What's That Sound - Chapter 2

How was Buddy Holly influential as a songwriter?

He wrote in multiple forms and had a broader stylistic range than other rock and roll songwriters.

Elvis's first single for RCA was:

Heartbreak Hotel

Although he covered many rhythm and blues songs, ________ played a central role in establishing rock and roll in mainstream pop in the 1950s.

Pat Boone

radio show hosted by Alan Freed

The Moondog Show

crossover success for Jerry Lee Lewis

Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On

A crossover song is

a song or record appearing on multiple music charts

Gene Vincent and Eddie Cochran were particularly popular with

audiences in England

Early in his career, Elvis was marketed as a:

country and western artist

The practice of payola involved

creating business friendships with disc jockeys by offering gifts

Elvis is often thought of as a song stylist because he:

did not write his own songs but chose which material he would record

Along with Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and Little Richard were killed in the same plane crash.

false

Cover versions of rhythm and blues songs by white artists very rarely performed better on the pop charts than the rhythm and blues originals.

false

Elvis is best thought of as a master songwriter who wrote in a variety of pop genres.

false

Elvis's recordings with RCA helped establish a style that came to be called "rockabilly."

false

It was a common practice for major record labels to watch the country and western charts for hits and then cover those songs for the pop market.

false

Which of the following statements about Buddy Holly is FALSE?

he was a cover artist

The country and western chart was originally called

hillbilly

The emergence of rock and roll in the 1950s can be attributed to the relationship between DJs and

indie record labels

The "whitening" of rhythm and blues was marked by

lyrics changed to dance references instead of sexual innuendos

Which of the following was a trademark of Little Richard's music?

maniacal singing

The congressional hearings on the payola scandal focused on

radio stations that played rock and roll

Whom did BMI represent during the payola scandal?

rock and roll and other songwriters rejected by ASCAP

All of the following are elements of Chuck Berry's music EXCEPT

songs geared toward adult black listeners

As a song, "Roll Over Beethoven" celebrates:

teenagers listening to rhythm and blues

The success of crossover artists significantly reduced

the crossover potential of the original artists

Whom did ASCAP represent during the payola scandal?

traditional pop songwriters

Before Elvis signed a major record deal, major labels were NOT interested in rock and roll.

true

Both Buddy Holly and Chuck Berry wrote music that was intended for a pop audience with influences of country and western and rhythm and blues.

true

Both independent and major record labels used payola.

true

Fats Domino, Chuck Berry, and Little Richard were all artists recorded on independent labels.

true

Most of rock's originators and many of the independent labels they worked for were out of the music business by 1960.

true

To many teenagers, Alan Freed was the father of rock and roll.

true

White artists covering Little Richard's music left out much of the sexual innuendo in his lyrics.

true

"That'll Be the Day" was the first hit for

Buddy Holly

All of the following were artists with Sun Records EXCEPT

Buddy Holly

________ often performed a trademark "duck walk" during guitar solos.

Chuck Berry

Alan Freed began his career in:

Cleveland

Elvis Presley's manager

Colonel Tom Parker

How was Elvis's image and music used to appeal to a wider audience?

Elvis's image as a patriotic soldier and his recording of a broader range of musical styles were used to appeal to a wider audience.

To which independent label was Little Richard signed?

Specialty

Which of the following was NOT a major record label in the 1950s?

Sun

Which song was the first million-selling single for Sun Records?

"Blue Suede Shoes"

The song ________ helped launch Elvis Presley's career at Sun Records.

"That's All Right Momma"

original marketing term for rhythm and blues

"race" records

the American Society of Composers, Artists, and Performers

ASCAP

received coauthor credit for the song "Maybellene"

Alan Freed

Two high-profile individuals associated with the payola scandal were

Alan Freed and Dick Clark

The Rock and Roll Party was

Alan Freed's radio show in New York

All of the following are examples of crossover artists EXCEPT

Big Joe Turner

Who took control of American popular music as the first wave of rock and roll ended?

Big record companies and music publishers

Which 1950s movie featured Bill Haley's "(We're Gonna) Rock around the Clock"?

Blackboard Jungle

female rockabilly singer

Brenda Lee

Explain why the act of payola was NOT deemed an illegal activity.

FCC rules require that gifts must be acknowledged on air and any money received must be claimed on income tax forms, but these rules do not restrict the exchange of money and gifts for airtime.

Little Richard's aggressive piano playing and "wild man" image were a direct contrast to:

Fats Domino

Why did Sam Phillips sell Elvis's contract?

He needed the money to keep Sun Records afloat.

Explain how payola was beneficial to indie record labels as well as independent radio stations.

It gave indie record labels more recognition and helped independent radio stations compete with local affiliates and national networks.

Which Sun Records singer was dubbed the "female Elvis"?

Janis Martin

The first rock and roll artist to cultivate the "wild man" persona was

Little Richard

________ was probably the most flamboyant performer in the early years of rock and roll.

Little Richard

Chuck Berry's first hit on Chess Records

Maybellene

All of the following events affected the first wave of rock and roll EXCEPT

Pat Boone having the first rock-and-roll hit song

Elvis Presley's contract was bought by:

RCA Records

________ was a regional radio show in Memphis hosted by Dewey Phillips.

Red hot and blue

The "slapback echo" was a rockabilly feature pioneered by ________.

Sam Phillips

Who started Sun Records in Memphis?

Sam Phillips

song originally performed by Big Joe Turner

Shake, Rattle, and Roll

What is the purpose of music-industry periodicals such as Cashbox and Billboard?

They helped industry professionals track the music business and helped predict trends in music sales.

Why did rhythm and blues artists often opt for a flat fee for their recordings?

They traveled a lot to perform and the record companies were financially fragile.

trademark of Buddy Holly

vocal hiccup

As a result of the payola scandal, Alan Freed:

was run out of the music business