Rock and Roll Midterm
Rock and roll was drawing huge audiences of both whites and blacks, showing an interconnection between early rock and roll and the push to end racial segregation
) Brackett 25: What is the connection between Rock and Roll and the controversy caused by legislation such as ''Brown vs. the Board of Education?''
a ''blue'' note or ''bent'' note
A note that is ''between'' the notes of a standard scale, often approached by sliding the voice or bending a string, is often used in blues, gospel, and R&B styles. This kind of note is called ______.
Buddy Holly
According to many rock historians, including both your textbooks, this artist is often considered to be stylistically the great transitional figure between the 1950s and 1960s.
Bill Haley and the Comets
Big Joe Turner's R&B hit ''Shake, Rattle & Roll'' was covered the same year (1954) by the following early rock and roll group, who also had a hit with the song ''Rock Around the Clock.''
an early R&B style with strong, driving rhythms and characteristic piano bass patterns
Boogie-Woogie is...
a disastrous and degenerate influence on America's youth
Brackett 24: Judging from the articles contained in the ''Rock'n'Roll Meets the Popular Press'' excerpts in the Brackett book, the mainstream American media in the 50's portrayed rock'n'roll as:
In the late 50's, Freed's Jewish background and his history of promoting racial integration in the music business gave him a distinct disadvantage when compared to Clark's consciously ''lily-white'' image
Brackett 26: DJ Alan Freed and DJ-TV host Dick Clark were both involved in the scandal over the practice of ''payola,''which in fact was an age-old phenomenon in the music business. Freed was ruined by the scandal over payola. However, DJ Dick Clark emerged unscathed. The Brackett readings make the following strong implication about this disparity:
the Fender Stratocaster
Buddy Holly was one of the first guitarists to popularize his particular kind of solidbody electric guitar.
2 guitars, bass, drums
Buddy Holly's popularity resulted in the widespread use of the following combination of instruments:
lyrics that were often narrative, aimed at a crossover (black and white) audience
Chuck Berry's style is a mixture of country and rhythm and blues, featuring an emphasis on guitar ''riffs'', a slightly distorted guitar sound, boogie-type piano style, AND ____________.
he started making movies
During 1956 and 57, Elvis had the #1 position on the record charts for 58 weeks. Around this time, he became involved in another aspect of show business. What was that?
The Ed Sullivan Show
Elvis Presley and many others were seen on this 1950s - 1960s TV show, which introduced many rock and roll bands to American listeners. The host wouldn't let them film Elvis below the waist. (This show also featured the American debut of the Beatles in 1964.)
Dave Bartholomew
From the 40s through the 60s, the studio run by Costimo Matassa was the location for the recording of most of New Orleans' great R&B and rock & roll hits. Matassa had a first-rate studio band that was led by this songwriter, arranger, and bass player:
The Twist
GAROFALO 5: Of the many dance crazes of the early 60s, this one was most popular, spawning a number of other records. It was a number one hit (twice!) for Chubby Checker, whose single of the same name remained the best-selling single of all time until the 1970s.
BMI had many rock, R&B, and indie artists on its roster, and ASCAP viewed them as a threat
GAROFALO 5: One element of the huge mid-1950's controversy and attack on rock and roll was tied in with the rivalry between two major performing-rights companies. One of these companies was very prominently sympathetic to rock, R&B, and indie labels, and had many of those artists on its roster; the other was openly hostile, and viewed it as a threat, leading to all kinds of legal mayhem. Which of the following is accurate?
the ''payola'' scandal
GAROFALO 5: The 1959 House Committee hearings on this particular scandal were partly based on the assumption that ''no deejay would play a music as inferior and tasteless as rock and roll unless he was handsomely rewarded for it.'' To which scandal does this refer?
to curb and control the ''spread'' of rock and roll, which was a financial threat to the last vestiges of Tin Pan Alley, and a racial threat to a certain economic demographic
GAROFALO: On the basis of Chapter 5 in the Garofalo book (which includes ''the Attack on Rock and Roll,'') we can state that many of the lawsuits and scandals in the music business in the late 1950s were generated by the following agenda:
Buddy Holly
His band's name, The Crickets, inspired the name of the Beatles.
Little Richard
If you hear High gravelly vocal technique, silly or off-color lyrics, hot piano playing, lots of saxophone solos, which of these artists is it most likely to be?
He got back in shape and booked a one-hour long NBC TV special
In 1968 Elvis decided to stage a ''comeback.'' What did he do?
sax, guitar, trumpet
In New Orleans-style R&B, these three instruments are featured prominently
The Dorsey Brothers Stage Show
In the Elvis lecture, we talked about the fact that Elvis did NOT make his TV debut on the Ed Sullivan Show. What was the name of the VERY FIRST TV program on which Elvis Presley appeared?
They threw their money behind ''cover'' versions of R&B hits, done by white artists
In the early 50's, how did the major labels take advantage of the R&B artists and their successes on small ''indie'' labels?
the American (mostly white) teen-age audience
In the early 60s, the ''buying power'' of this particular demographic group strongly influenced major record companies in their rather mainstream and non-threatening choice of music, lyrics, and arrangements.
A famous songwriting duo who wrote many R&B hits in the 1950's
Jerry Lieber and Mike Stroller were ...
Many of them were very young and the record companies took advantage of their lack of business acumen
Many doo-wop singers were ''one hit wonders,'' and did not become financially successful in the long term. Which of the following is the best explanation for this fact?
Africa
Many of the musical roots of blues can be found in work songs, ''field hollers,'' dance music and worship music from the following country:
Willie Mae ''Big Mama'' Thornton
One of Elvis' biggest hits was ''Hound Dog.''It was a cover version of an earlier artist's recording, which we heard in class. Who was that earlier artist?
James Brown
Part of this famous soul singer's act included falling to his knees while the others draped a silk cape over him and helped him to his feet, whereupon he would jump up again and continue singing. This usually happened during a song called ''Please please please.''
the use of the 12-bar blues form
Rhythm and blues differs from rural / Delta blues in several ways. Which of the following characteristics is NOT an example of how rhythm and blues differs from rural/Delta blues?
The Civil Rights movement
Sam Cooke had a huge posthumous hit called ''A Change is Gonna Come.'' The song has an important political message. What contemporary issue did that song address?
The strumming or striking of the chord takes place three equal-length times for each beat
Slow triplets are a characteristic sound in the doo-wop style. This was demonstrated in class on the piano several times in the course of the doo-wop lecture. Which phrase best describes the use of ''slow triplets'' in doo-wop music?
a general sense of apathy and complacency with the status quo
Supplemental Reading 5: Sixties Chronology. Based on your reading of this chronology, which of the following does NOT describe the social and / or cultural trends of the 1960s in the USA?
Malcolm X felt that establishing a black identity and a black ''nationalism'' was a very important factor in gaining freedom and equal rights for black Americans.
Supplemental Reading 8: The Ballot or the Bullet. Judging from Malcolm X's 1964 speech ''The Ballot or the Bullet,'' we can conclude the following:
True
Supplemental Reading 8: The Ballot or the Bullet. True or false: There was a strong connection between the development of the Black Muslim faith and the issues raised by the Civil Rights Movement.
The black man should strive to eventually control the politics and the politicians in his own community.
Supplemental Reading 8: The Ballot or the Bullet. Which of the following accurately describes Malcolm X's view of the political philosophy of ''black nationalism?''
Soul Music
Supplemental Reading 9: Fire from the Streets: In the 1960's, this musical genre was strongly associated with black militance and the civil rights movement, because it reflected the search for an African-American identity.
Despite the Civil Rights movements, many inner-city African-Americans were still living in depressed economic conditions with inadequate jobs, housing and education
Supplemental Reading 9: Fire from the Streets: On the basis of this article, which of the following contributed strongly to the eruption of violence that took place in Detroit and Watts in 1967?
Elvis
That's All Right, Mama was the first big hit for...
The Wall of Sound
The ''dense, reverberant texture'' of Phil Spector's recordings became known as...
solid body electric guitars
The Stratocaster and the Telecaster are two examples of...
The end of the Vietnam war
The combination of several events at the end of the 1950's left many people wondering about the future of rock and roll. Actually, the events only signaled the end of an era. Which of the following is **NOT** one of those events?
urban or electric blues
The invention of the jukebox, the invention of the electric guitar, and the migration of African-American workers from the southern states to the northern states after WW2 are all factors contributing to the development of _________.
it means a pattern of 4 ''beats'' that repeats twelve times, with a corresponding set of standard chord changes played by the musicians
The most common blues structure is ''12-bar blues.'' Understanding the basic structure does not require special musical training, and was explained and demonstrated in class. Which of the following is the best explanation of the term 12-bar blues?
The Brill Building
The publishing company Aldon Music hired a team of expert songwriters to crank out hits for many groups in the 60s. This group of songwriters became known by the name of the New York location in which Aldon Music had their offices. What was the name of the location?
It was ''payola'' - so that Freed and Fratto would promote the record
The songwriting credits on Chuck Berry's hit ''Maybelline'' were given to Berry, Alan Freed, and Russ Fratto, which meant that Freed and Fratto were getting 2/3 of the royalties. Why did the record company do this?
piano
The trademark sound of boogie-woogie can be found in the strong rhythms and characteristic bass patterns played on this instrument:
Soul
The vocal styles, musical characteristics, emotional intensity and the spirit of community central to this music came largely from the gospel tradition. The gospel elements blended with and influenced the dance grooves, musical arrangements, and subject matter of R&B, creating a new style which also closely mirrored the growing civil rights movement in America.
Rocket 88
This 1951 song was played by musicians who grew up in the Delta. It was recorded at Sun studios in Memphis. It was released by Chess records in Chicago. It features Ike Turner's piano playing in a ''jump blues'' style, and a slightly distorted ''fuzzy'' guitar sound. All in all, these factors come together to create one of the first singles regarded as a true ''rock and roll'' single. We heard it in class, and it's discussed in the Gass book. Which one of the following songs am I most likely to be referring to?
James Brown
This artist was known as ''Godfather of Soul''' and the ''Hardest Working Man in Show Business.'' His stage show included a virtuosic band and carefully planned choreography and stage theatrics, including a famous bit in which he would supposedly collapse and his ''attendants'' would put a cape over him.
New Orleans
This city's mixture of French, African, English, Spanish, West Indian, Cajun and Creole ethnicities has given it a rich, diverse, and vital cultural and musical history.
Africa
This continent is the source of the musical roots of blues.
Western Swing
This dance-oriented country music style, pioneered by Bob Wills, was popular in the southwest and Texas. It featured electric ''steel'' guitars, and had a strong beat influenced to some extent by Big Band music.
Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers
This doo-wop group and their 13-year old singer was the prototype for later groups such as the Jackson 5.
Louis Jordan
This famous ''jump blues'' bandleader had a huge black/white crossover audience and was known for his energetic and humorous performances. In class we listened to his hit song ''Caldonia.''
Jimmie Rodgers
This famous 1920's singer, known to many as the ''first true country star,'' was known for his trademark ''yodeling.''
The Bo Diddley Beat
This famous RHYTHMIC pattern has been used by many rock and roll musicians. It can be found in Buddy Holly's ''Not Fade Away,'' The Who's ''Magic Bus,'' and the song ''Who Do you Love,'' recorded by the person for whom it is named.
Ray Charles
This famous and very influential African-American gospel / soul singer, himself influenced by New Orleans artists, often would base a popular song on a pre-existent m
Muddy Waters
This famous blues artist's real name was McKinley Morganfield. He was from the Delta, but moved to Chicago and changed to an electric style. He led one of Chicago's first great blues bands, with Little Walter, Otis SPann, Jimmie Rogers, Elgin Evans, and Willie Dixon. One of his very famous hits was called ''I just want to Make Love to You,'' recorded in 1953.
The Everly Brothers
This famous pop duo was known for their close vocal harmonies, great pop tunes with catchy, singable melodies, and a backup band that consisted of some of the hottest Nashville session players
Grand Ole Opry
This famous radio show, broadcast from Nashville, helped to popularize country music throughout America.
Roy Orbison
This famous singer, born in Wink, Texas, was greatly admired by Elvis. His strong, powerful voice and heart-wrenching love songs brought him over 27 hit songs in the early 60's, including ''Only the Lonely'' and ''Pretty Woman,'' which was covered by Van Halen years later.
The Coasters
This group's comical hits, such as Charlie Brown and Yakety-Yak, featured storylines, bass vocal solo phrases, and the distinctive saxophone style of King Curtis.
Buddy Holly
This highly influential Lubbock, Texas writer, singer and guitarist was the first major white rock & roll artist to write and produce his own songs. He combined the influences of western swing, white gospel and rockabilly, and had a short but very intense period of fame, culminating in his death in a plane crash in 1959
Sam Phillips
This independent music producer and founder of Sun Records discovered Elvis and recorded many other greats such as Jerry Lee Lewis, Johnny Cash, and Carl Perkins. He influence on the world of rock and roll was enormous. He died in 2003, at age 80. His name was . . .
Atlantic
This independent record label was known for its excellent R&B recordings in the 1950s, and went on to become one of the leading record labels for Soul music in the 1960's, eventually becoming a major label.
American Bandstand
This influential and popular music TV show was the centerpiece of the Philadelphia ''teen idol''industry.
AP Carter
This man and two of his female family members comprised one of the most important early country music groups. He was also an important collector of folk and country music songs.
Colonel Tom Parker
This man became Elvis's manager in 1955 and remained his manager for the rest of his life, often strongly influencing the course of Elvis's career.
Jerry Lee Lewis
This musical ''hellraiser'' was one of rock and roll's most influential piano players, whose wild, out-of-control performing style, outrageous personal life (and 13-year old wife) made him a controversial figure. His music can be characterized by a driving boogie-woogie based piano, high pounding chords, fast passages and glissandos, and very high energy.
Gospel Music
This musical genre is the most prominent influence in the style known as soul music, especially in terms of the vocals.
Italian-Americans
This particular ethnic group accounted for many white doo-wop groups that came out of New York and Philadelphia.Many white doo-wop groups came out of Philadelphia and New York. There was an especially large number of white doo-wop groups that came from this particular ethnic group:
Alan Freed
This popular deejay's ''Moondog Rock and Roll Party'' brought R&B to a whole new audience of young white radio listeners.
Norman Petty, in Clovis NM
This producer and his studio played an important part in the development of Buddy Holly's musical career.
the use of overdubbing
This recording technique, which became widespread in the 60s and beyond, created a situation in which the artists could not reproduce their recorded sound in a live performance.
Clyde McPhatter
This singer began his career with the Dominoes, and then formed his own group, the Drifters. His high, emotional vocal style influenced many singers after him. He and Solomon Burke are sometimes both called the ''first soul singer.''
Hank Williams
This singer-songwriter's voice and his moving and deeply personal songs made him one of country music's greatest legends. He was a star of the Grand Ole Opry, but his troubles with alcohol and drugs led him to an early death from a heart attack at age 29.
doo-wop
To which of the following styles could one best apply this statement: Listeners to this genre rarely knew the name of a group's lead singer, much less the background singers, and tended to remember the songs without giving much thought to who sang them...more than in any other genre, it was individual and unrelated records, rather than the special imprint of a particular artist or producer, that gave this genre its overall character.
True
True or False: ''Johnny B Goode'' is on the encoded disk that was sent out to space on Voyager.
True
True or false: Buddy Holly was one of the first major white rock and roll artists to write and produce his own songs.
True
True or false: Rockabilly had a longer life span in Britain than in America, and many of its artists were more famous in Britain than in America.
False
True or false: after the Depression, the big major record labels signed contracts with hundreds of black recording artists.
the struggle between gospel as sacred music and blues as wordly or "sinful" music
What inner conflict troubled many southern rockers his musical roots were in both gospel and blues?
the struggle between gospel as sacred music and blues as wordly or ''sinful'' music
What inner conflict troubled many southern rockers whose musical roots were in both gospel and blues?
a production technique which was a trademark sound of Sam Phillips' recordings on the Sun label
What is ''slap-back echo?''
When the emphasis in a 4-beat rhythm is on 2 and 4: one TWO three FOUR
What's a ''backbeat?''
a series of different musical notes sung over one syllable of text
What's a melisma?
doo-wop
When we talked about the following 1950's vocal style in class, we talked about the fact that the well-known chord progression of the tune ''Heart and Soul,'' exemplifies the typical chord progression of that style, along with nonsense syllables sung by the backup singers and fairly innocent lyrics, usually about love. What is the name of that style?
coordinating the session, choosing musicians, running quality control during a session, and being the ''idea person'' behind the overall sound and style of a recording.
Which of the following best describes the role of a record producer?
Racial diversity, ''street culture,'' Caribbean influence, and a strong tradition of musical families
Which of the following phrases best describes factors that shaped New Orleans' musical culture?
Mississippi Delta Blues
Which of the following styles is characterized by the use of acoustic guitar, bottleneck slide, ''walking bass'' rhythms, and a ''hollering'' vocal style?
Rockabilly
Which of the following three genres is best described by these traits: high, trebledominated, percussive guitar sound, boogie woogie riffs, ''black blues speeded up,'' minimal production values, and a high energy, ''rough'' sound?
Tin Pan Alley song
Which of the following was NOT an important factor in the development of country music?
In the Still of the Night, the Five Satins (a doo-wop hit)
Which one of the following songs would most likely exemplify the phenomenon in which the song itself, rather that the fame of the singer, is the main factor in its popularity?
The co-founder of Atlantic Records
Who was Ahmet Ertegun?
both a and b
Who was Alan Freed?
He owned and operated the very famous J&M recording studio in New Orleans
Who was Cosimo Matassa?
Eddie Cochran
Who wrote ''Summertime Blues?''
James Brown
Whose band was called the ''Famous Flames''?
both a and b
Why was R&B controversial in the late 40's and early 50's?