: Chuck Berry's "Maybellene"

Stoller had formal music training

Arrangements were often composed in advance Many of the saxophone solos were written out They developed close friendships with the Coasters, allowing them to change aspects of songs In the Drifters song "There Goes My Baby" an orchestra is used as one of the accompaniment tracks A forerunner to subsequent productions that combined classical elements with rhythm and blues Such musical arrangements were later referred to as "sweet soul"

Subsequent producers and artists would have these songs as models of creativity

Beatles Beach Boys Psychedelic era groups would explore this concept in more abstract ways An immediate response was the introduction of classical music timbres to rhythm and blues This was called "Sweet Soul"

The shift in the music business from instrumental to vocal music

Before WWII popular music was driven by instrumental music Big band era focused on mainly up-tempo dance-oriented instrumental recordings Vocals were only occasional and considered a secondary aspect of the music Frank Sinatra led the movement of focus being shifted to the singer-stylist 1950s rhythm and blues combined dance tempo music with vocals Musical accompaniment provided by small (not big) bands Elvis continued Sinatra's approach of making the interpretation of the song the primary focus Vocal groups used voices to fill in harmonic textures previously provided by big bands

Doo-Wop: urban vocal music

Began with competing street singers in urban neighborhoods Couldn't afford instruments so songs were sung a capella Doo-wop refers to nonsense syllables in the vocal arrangement Derived harmonic aspects of the music from church singing Solo singer against vocal group accompaniment AABA form derived from Tin Pan Alley style songs Compound meter: beats are divided into three equal parts instead of two

Classically oriented string section combined with rhythm and blues stylistic concepts was a new idea

Beginning is a vocal-harmony passage outlining a doo-wop chord progression (I - vi - IV - V) This is set against tympani and followed an ascending passage from four violins and a cello King enters in the chorus accompanied by the Drifters and a string counter melody The verse features a gospel style call-and-response passage between King and the strings This was a bold experiment, and was allowed only because Leiber and Stoller had great credibility

Singer and Big bands

Big band (4-10 or even 20-30) were dance bands that included: -rhythm section of bass, drums, piano, and guitar -horn section of trumpets, trombones, and saxophones -Big bands were led by permanent leaders who were instrumentalists -Benny Goodman -Tommy/Jimmy Dorsey -Glenn Miller -Singers were merely featured soloists-intended to add some variety toe act -(Jazz was for younger people)

Rock and roll gets tamed down during the beginning of the 1960s

Big corporations tried to domesticate rock and roll by introducing new concepts. 1. Teen idols 2. Girl groups 3. A re-vamped version of Tin Pan Alley using professional songwriters Employed by publishing companies located in the Brill Building. Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller rise to prominence as independent songwriter-producers. Phil Spector begins the "sweet soul" style built around girl groups.

Freed brought out movies about teens and rock and roll featuring popular artists

Bill Haley Chuck Berry Frankie Lymon Moonglows Plot was meant to showcase the artists' performances

Developed by Bill Monroe and His Blue Grass Boys during post-WWII period

Bill Monroe: mandolin and high vocal harmony Robert "Chubby" Wise: fiddle Lester Flatt: acoustic guitar and lead vocal Earl Scruggs: banjo First performed on the Grand Ole Opry in 1939—gained more popularity in the late 1940s Bluegrass music was used as theme music for television and moviesThe Beverly Hillbillies television show ("The Ballad of Jed Clampett") "Foggy Mountain Breakdown" from the film Bonnie and Clyde "Dueling Banjos" from the film Deliverance Virtuosic instrumental aspects of the music overshadow vocals Earl Scruggs developed a new technique called "three finger roll" Allowed for much more complex passages Elevated the banjo to new heights of virtuosic technique Inspired generations of musicians to follow his example Blues: rural (delta blues) and urban (rhythm and blues)

Magazines pointed out marketing trends in the music trade

Billboard Cashbox

Elvis continued the pop singer tradition started by earlier artists

Bing Crosby Frank Sinatra Tony Bennett

Cover versions controversy

Black artists resented white artists covering and outselling their records

Comparing Buddy Holly to Chuck Berry

Both are influential guitarists Berry influenced more by rhythm and blues with loud distortion Berry's frequent use of only lower strings for rhythm Berry's use of double notes and bending during solos Holly's influence by country and western playing with very clean electric guitar timbre Holly's use of full strum chords common to country and western rhythm guitar playing They were both influenced by country and western styles They were both influenced by rhythm and blues styles Both Chuck Berry and Buddy Holly are songwriters who wrote for a pop audience Berry wrote country-style story songs Both had a country twang in their vocals Holly had a vocal "hiccup" that became a trademark

Holly as a songwriter

Buddy Holly was most influential among later rockers as a songwriter Songs were happy and positive Important that he wrote those songs himself He was a model for many of the 1960s and 1970s rock singers

Phillips was an easygoing person and let musicians loosen up while he rolled tape

By July 1954 they finally came up with something Arthur "Big Boy" Crudup's "That's All Right (Mama)" B side was Bill Monroe's bluegrass song "Blue Moon of Kentucky"

Put Sun Records into the process of cultivating rockabilly artists

Carl Perkins Johnny Cash Jerry Lee Lewis Roy Orbison

Rockabilly at Sun Records after Elvis

Carl Perkins: guitarist-vocalist from Tennessee

Early Leiber and Stoller success came on the west coast rhythm and blues scene as songwriters

Charles Brown: "Hard Times" (r7, 1952) Big Mama Thornton: "Hound Dog" (r1, 1953) The Robins: "Smokin' Joe's Cafe" (r10, 1955) Wanting more control over the recording process, they formed Spark Records in 1953 in Los Angeles They often said, "We don't write songs, we write records" This removed pressure (or opportunity) for artists to go beyond realizing the plan in mind Leiber and Stoller usually knew what the record would sound like before they started

Creative control now in the hands of songwriters and producers rather than the singers

Chart success proved that the music industry had regained control of the music (and itself)

Important groups and songs in this style:

Chords: "Sh-Boom" (1954) The Five Satins: "In the Still of the Night" (1956) Controversy White middle-class parents disapproved of their teenage children's interest in this music Disapproval largely due to negative racial stereotypes Lyrics were often suggestive and sometimes blatant Hokum blues contained double-entendres When white artists covered rhythm and blues they cleaned up the lyrics or topic

The Brill Building and Aldon Publishing

Clear return to music publishing attitudes found in TPA. Power in the music industry was returned to seasoned music professionals. 1. Professional corporate music publishers 2. Professional songwriters 3. Professional producers and musicians.

"Don't Worry Baby": the 1964 Beach Boys hit produced by Brian Wilson

Clearly inspired by Phil Spector's production of "Be My Baby" Similar arrangement ideas fall into place at the same relative points in time Drumbeat beginning and verse melody over an eighth-note rhythmic chord figure The "Wrecking Crew" from the "Wall of Sound" productions are the backing musicians here The vocal call-and-response in the chorus closely resemble the vocals in "Be My Baby" A point of dissimilarity is that there is no string section The lyrics deal with drag racing rather a girl-group "teenage romantic longing" oriented topic A clear extension of production techniques begun by Leiber and Stoller and continued by Phil Spector

Jan and Dean (Jan Berry and Dean Torrance)

Close friends with the Beach Boys Series of hits during the early 1960s "Little Old Lady from Pasadena," "Surf City" (1963) co-written by Brian Wilson "Honolulu Lulu" (1963), "Drag City" (1963) "Ride the Wild Surf" (1964)

Folk Music

College-age young people needed something more substantial than mainstream pop Some became interested in jazz, blues, or classical The newest style to become popular on college campuses was folk music Folk music had been somewhat popular throughout the 1940s Woody Guthrie Pete Seeger Guthrie and Seeger played together with the Almanac Singers

Music business revolved around the song itself rather than a recording of a song

Common practice was to capitalize on whatever song was currently popular Record labels promoted their singers as stylists Therefore, singers like Frank Sinatra or Tony Bennett sold because of their individual styles White artists covering rhythm and blues songs made the songs in their own style These artists believed that their covers brought the songs to the white audience Black artists strongly disagreed and resented the practice of covering their songs for big profits

Western music in 1920s-1930s California and southwest

Connection with Hollywood movies about cowboys -Gene Autry was the first of the "singing cowboy" movie stars -Back in the saddle again -Roy rogers also very popular -Patsy Montana's "I Want to Be a Cowboy's Sweetheart" (1935) used Jimmie Rodgers-style yodeling Western swing

Television was introduced in the late 1940s

Corporate money and interest shifted from radio to television -many long running radio series moved to television -radio was the pass time because they couldn't afford anything else, such as tickets to ball game

Three styles were clearly established by the early 1950s and directed at specific audiences

Country and western Rhythm and blues Tin Pan Alley

Country and Western Music: two distinct regional styles until the late 1940s

Country music in 1920s-1930s southeast -nashville became the center for recording this type of music in late 1940s -Country music was found in southeast and Appalachia -(hill billie music) -Early examples -the carter family exemplify this early regional style-influenced by white gospel music -Roy Acuff and his crazy Tennesseans -included slide guitar in their sound

"Blue Suede Shoes" went to number two on the pop charts in 1956

Covered by Elvis on RCA First million-selling record for Sun "Honey, Don't" One of the first recordings with Sun This song and others were covered by the Beatles Influence on the Beatles, particularly George Harrison Career was set back when Perkins and his band were injured in an auto accident Signed with major label Columbia in 1957

Instrumental Surf Music—Dick Dale and the Del-Tones

Dale is most closely associated with the term instrumental surf music Made it clear that surfing was the most important part of his life Boasted that he would finish surfing, dry off, and step on stage Technique of rapid flutter picking on a string and running from high to low on the neck Dale claimed that was his way of recreating the sound of waves crashing around him One of his best-known songs was "Misirlou" (1962) Trademark rapid tremolo picking on the guitar A tune that had been a Greek pop standard in the 1940s Quick tempo with a rock rhythmic feel "Let's Go Tripping" #60 in 1961 Two months before the Beach Boys' release of "Surfin'" Other important instrumental surf music artists: Chantays "Pipeline" (1963) The Duals "Stick Shift" (1961) Surfaris: "Wipe Out" (1963) Duane Eddy "Rebel Rouser" (1958) Ventures "Walk, Don't Run" (1960)

Major labels at the beginning of the 1950s:

Decca Columbia Rca-Victor Mercury Capitol MGM Gospel music influence

Rhythm and blues artists often were paid a flat fee

Didn't get royalties that were usually paid to songwriters Their record companies were small-scale operations There was always the possibility that they would fold so money up front seemed better Therefore the only long-term beneficiaries were the label executives—who were white

Records were often reproduced in meticulous detail

Difference only that these covers were by white pop artists on another label Intent seemed to be to replace the black artists' recordings in charts, broadcast, and jukeboxes Pop music business executives watched rhythm and blues charts to get in on the next hit Rhythm and blues and rock and roll artists provided material for the pop market Black artists didn't reap the financial benefits of their recordings that they should have

The golden age of rock and roll: 1955-1960

Different from Tin Pan Alley, country and western or rhythm and blues Older generations viewed rock and roll as a threat Believed to encourage unacceptable moral practices These practices were associated with black culture Middle-class teenagers listening to the music in large numbers Lucrative market for record companies White teenagers embraced this as their own style

Doo-wop and crossover

Doo-wop is vocal group music originating in urban areas Based on singing styles developed by the Mills brothers and Ink Spots Also based on horn arrangements from big bands Groups often sang a cappella—without instrumental accompaniment

Major shifts in Elvis's image

Drafted into the army in 1958 Much happened in popular music during his absence Returned from army duty in Germany singing softer, more pop style songs By mid 1960, he was a pop song-stylist He had established himself in rock and roll but moved on

The "Wall of Sound" in this song is assembled gradually

Drums, claps, and castanets—swimming in reverb— create a sense of bigness from the first beat Lead vocal enters with the rhythm instruments (drums, piano, guitars, and bass) Background vocals and low saxophone enter in the second half of the verse Call-and-response vocals dominate the chorus, set against more driving drum rhythms Strings are added in the second chorus and continue into an instrumental interlude (half of a verse) The song finishes with repeats of the chorus, interrupted once by return of the drum intro

The recording was done on a three-track machine ("Wall of Sound")

Each track to be recorded separately First track had guitars, basses, pianos, and percussion and any other instruments needed Second track was all vocals Strings added last on the third track These three tracks were mixed to mono

Blues musicians moved to cities and formed combos

Electric guitars Bass Drums Harmonica They used microphones to amplify the vocals More organized structure because more than one person was involved By the early 1950s Chicago was the center of electric blues Records did not circulate far from the city where they were recorded Therefore blues remained much more regional than pop music of the same time period This is similar to what happened with country and western music at the same time Jump blues

Why would Sam Phillips sell Elvis's contract?

Elvis's polarity had put a huge strain on Sun Records Sam Phillips took advantage of Elvis's impending contract expiration By selling the contract he could invest back into the label

Robert Johnson

Enormous influence on rock guitarists of the 1960s Sang and accompanied himself on guitar Relaxed attitude toward meter and harmonic structure Extremely emotional vocal style His "Cross Roads Blues" (1936) is an excellent example of his style It was covered by Cream in 1968 Urban blues

Elvis Presley's success was due to RCA's major label level of marketing capabilities

Even though he was signed to their country division This signaled to other labels that they too should sign rock and roll artists The significance is that rock and roll would now become a part of pop mainstream

In 1968 he appeared in a "comeback" special signaling a return to stage performance

Excellent performance Intent was to reestablish rock roots

Spector was a perfectionist and demanded multiple takes and playbacks

Expensive to make because of musician costs Expensive to make because of studio time used Enormously successful because of the impressive result that would get released

The "first wave" of rock and roll performers included black performers and white performers

Fats Domino Little Richard Chuck Berry Elvis Presley Jerry Lee Lewis Bill Haley Buddy Holly

Black artists began to cross over in 1955

Fats Domino (Antoine Domino) from New Orleans Recorded on Imperial records based in Los Angeles Several early 1950s rhythm and blues hits "The Fat Man" (r6, 1950) "Goin' Home" (r1, 1952) "Something's Wrong" (r6, 1953) In 1955 "Ain't It a Shame" hits rhythm and blues #1 and pop #10 1955-1963 thirty-seven top 40 singles "I'm in Love Again" (rl p3, 1956) "Blueberry Hill" (r1 p2, 1956) "I'm Walkin'" (r1 p4, 1957)

Blackboard Jungle (1955) about teenage delinquency in an urban high school

Featured "(We're Gonna) Rock Around the Clock" Song was played over the opening credits Caused rock and roll to be associated with delinquency One of the top pop records of that year

The Elvis TV phenomenon (Performance Box 2.3)

First nationally televised performance: 6 episodes on Tommy and Jimmy Dorsey's The Stage Show in 1956 Didn't attract much attention On first show he performed Big Joe Turner's "Shake, Rattle, and Roll" and "Flip, Flop, and Fly" Week 2 he performed Little Richard's "Tutti Frutti" and "Baby, Let's Play House" Third week he performed "Heartbreak Hotel" with Jimmy Dorsey's orchestra and "Blue Suede Shoes" It took six shows for Elvis to get comfortable on camera

The Leiber and Stoller influence on girl-group songwriter-producers

First notable example is the song "Will You Love Me Tomorrow?" (1960) by the Shirelles Written and produced by Carole King and Gerry Goffin for Aldon Music Lyrics about teenage girls having to decide whether or not to engage in sexual intimacy Well-crafted, sensitive lyrics and orchestral accompaniment went over well with the public

Chuck Berry vocal style was influenced by country and western

Flamboyant performer—his "duck walk" during his solos became his trademark All in good fun. Not threatening to white listening audience Lyrics were directed specifically at teenage listeners "Roll over Beethoven" used classical music as a metaphor for conservative values Suggested that rock and roll would make Beethoven roll over in his grave "School Day"—school is the oppressive culture to rebel against Berry was careful to stay humorous and unthreatening "Maybelline" veils sexual innuendo through clever wordplay "Memphis" tricks the listener into thinking the woman he's calling is an adult—it isn't

Much of the folk movement appeal was the break from the middle-class ideals

Folk music triggered an upsurge in sales of acoustic guitars in the early 1960s It was simple music to sing and play That made it appear that it was for the common person This aspect also enhanced the importance of the lyrics

Acuff-Rose publishing company was a key element

Founded by Roy Acuff and songwriter Fred Rose in 1942 Didn't rely on printed music but rather recorded music 1946 Fred Rose signed Hank Williams as a songwriter Their 1950 pop hit "Tennessee Waltz" expanded their financial base and influence Hank Williams: the personification of 1950s country and western music -1948 began performing on the Louisiana Hayride radio show on KWKH in Shreveport -First important recording was a Tin Pan Alley song, "Lovesick Blues" -Joined the ranks of regulars on the Grand Ole Opry in 1949 Hank Williams's songs and singing style

Chess Records in Chicago

Founded in 1947 by Caucasian blues fans Phil and Leonard Chess Low-budget facilities and equipment Specialized in solo singers backed by small electric bands Howlin' Wolf: "Evil" (1954) Muddy Waters: "I Just Wanna Make Love to You" (1954) John Lee Hooker Little Walter Bo Diddley: "I'm a Man" (1955) Rough-edged emotion, expressive vocals, unpolished production Instrumental accompaniment combined technical skill with bravura General impression conveyed was simple honesty Adult-oriented lyrics This style of Chicago electric blues was not meant to appeal to white middle-class tastes

Atlantic Records black pop

Founded in 1948 by (white blues fans) Ahmet Ertegun and Herb Abramson Atlantic records songs were more polished—kept the singer out front Founded in 1948 by (white blues fans) Ahmet Ertegun and Herb Abramson Atlantic records songs were more polished—kept the singer out front Similar approach to the big band style when singers were featured performers Incorporated some of the big band harmony, rhythm, and instrumentation Singers were technically more polished Ruth Brown Big Joe Turner Clyde McPhatter Ray Charles Arrangements were more structured and controlled Less emphasis on instrumental solos

Buddy Holly (Charles Hardin Holley)

From 1957 to 1959 he had seven top forty hits "That'll Be the Day" (p1, 1957) "Peggy Sue" (p3, 1957) "Oh, Boy!" (p10, 1957) "Maybe Baby" (p17, 1958) Some hits became well known covers by other important artists "Not Fade Away" (Rolling Stones) "It's So Easy" (Linda Ronstadt) "Words of Love" (Beatles) Killed in plane crash on February 3, 1959 Last recordings employed string arrangements indicating shift toward mainstream pop sound "It Doesn't Matter Anymore" "True Love Ways"

WLAC in Nashville had more than one rhythm and blues disk-jockey

Gene Nobles John R. Richbourg Hoss Allen

Berry had enormous musical influence on rock and roll

Guitar style was one of the most imitated in all rock music Song structure based on 12-bar blues Two-string boogie-woogie alternation of a fifth / sixth Played above the chord root on low strings Frequent double stops in his solos: best example is "Johnny B. Goode"

Southern blacks learned to sing in church

Harmony ideas derived from gospel music Sacred song lyrics sometimes changed into secular black pop songs Good example: "I Got a Woman" by Ray Charles Caused controversy, considered blasphemous and/or a "sell out"

Some of the Orbison characteristics can be traced to other styles

He mimics Presley in "Oh, Pretty Woman" with an impromptu "mercy" and a growl His falsetto voice is drawn from doo-wop technique "Only the Lonely" backup vocals are drawn from doo-wop (da-da-da-dum-diddly-do-wah) Rhythm and blues style is apparent in some songs "Candy Man" (1961) "Mean Woman Blues" (1963)

Elvis was a cover artist

He was a master song-stylist who interpreted songs in compelling or engaging ways He had near total control over the songs he chose to record and release Sometimes recorded songs he was already familiar with Professional songwriters submitted songs to him

Bandstand was originally a radio show hosted by Bob Horn on WFIL AM in Philadelphia

He was asked to convert it to television in 1952 Emphasis on dancing Horn was replaced by Dick Clark in 1956 The show became very popular and was picked up by ABC and broadcast nationally in 1957

On Sept 9, 1956, he appeared on the season premiere of the Ed Sullivan Show

He was at that point the biggest music star in America Already working on his first movie (Love Me Tender) Paid $50,000 for three appearances TV cameras showed him only from the waist up

An important aspect of the Beach Boys records: Brian Wilson demanded to be the producer early in their career

He was influenced by Phil Spector's production sound He emphasized innovation in these efforts Early records were simply big sounding records Beginning in 1965 and 1966 he began incorporating impressive new ideas into the records

The payola scandal

Historical background goes back into the nineteenth century Common practice for publishers to pay those who could help advance the success of a song Early twentieth-century singers received payola to perform particular songs in their act Big band era bandleaders received it to play and record certain numbers During the 1950s disk-jockeys were paid off to play records on their radio shows

Elvis came in to record a demo recording in 1953

In 1954 Phillips asked him to record a couple of songs that needed a vocal: "It Wouldn't Be the Same Without You" and "I'll Never Stand in Your Way" Nothing happened with those, but Phillips decided to see what Elvis could do Asked guitarist Scotty Moore and bassist Bill Black to work with him and try things

The Day the Music Died—the two major setbacks that severely threatened rock and roll At the end of the 1950s, the most important and influential artists were out of the picture

In 1958 Little Richard left to become a Seventh Day Adventist minister Elvis received his draft notice and went to Germany in September 1958 May of 1958, the British press reported Jerry Lee Lewis's marriage to his thirteen-year-old cousin Buddy Holly's plane crashed on February 3, 1959 In 1959 Chuck Berry was charged with violating the Mann Act Transporting a minor across state lines for immoral purposes Overturned on appeal Tried again and convicted in February of 1961, serving two years

Freed's career was destroyed

In December 1962 Freed pleaded guilty to taking bribes He only received a six-month suspended sentence and a $300 fine The publicity caused all radio stations not to want to hire him

Tin Pan alley (back of alley had pianos in small rooms with song writers. windows open with pianos being banged on and sounded like tin pans) and the sheet music publishing industry

It was an area in new York City with high concentration of music publishing companies First half of twentieth century, sheet music was the principles way to sell music (primary way to make music) (anything black was called blues or colored music) -thousands of songs written by professional songwriters -Irving Berlin -Cole porter -George and Ira Gershwin -Jerome Kern

Folk music had a noncommercial sound and character

It was music for regular people, performed by regular people Performers seemed to represent the masses It was not pretentious Virtuosity and showmanship were avoided Lyrics focused on social issues That made lyrics more important than the performers' talents or appearance This alone was a strong contrast to the teen idol music of the pop mainstream

Leiber and Stoller were the first important production team

Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller began as songwriting partners for rhythm and blues songs They were extremely influential on other songwriters and songwriting teams Carole King and Gerry Goffin Shadow Morton Phil Spector

Country and Western Music: Two distinct styles until the late 1940s

Jimmy Rodgers: the first country music star

Indie (independent) labels worked at getting records into jukeboxes

Jukeboxes were popular in bars and restaurants Teens would hear new records on jukeboxes and go out and buy them

Independent labels had to pay everybody up front before a record was released for sale

Labels, sleeves, and the manufacture of the records themselves had to be paid for Distributors paid for records shipped to them only after the records had been sold There would be a delay of weeks or months before a producer got paid for records sold Eventually ongoing sales helped balance things out A big hit record is a financial puzzle for small independent labels They struggled to keep going until the money arrived

Mills brothers

Like andrews sister, their style was built on harmony vocal arrangements -Tiger Rag -Paper Doll -You always hurt the one you love

The reason indie labels and regional radio stations flourished:

Major labels were too conservative to be concerned with rhythm and blues Indie labels had to be creative and entrepreneurial to stay in the game The same held true for network radio, leaving a hole for regional stations to fill

These songs about death coincided with the end of the Brill Building control of popular mainstream music

Many of the songwriter-producer teams went off to form their own labels The arrival of the British Invasion in 1964 put an end to the way things were done

The new brand teen idols recorded hits on major and independent labels

Many were from Philadelphia Frankie Avalon: "Dede Dinah" (1958) and "Venus" (1959) Bobby Rydell: "Wild One" (1960) Freddy Cannon: "Palisades Park" (1962) Other teen idols: Bobby Vee: "Take Care of My Baby" (1961) Bobby Vinton: "Roses Are Red" (1962)

Leiber and Stoller had pioneered a new style that would later influence Motown producers

Medium-tempo rhythm section Fluid lead vocal melody Supported by doo-wop backup vocals Strings section counter melodies Other artists had hits using this formula Jerry Butler: "He Will Break Your Heart" (1960) and "Find Another Girl" (1961) Chuck Jackson: "I Don't Want to Cry" (1961) Also "Any Day Now (My White Beautiful Bird)" (1962)

Chuck Berry: blending rhythm and blues with country and western aimed at white youth

Met Leonard Chess at Chess records through Muddy Waters (a Chess artist) 1955: first hit for Chess was a country fiddle tune to which Berry wrote words—"Maybelline" Rhythm and blues #1 hit and crossed over to pop chart and went to #5 "School Day" (rl p3, 1957) "Rock & Roll Music" (r6 p8, 1957) "Sweet Little Sixteen" (rl p2, 1958) "Johnny B. Goode" (r2 p8, 1958)

Phillips licensed his recordings to other rhythm and blues labels

Modern Records in Los Angeles Chess Records in Chicago

American Bandstand defined and identified the new youth culture on a national level

Motion pictures also moved in this direction Films were made that focused on teen interests Beach movies featured teen idols Lots of dancing featuring the latest dance steps Films and television built a teen culture audience that would be in place when the Beatles arrived In 1960 a Clyde McPhatter song called "The Twist" was covered by Chubby Checker (Ernest Evans) Now rock and roll had been made more acceptable to adults Adults got interested in dancing "The Twist" There had to be some level of acceptance in order for rock and roll to continue to evolve Rock and roll could finally be considered a valid part of American culture

Important to note that the sincerity and authenticity of folk parallels the innocence of Brill Building songs

Music business marketing machinery was implemented in both cases Both styles contrasted the styles of the previous decade

The Kingston Trio became one of the most successful acts in popular music

Named after the Jamaican city because of Americans' fascination with calypso music Dave Guard, Bob Shane, and Nick Reynolds Recorded a traditional folk song called "Tom Dula" Renamed it "Tom Dooley" (1959) This success moved the folk music revival into the pop mainstream Polished three-part harmony and scripted spoken introduction They were pleasant to listen to and fit easily into the pop mainstream tastes

Southerners migrated north after the war to fill factory jobs there—bringing their music with them

Nashville as the headquarters of country and western music in the post-WWII years Country and western music business enterprises began moving there in the 1940s

At Aldon Music songwriting teams made demonstration records of their songs called demos

Neil Sedaka and Howie Greenfield Carole King and Gerry Goffin Quality was such that the demos were released as singles The success of "Will You Love Me Tomorrow?" spawned more black teenage female vocal groups Chantels Crystals Chiffons Cookies Dixie Cups Ronettes There were a few exceptions to this pattern The Exciters used one male "Are You Lonesome Tonight" was an Al Jolson song he covered The Angels were white Like the male teen idols, these singers were considered expendable and were frequently replaced

Performance box 3.1: American Bandstand

Networks versus independent broadcasters Television paralleled the trends in radio Major labels dominated the music played on network TV and network radio More conservative mainstream pop was preferred by more conservative advertisers Directed at more conservative middle-class tastes Independent record labels built affiliations with local radio and local TV Newer styles were presented on these programs Rhythm and blues, country and western, and, of course, rock and roll Popular local disk-jockeys were hired to appear on local TV shows dedicated to these styles of music Shows featured dancing, comedy, short films There were dozens of these local shows on the air during the 1950s

The Orioles had a crossover hit with "Cryin' in the Chapel"

One of the first doo-wop songs to cross over to the pop mainstream chart The Chords' "Sh'boom" was a hit for Atlantic Records in 1954

Buddy Holly (Charles Hardin Holley)

One of the first major rock and roll artists influenced by rhythm and blues, country and western, and the first wave of rock and roll performers Elvis Presley Little Richard Chuck Berry Actually spent time with Elvis and Little Richard Originally signed to Decca Records in Nashville Recordings and releases didn't go well Holly dropped from the label Formed a band, the Crickets, and recorded with independent producer Norman Petty in Clovis, New Mexico Crickets signed to Decca subsidiary Brunswick Records Holly signed as solo artist to Coral Records (also a Decca subsidiary)

Comparison of two versions of "Blowin' in the Wind"

Original by Bob Dylan Stark arrangement Guitar, vocal, and harmonica Performance of the vocal is rough and amateurish Clearly not suitable for a pop mainstream audience Sincere and authentic delivery are the strong points Peter, Paul, and Mary cover version Professionally sung Professionally played Professionally arranged by Milton Okun Strong aspects that would appeal to a pop mainstream audience Sincerity and authenticity are implied (or "applied") but convincing nonetheless

The Drifters on Atlantic records with Leiber and Stoller producing

Original lead singer was Clyde McPhatter The entire group was replaced by a group called the Crowns in 1958 Leiber and Stoller brought to produce a string of hits "Save the Last Dance for Me" (1960) "Up on the Roof" (1962) "On Broadway" (1963) "Under the Boardwalk" (1964) Ben E. King was fired from the Drifters in 1960 for complaining about low pay Leiber and Stoller offered to produce him on Atlantic "Stand by Me" (1964) "Spanish Harlem" (1961) written by Jerry Leiber and Phil Spector

Bill Haley and his Comets

Originally a disk jockey playing in a country-swing band named the Saddlemen Early in the 1950s Bill Haley and his Comets recorded "Rocket 88"—it flopped Haley's 1953 recording "Crazy Man Crazy" did better In 1954 Bill Haley and his Comets signed with major label Decca Released "Shake, Rattle, and Roll" that year "(We're Gonna) Rock Around Clock" also 1954 These two weren't big hits then—only charted on rhythm and blues charts "(We're Gonna) Rock Around Clock" used in the 1955 film Blackboard Jungle Became #1 pop hit for 8 weeks (r3) Nine more top 40 hits included "Burn That Candle" (r9 p9, 1955) and "See You Later, Alligator" (r7 p6, 1956)

The rise of the producer in pop music

Originally the producer worked for the record label The job title was A&R man Artist and repertoire Organize and coordinate the various professionals involved in making the record This applied to situations where the artist was within the mainstream pop area Early rock and roll artists and rhythm and blues artists came in self-contained Little or no need for any additional arranging or organizing of the recording Artists who wrote their own material (Chuck Berry or Buddy Holly) had a lot of control of the song

Fats Domino persona and musical style

Overweight and gentle nonthreatening demeanor Warm friendly personality Repeated triplet chords on the piano

Elvis Presley at Sun Records: the "Hillbilly Cat"

Owner Sam Phillips started Memphis Recording Service in 1950 Specialized in recording black blues musicians and singers Joe Hill Louis B. B. King Howlin' Wolf Roscoe Gordon Jackie Brenston and the Delta Cats 1951 rhythm & blues hit, "Rocket 88"

In 1955 Elvis took on a new manager, Colonel Tom Parker

Parker arranged a deal with RCA in Nashville to bring Elvis to a national level company Sam Phillips needed money to keep Sun Records going Parker set up a deal for RCA to buy Elvis's contract from Sam Phillips: $35,000 Also included was a $5,000 bonus for Elvis in back royalties Sam Phillips put the money into the label and a radio station he'd purchased

Teen idols

Pat Boone versus Elvis Elvis originally presented a rebellious image Pat Boone presented a clean-cut image This clean-cut image was the model for the teen idol records released in the early 1960s Teen girls would buy records by handsome young men singing tastefully about love These singers represented the "good boyfriend" image Sensitive and possessing proper morals that didn't include sexual activities Image was more important than singing abilities Some singers were laboriously coached through the session

There were three singers who wrote their own songs

Paul Anka: "Diana" (1957) Bobby Darin: "Dream Lover" (1959) Neil Sedaka: "Breaking Up Is Hard to Do" (1962)

June 5th return to Berle's show was different

Performed "Hound Dog" Didn't use his guitar for the first time Stage moves were noticeably sexual In the middle of the song he cut the tempo in half and thrust his hips in a very sexual way This was a popular show, and a large audience saw this and was shocked National press were highly critical and unkind

Peter, Paul, and Mary were assembled in 1961 to be a folk group that would appeal to the pop mainstream

Peter Yarrow Paul Stookey Mary Travers Successful string of hit songs in the early 1960s "Lemon Tree" (1962) "If I Had a Hammer" (1962) "Puff the Magic Dragon" (1962) "Blowin' in the Wind" (1963) Ten top 40 albums during the 1960s including two number one albums They supported the causes embraced by serious folk purists and gained acceptance with them

Roy Orbison

Singer-songwriter like Buddy Holly who wrote in a wide range of styles Known for his powerful operatic sounding voice and wide pitch range—particularly the tenor range First recording, "Ooby Dooby," was not one of his Recorded by Buddy Holly's producer, Norman Petty in Clovis, New Mexico That's where the Crickets began their recording career with Petty Signed with Sam Phillips at Sun Records in Memphis in 1956 Not any real success there Phillips re-recorded "Ooby Dooby" but it only reached #59 Signed with RCA in the late 1950s and was produced by Chet Atkins with no real success

"Be My Baby": the Ronettes' 1963 hit produced by Phil Spector

Phil Spector learned his craft from Leiber and Stoller The "Wall of Sound" concept was already developed and in use for earlier songs A select group of Los Angeles studio musicians were used consistently Known as the "Wrecking Crew" and functioned as a "house band" for Spector productions Drummer Hal Blaine Pianist Leon Russell Bassists Larry Knechtel and Carole Kaye Guitarists Glen Campbell and Barney Kessel The "Wall of Sound" concept was already developed and in use for earlier songs A select group of Los Angeles studio musicians were used consistently Known as the "Wrecking Crew" and functioned as a "house band" for Spector productions Drummer Hal Blaine Pianist Leon Russell Bassists Larry Knechtel and Carole Kaye Guitarists Glen Campbell and Barney Kessel

Phillips took it to Memphis disk-jockey Dewey Phillips to play on his Red, Hot, and Blue radio show

Phillips liked it and played it a lot of times Elvis and the other two musicians went on tour to promote the record They played the Grand Ole Opry (not received well) They were received well on the Louisiana Hayride show At first, Elvis was billed as a country and western performer

Jerry Lee Lewis

Piano player-singer Wild manic performance style similar to style of Little Richard Sensational appearance on the Steve Allen show Wild performance of "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On" Tossed the piano bench across the stage Record went to number one on country and western and rhythm and blues charts" Went to number two on pop chart Several hits crossed over to all three charts "Great Balls of Fire" (1957) "Breathless" (1958) "High School Confidential" (1958) Scandal devastated his career in the late 1950s On a tour in England he told the press that his wife was fourteen (she was actually thirteen) Journalists discovered that he had already been married twice Created a negative stereotype of the southern rock and roll musician

These trade magazines categorized the music into three kinds called "charts

Pop Rhythm and blues Country and western

The categories were based on buying patterns among consumers of music

Pop was based on white middle-class consumers Rhythm and blues on black consumers Country and western on rural and low-income white consumers

Johnny Cash

Popular on the Louisiana Hayride broadcasts "Folsom Prison Blues" was a hit on country and western charts "I Walk the Line" crossed over in 1956 reaching number seventeen on the pop chart Became a major figure in the country and western scene during the 1960s

Rockabilly pop: the Everly Brothers, Roy Orbison, and Ricky Nelson

Post-rockabilly artists with roots in country music Established through Brill Building-style business and production practices They were interested in staying on the pop mainstream side of lyric topics Noticeably more clean-cut than early Elvis, Jerry Lee Lewis, or Carl Perkins

The rise of youth culture in the 1950s

Previous generations assimilated into their parents' culture after high school

Tin Pan Alley style songs were dominated by three industries

Publishing Major record labels Radio and television Rhythm and blues became popular with the post-WWII youth culture Lyrics were cleaned up for radio so as to be more accessible to white audiences Cleaner lyrics on radio accounted for unimagined sales success for record labels

Big band with a cowboy twist

Radio dance band with rhythm section, horns, fiddles, steel guitar, and Mariachi trumpet parts Popularized by Bob Wills and his Texas Playboys (they were also in movies) "New San Antonio Rose" (1940) is an example of this style Bing Crosby's 1941 version further popularized the style Jimmie Rodgers: the first country music star

Sweet soul's roots in gospel music

Ray Charles set a gospel tune to secular lyrics in "I Got a Woman" (1954) Charles also used pop and country and western stylistic influences in his songs "Georgia in My Mind" (1960) "Hit the Road Jack" (1961) "I Can't Stop Loving You" (1962) "I Got a Woman" inspired record labels to look for gospel artists to turn into rhythm and blues artists Sam Cooke sang in a light pop style with noticeable elements of black music Cooke sang with the Soul Stirrers gospel group before he started singing pop music Clear tenor voice Frequent melodic embellishments sounding improvised Twenty-nine Top 40 singles from 1957-1965 "You Send Me" (1957) "Wonderful World" (1960) "Chain Gang" (1960) "Twistin' the Night Away" (another Twist record) (1962) "Another Saturday Night" (1963) Gospel music community didn't approve of their singers singing secular music

Movies appeared with rebellious themes

Rebellious young people who rebelled for the sake of rebellion The Wild One (1953) starring Marlon Brando Rebel without a Cause (1955) starring James Dean

Charles Eugene "Pat" Boone (actual descendant of Daniel Boone)

Recorded on Nashville indie label Dot Records During the 1954-1959 period Boone scored thirty-two Top 40 hits including Fats Domino's "Ain't It a Shame" (renamed "Ain't That a Shame") Number one for two weeks in the fall of 1955 Little Richard's "Tutti Frutti" (p12, 1956) and "Long Tall Sally" (p8, 1956) Boone's covers usually outsold the original rhythm and blues artists' records Many other original hits during the same period "Don't Forbid Me" (p1, 1956) "Love Letters in the Sand" (pl, 1957) "April Love" (p1, 1957) Polite, clean-cut personal image Continued the pop style established by Frank Sinatra and Eddie Fisher Helped establish rock and roll as a valid part of the mainstream in the last half of the 1950s

Little Richard (Richard Wayne Penniman): the most flamboyant 1950s performer

Recording on Hollywood's Specialty records "Tutti Frutti" topped the rhythm and blues charts in late 1955 Hit #17 on the pop charts Nine top forty hits included "Long Tall Sally" (rl p6, 1956) "Keep Knockin'" (r2 p8, 1957) "Good Golly, Miss Molly" (r4 p10, 1958)

April 30, 1956 he appeared on the Milton Berle Show

Repeated his combination of "Heartbreak Hotel" and "Blue Suede Shoes" Appeared in a comedy skit with host Berle—it went fine

Major labels controlled the pop market, so indie labels concentrated on the remaining styles

Rhythm and blues Country and western

The characteristics of Elvis's vocal style are drawn from many sources

Rhythm and blues singers like the Drifters Crooning in the tradition of Frank Sinatra or even Bing Crosby RCA intended to bring Elvis to a more adult audience This was aided by his move into making motion pictures He was signed to their country and western division (a style with more adult themes than youth themes)

Ricky Nelson: real-life TV son and one of the first true teen idols

Ricky Nelson grew up in a show business family Father was big band leader Ozzie Nelson Ozzie and wife Harriet had a TV show in 1952 (adapted from a radio show from 1949) Rickey played himself in both productions After beginning a singing career at age 17 in 1957 he performed on the TV show Nelson's singing and performance style closely paralleled Elvis and Gene Vincent He maintained a more clean-cut image that put him more in line with the Everly Brothers

Problems created by the emergence of rock and roll during the 1950s

Rock and Roll posed a threat to the music business old guard. Wrong people had been in control: Musicians, Disk-jockeys, independent record labels These members of the industry were shaken by the payola scandal They were considered irresponsible and inconsistent--too many things unpredictable happening beyond control of big companies and too much free will.

Started Sun Records in 1952 as his own real record label recording more blues artist

Rufus Thomas Little Junior Parker Little Milton The Prisonaires (a singing group from the Tennessee State Penitentiary)

Aldon Publishing is one of the most prominent and successful publishing companies of the early 1960s

Run by Al Nevins and Don Kirschner The office had many small rooms with a piano for songwriters who worked all day there Songwriter teams had a job: write new pop songs Carole King and Gerry Goffin Cynthia Weill and Barry Mann Neil Sedaka and Howard Greenfield Jeff Barry and Ellie Greenwich Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman

Girl groups had great popularity and a lot of hit records from 1960 to 1964

Shirelles "Soldier Boy" (1962) Crystals "He's a Rebel" (1962) Chiffons "He's So Fine" (1963) and "One Fine Day" (1963) Angels "My Boyfriend's Back" (1963) Dixie Cups "Chapel of Love" (1964)

Rockabilly artists on other labels Gene Vincent

Signed to Capitol Records Best remembered of three top 40 hits was "Be BOP a Lula", number seven in 1956 Appeared in the 1956 rock and roll film The Girl Can't Help It Popular in England Injured in an auto accident in England in 1960

Everly Brothers (Don and Phil)

Sixteen top 40 hits from 1957 to 1960 with independent label Cadence records Seven more with Warner Brothers Records from 1960 to 1964 Early success built on Nashville music business machinery Manager was Wesley Rose (his father managed Hank Williams and co-founded Acuff-Rose music) Musicians on their records were top-flight "A Team" Nashville session musicians Early hits written by Felice and Boudleaux Bryant songwriting team (Acuff-Rose writers) Strong musical elements inspired by rhythm and blues and country and western Steel string jumbo acoustic guitars in forceful strumming introduction The actual chords are rhythm and blues derived Tightly controlled close-knit harmony duo vocals blend perfectly (They're brothers!) Influenced the vocal styles of the Beatles—particularly Lennon and McCartney Also Simon and Garfunkel Also the Hollies— featuring singer-songwriter Graham Nash Nash left the Hollies and joined David Crosby (Byrds) and Stephen Stills (Buffalo Springfield)

Sweet Soul

Some black singers had had been on the pop charts since the mid 1950s They recorded easy-listening pop ballads similar to other mainstream-pop song stylists Nat King Cole: "Send for Me" (1957) "Looking Back" (1958) Johnny Mathis: "It's Not for Me to Say" (1957) "Chances Are" (1957) "Misty" (1959) The Drifters' "There Goes My Baby"—a prototype for a new, softer black pop: sweet soul Lead singer was Ben E. King Clearly influenced by Sam Cooke

Louis Jordan and the Tympani Five

Some of his songs became popular on the pop charts "GI Jive" (1944) "Caldonia Boogie" (1945) "Choo Choo Ch'boogie" (1946) The Jordan approach to blues Dance tempos and rhythms found in big band Reduced instrumentation: rhythm section and his saxophone Upbeat humorous lyrics and stage antics Influenced groups like the Coasters and Chuck Berry Blues and the music business How the radio business works in conjunction

National exposure caused less distinction among these styles of mainstream pop

Styles that remained regional were country and western and rhythm and blues

Independent record labels opened specializing in rhythm and blues

Sun Records in Memphis Chess Records in Chicago King Records in Cincinnati Atlantic records in New York City Independent record labels were small operations Not capable of national distribution Capitalized on major labels' lack of interest in black music Radio capitalized on television's lack of interest in black music Radio and independent labels supported each other

Two distinctly contrasting styles emerged marketed at the two distinctly different age groups

Teen idols with nonsexual songs about romance and dancing were directed at the younger teens. Folk music with focus on social, political, and cultural issues was directed at the older audience.

The Beach Boys Signed with Capitol Records in 1962 and released twenty-four top 40 hits by 1967

Ten of those were in the top 10, and two were #1 "Surfer' Safari" (1962) "Surfin' U.S.A." (1963) "Surfer Girl" (1963) "Be True to Your School" (1963) "Fun, Fun, Fun" (1964) "I Get Around" (1964) the B-side, "Don't Worry Baby," went to # 24 They felt a strong sense of competition with the Beatles (distributed in the U.S. by Capitol records)

California entered the picture in a big way with vocal and instrumental surf music

The Beach Boys Three brothers, a cousin, and a high school friend Brian Wilson—lLeader, and eventually producer, vocals, bass, and keyboards Carl Wilson—lead guitar and vocals Dennis Wilson—drums and vocals Mike Love—vocals Al Jardine—guitar and vocals Early songs were influenced by Chuck Berry and white vocal groups like the Four Freshmen Music that seemed devoted to teenage summer fun: surf music "Surfin'": a regional hit single in late 1961 written by Brian Wilson on indie label Candix

Box 2.1 Reading the Chart Numbers

The Billboard chart is the reference for this book The rhythm and blues chart is represented by the letter "r" followed by the position and the year (r3, 1955) means that a song reached number three on the rhythm and blues chart in 1955 The pop chart is represented by the letter "p" followed by the position and the year (p4, 1958) means that a song reached number four on the pop chart in 1958 The country and western chart is represented by the letter "c" followed by the position and the year (c6, 1957) means that a song reached number six on the country and western chart in 1957 British chart positions are represented by the letters "uk" followed by the position and the year (uk3, 1955) means that a song reached number three on the British chart in 1955

Spector introduced another production innovation in late 1964

The Righteous Brothers "You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling" Written by Jeff Barry, Ellie Greenwich, and Spector Two statements of the verse and chorus sections Then a bridge with a contrasting rhythmic feel Similar to some middle sections from Coasters records produced by Leiber and Stoller Impact of these innovations was license to explore the sound potential of pop music

Elvis had several regional hits recorded at Sun

The biggest deal in the history of popular music up to that time

American Bandstand remained on the air until well after the appearance of MTV in the 1980s

The dancing Always present in rock and roll was reference to dancing—the codeword for sex American Bandstand was heavily focused on dancing In 1960 a Clyde McPhatter song called "The Twist" was covered by Chubby Checker (Ernest Evans) Featured on American Bandstand, the song began a new craze centered on new dance steps including The fly The fish The mashed potato Spin-off hits were triggered by the success of "the Twist" (1960) Chubby Checker: "Let's Twist Again" (1961) Joey Dee: "The Peppermint Twist" (1962) The original record rose again to number one in 1962

By the end of the 1950s songs that did not have vocals were considered "novelty" songs

The development of production techniques in the 1950s and 1960s shows the importance of record producers "There Goes My Baby": the Drifters' important 1959 hit produced by Leiber and Stoller Leiber and Stoller were the most important producers in the early stages Written by Ben E. King (aka Benjamin Nelson) Credited to Benjamin Nelson, Lover Patterson, George Treadwell, Jerry Leiber, and Mike Stoller Others probably get writer credit as compensation for their services

Elvis Presley

The first artist to repeatedly have hits on all three charts The first rock and roll artist to gain the attention and interest (and investment) of a major label (RCA) When signed to RCA in 1955, the company started the actions that brought rock and roll into pop mainstream Elvis's youth was spent in a simple humble way among simple common people

Good part of the emergence of Rock and Roll during the 1950s

The identification of the youth market and money that could be made from it The process of creating and marketing music needed tight control.

Phil Spector and the "Wall of Sound"

The most ambitious producer of the early 1960s The most important producer of girl-group pop using the "Wall of Sound" production approach Crystals: "Doo Doo Ron Ron" (1963) and "Then He Kissed Me" (1963) Lead vocals of Darlene Love Ronettes "Be My Baby" (1963) featuring Veronica Bennett Recorded at Gold Star Studios in Los Angeles Spector demanded total control of the recording process Wanted his records to have a signature sound

Spector developed an approach to production that he called "the Wall of Sound."

The production was the star of the record Sound came from recording an enormous number of instruments in a relatively small space Often several guitars, pianos, basses, and drum sets in one room Blended together into a monophonic backing track Vocals were layered over this mono backing track Strings added to finish it off Spector called these singles "teenage symphonies"

Two ways that a song can cross over to another chart:

The record sales can generate a chart position on another chart For instance, a pop song becomes popular among country and western listeners, who buy enough copies of the record to generate a chart position on the country and western chart A different artist can record a new version of the song specifically for a particular listening audience When a different artist records a new version of a song it is called a "cover"

Leiber and Stoller also wrote songs with a social commentary viewpoint

The song "What About Us" (r17, p47, 1959) is a thinly veiled comment on racial inequality In "Run Red Run" (r29, p36 1960) a man teaches a monkey how to play poker The monkey figures out that his owner is cheating He chases the man with a gun, robs him at gunpoint, and leaves with his suit and belongings On the surface it's a comedy but the message is about exploitation of blacks in American culture

1959-1963 is a time of transition

The teens who embraced the first wave defined by Elvis and Little Richard were now young adults. They comprised one of two markets: 1. One meant for them as college-age former rockers 2. Teens a few years younger (age-group of their younger siblings) constituted other market

The Everly Brothers' lyrics address teenage issues and pop sentiments having to do with romance and dating

Their first release, "Bye Bye Love": Top 10 all three charts in 1957 Country and western #1 Pop #2 Rhythm and blues #5 Consistent stream of hits "Wake Up, Little Susie" in 1957 (number one in all three charts) "All I Have to Do Is Dream" in 1958 (number one in all three charts) Both were songwriters and they wrote several of their own hits "'Till I Kissed You" (1959) - Don "Cathy's Clown" (1960) - Don "So Sad to Watch Good Love Go Bad" (1960) - Don "When Will I Be Loved" (1960) - Phil (later covered by Linda Ronstadt)

The Beach Boys Early songs relied on straightforward rock and roll melodies, guitar sounds, and chord progressions

Their strong point was exceptional vocal abilities and talent for blending their voices: "Surfin' U.S.A." is clearly a reworked version of Chuck Berry's "Sweet Little Sixteen" Clever vocal parts include the falsetto hook, "Everybody's gone surfin'" Backup vocals are "ooh" and multi-voiced harmonization of "inside, outside, USA" Portable electronic organ solo—actually chords with a top voice implying a melody Guitar solo mimics Chuck Berry blues-based solos The melody is Berry's direct from "Sweet Little Sixteen" Ballads demonstrate impressive compositional skill and performance techniques: "Surfer Girl" "In My Room"

The Sun recordings are the template for the "rockabilly" style

They feature production aspects pioneered by Sam Phillips Elvis recordings did not include drums Elvis playing acoustic rhythm guitar Bill Black on acoustic string bass Scotty Moore's electric lead guitar playing style was influenced by Chet Atkins Warm reverberation "Slapback echo" was a rapid return echo

Independent record labels were a major influence in promoting rock and roll

They had small budgets and few distribution contacts beyond their local region Set up cooperative deals with each other to distribute in other regions Developed rapports with local disk-jockeys to encourage airplay of their records Disk-jockeys received "gifts" in exchange for playing records Gifts included cash, gifts, and entertainment

Leiber and Stoller pack up and move to New York's Atlantic Records

They had three rhythm and blues hits with the Robins in Los Angeles Atlantic offered them producer positions They retained independent status Allowed to work with artists on other labels if they wanted to A unique situation for that time In 1956, Elvis Presley covered their song "Hound Dog" and it reached number one, Other songs written for Presley included "Jailhouse Rock" (1957) "Don't Be Cruel" (1958) They worked with Atlantic throughout the 1950s with several Atlantic artists The Coasters (formerly the Robins with two of four members replaced to go to New York) The Coasters songs were musical "playlets" that often told a humorous story These were inspired by Broadway and radio plays The very first one, "Riot in Cell Block #9" inspired by a radio show called Gangbusters "Yakety Yak" (1958) and "Charlie Brown" (1959) poked fun at teen situations

As the music business executives assumed more power, producers became specialists

They handled the details of the recording process They, not the artist, had the responsibility for how the record turned out During the 1950s the sound was meant to be that of a documentation of a live performance Producers began to put their individuality into the process by including their own tastes into the record They drew from their own experiences with music styles They incorporated outside elements into the process, like theater and classical music ideas

Folk music and the artists singing it addressed issues that concerned less fortunate members of society

They openly advocated social change toward what was considered left-wing political ideals They came under fire during McCarthy era anti-communist investigations Weavers were blacklisted because of their affiliations with the American Communist Party During the 1950s folk music withdrew from political causes It became popular with college-age audience Folk artists returned to political idealism centered on the civil rights movement

Commercial radio stations are supported by money from advertisers

They sponsor programs that are suited to an audience that would buy the sponsor's products The early 1950s pop audience had shifted from radio to television—this was good Inventive radio executives tried broadcasting styles of music other than pop Country and western music Blues Black audiences grew in urban areas during the 1940s Creating a market in cities for radio stations playing music that blacks liked Creating a market in cities for products that blacks liked Informing blacks of advertisers that wanted their business Due to racial segregation in those times, that was helpful information Because it was broadcast, white listeners (particularly teens) could hear it too Post-WWII independent record labels

Leiber and Stoller were remarkable: they captured the essence of and wrote about black life and culture

They were white. They say they thought they were black but it turned out that they were wrong.

The new approach became to see what could be created inside the recording studio

This approach became the new way to create music by using the studio as a workbench This became the way the Beach Boys worked Even more important, the Beatles Then, pretty much everyone after that

It is possible (and not uncommon) for a song to be both a cover and a crossover

This phenomenon was less common in the years from 1950 to 1953. Only about 10% of songs crossed over from one chart to another chart Beginning in 1954 25% of the rhythm and blues records began to cross over By 1958 that figure was 94%

The split in the folk music world

Two factions became clear in the early 1960s Traditional folk music and the roots from which it sprang Polished commercial-oriented folk groups aligned with the pop mainstream The Kingston Trio represented the latter, more commercial side due to the high sales numbers Other groups followed their style with clean, precise vocal arrangements and well played accompaniment The Highwaymen: "Michael Row the Boat Ashore" (1961) The Rooftop Singers: "Walk Right In" (1963) The New Christy Minstrels: "Green Green" (1963) These groups were considered too pop mainstream for folk music purists Purists claimed that folk music had to remain simple and rustic to maintain its integrity Folk singers like Joan Baez and Bob Dylan belonged to this purist group

The rise of radio networks in the 1920s

Up until 1945 records were not played on radio -Considered unethical-that the station was trying to fool listeners -was a positive environment for musicians-more work for them (when it was live you would hear multiple people sing the same song) -Wide spectrum of network shows broadcast during the 1930s and 1940s -soap operas (advertised by soap company thats why soap opera) -the guiding light (began in 1937) -superman -the lone ranger

During the late 1940s black disk-jockeys began to become popular

Vernon Winslow ("Doctor Daddy-O") in New Orleans Lavada Durst ("Doctor Hepcat") in Austin William Perryman ("Piano Red" and "Doctor Feelgood") in Atlanta Al Benson in Chicago Jocko Henderson in Philadelphia Tommy Smalls ("Doctor Jive") in New York

Rhythm and blues radio shows were initially targeted at a black audience

White teens were listening as well

Little Richard (Richard Wayne Penniman):

Wild performance style Sometimes-manic singing (and even screaming) Aggressive piano pounding Strong driving beat in the rhythm section Played with one leg propped up over the keyboard of the piano Strong contrast to Fats Domino The first rock performer to wear makeup Highly suggestive lyrics left nothing to guesswork "Good golly, Miss Molly/you sure like to ball" ("Good Golly Miss Molly") "I got a girl named Sue, she knows just what to do" ("Tutti Frutti") White artists covered his songs with cleaned up lyrics They outsold Little Richard's original recordings Rhythm and blues hits were covered by white artists with cleaned up lyrics Rhythm and blues hits frequently focused on sexual innuendo Joe Turner's hit "Shake, Rattle, and Roll" "(We're Gonna) Rock Around the Clock" Dominoes' "Sixty Minute Man" (r1, 1951) Ruth Brown's "5-10-15 Hours" (rl, 1952) Ravens' "Rock Me All Night Long" (r4, 1952) Midnighters with Hank Ballard "Work with Me, Annie" (rl, 1954) Midnighters with Hank Ballard "Annie Had a Baby" (rl, 1954) Georgia Gibbs' "Dance with Me Henry" was a #2 pop hit Often lyric references to sex were replaced with references to dancing White artists covered these and many others with less offensive lyrics

Bandstand becomes American Bandstand

Within a month it was the top rated daytime television show in America Continued to be produced in Philadelphia Dick Clark given an unusual amount of freedom to pick songs he wanted on the show Clark presented a balanced amount of black and white performers This helped soothe racial tensions in a unique way by approaching it from the young person's viewpoint

popular music styles were associated with geographic regions

certain styles of music were popular in certain regions of the country people played instruments themselves or went to live performances many americans could read sheet music or play by ear rock and roll has roots in three styles of music mainstream popular music rhythm and blues country and western

1920s

economically booming at the time

Television grew, radio audiences diminished

local and regional radio executives became creatively entrepreneurial -country and western music styles -rhythm and blues music styles -(when television became more prominent the other styles of music became more popular because the radio was more available.

Frank Sinatra

like Bing Crosby, he broke away from being a big band featured singer and went solo -establighsed the singer as the star of the show, setting the stage for future rock singers a great example of his singing style is "Ive got crush on you (1948) (Ive go you under my skin)

1930 and 1940 were a golden age for motion pictures

music was an important part of motion pictures -motion pictures played to audiences across the country (music wasn't necessarily written with a movie but just played what sounded good)

World of mainstream pop before 1955

national versus regional

1920s: emergence of jazz in america

new style based on large ensembles -Louis Armstrong -Duke ellington -Glenn Miller Inspired a sense of free spirited attitude -strong rhythms -jagged melodies -Big sound

Superstation broadcasts of country and western music

o Radio stations began broadcasting country music in the 1920s • Atlanta • Ft. Worth • Nashville Launched the Grand Ole Opry in 1925 • Chicago broadcast the National Barndance, going national in 1933 on NBC • NBC began a coast to coast broadcast of WSM's Grand ole opry in 1939.

Country Music during WWII

o Soldiers stationed together shared music interests-especially country country and western western music o Country and western western music became the most popular style among the Armed Forces o Southerners migrated North after the war to fill factory jobs there-bringing their music with them o Nashville was the headquarters of country and western music in the post-WWII years

early post-nineteenth century american culture was regional

people were conditioned by immediate surroundings less travel (60 miles) less access to national and world news (paper and radio) popular music styles were associated with geographic regions

emergence of large scale entertainment media

radio was only regional until 1928(then went national) -NBC went "coast to coast" in 1928 with a national radio network.

World before rock and roll

return of normalcy elvis most controversial tv show

1930s-1940s national network programming made some pop styles more national that others

target audience was middle class with their appreciation for certain artists -bing crosby -andrews sisters -big bands -frank sinatra

Tin pan alley era focused on marketing the song itself

the goal was to get as many different singers as possible to record the song their own way -the more versions, the more royalties for the songwriter and the publisher. -(random person would come in and sing a new song in the middle of a broadway musical. If the audience liked the song then it would be turned into a musical)

1920s shaped by world war I

the great war horrific devastation incongruous combination of modern warfare and old world strategy armored vehicles, poison, gas, soldiers on horseback armed with swords, birth year of rock and roll 1955