Music 1-4

McCarthy hearings

A major cultural issue of the early 1950s that reflected the political climate of the General Society

1954 Supreme Court decision

The ruling that challenged the "separate but equal" doctrine during the emergence of rock

Pop Music (Early 50s)

The musical style most listened to by the white middle and upper class subcultures

Rhythm & Blues (R&B)

The dominant form of popular music within Black culture in the early 50s which remained distinct due to segregation

Country and Western (C&W)

A genre that appealed primarily to poor whites in the South - Midwest - and Southwest

Tin Pan Alley

An area of New York City famous for music publishing and the source of many pop hits

The Majors

The big-name labels of the 50s including RCA Victor, Columbia, Capitol, Mercury, and Decca

50s Pop Market Characteristics

Music was adult oriented. Performers and audience were almost exclusively white - and hits peaked over 4 to 8 weeks

Nat "King" Cole

One of the few African American "Pop" artists of the time whose hit "Too Young" spoke directly to youth

Johnny Ray

An artist ahead of his time known for the song "Cry" and a shouting vocal style that approached early rock

Grand Ole Opry

The Nashville-based radio show that served as the home and center of Country and Western music

C&W Musical Style

Characterized by simple harmonies - lyrics about heartbreak - and a distinct timbre from steel guitar and nasal vocals

Leo Fender

Introduced the Stratocaster in 1954 and the solid body electric bass which replaced the acoustic bass by the 1960s

Gibson Les Paul

A solid body electric guitar developed in 1952 named after its creator

Crooners vs. Shouters

Two vocal styles ranging from the early 50s pop scene to the high-energy R&B and mainstream rock scenes

R&B Characteristics

Largely based on 12-bar blues - allowed for improvisation - used a "shouting" vocal style - and featured strong insistent rhythms

Crossover

A record that is recorded for one market (like R&B) but succeeds commercially in another (like Pop)

1950s Youth Culture

Emerged in the mid-1950s as teenagers gained expendable cash (allowance) and a new independent identity

Bill Haley and the Comets

Originally a C&W act that sparked interest in crossover rock with the hit "Rock Around the Clock"

Blackboard Jungle

The movie that used "Rock Around the Clock" as its title music - helping the song become wildly popular

Sam Phillips

The owner of Sun Records in Memphis who discovered Elvis Presley

Colonel Tom Parker

Elvis Presley's manager who negotiated his move to RCA and helped him reach international stardom

Heartbreak Hotel

The 1956 hit that skyrocketed Elvis Presley to stardom after he moved to the RCA label

Elvis Presley's Significance

A central figure who personified rock and roll as biracial music and became a multifaceted icon

Mainstream Rock

A subcategory of 1950s rock rooted in R&B - using 12-bar blues - shouting vocals - and arpeggiated bass lines

Rockabilly

A combination of C&W and R&B mainstream rock exemplified by Sun Records artists like Carl Perkins - Johnny Cash - and Elvis

The Everly Brothers

An influential Rockabilly act known for the hit "All I Have to Do is Dream" which hit number 1 on pop - R&B - and C&W charts

Soft Rock

A subcategory of rock featuring softer songs by artists like Pat Boone - often derived from Tin Pan Alley traditions

Doo-wop

A group vocal style featuring nonsense syllables - often performed by groups named after birds or cars (e.g. The Ravens - The Cadillacs)

One Hit Wonder Syndrome

A phenomenon common among Doo-wop groups - though The Platters and The Coasters were notable exceptions

The Platters

A successful Doo-wop group known for their ballad style songs

The Coasters

A successful Doo-wop group known for a more comical approach to their music.

Fats Domino

Born Antoine Domino in 1928 in New Orleans - he represents a less flamboyant contrast to Little Richard and had a major 1955 crossover hit with "Ain't That a Shame"

Chuck Berry

A massive influence on rock guitar who set the model for the guitar as a frontline instrument - known for the "Duck Walk" and songs like "Johnny B. Goode"

Chuck Berry's Legal Troubles

In 1959 he was arrested for violating the Mann Act - which contributed to the decline of the initial rock and roll momentum

Jerry Lee Lewis

Known as "The Killer" - he was a flamboyant performer from Louisiana who used boogie-style piano with glissandi and had hits like "Great Balls of Fire"

Jerry Lee Lewis Scandal

His career was derailed after he married his 13-year-old second cousin - Myra - in 1957

Buddy Holly

A Lubbock TX artist known for a "glottal stop" vocal style and writing his own songs - which established a trend for future rock decades

The Day the Music Died

February 2 1959 - the date Buddy Holly - Richie Valens - and the Big Bopper were killed in a plane crash

Ray Charles

An artist influenced by gospel roots who had important hits like "I Got a Woman" and "What'd I Say"

Sam Cooke

The lead singer of the Soul Stirrers who crossed over to pop with "You Send Me" in 1957 before being shot by a hotel manager in 1964

Payola

The practice of paying bribes to DJs for airplay which led to 1960 congressional investigations and a $12.5 million settlement by broadcasters in 2007

American Bandstand

A television show hosted by Dick Clark that helped television begin to dominate broadcast media in the late 1950s

Fragmentation of the Market

The period in the early 60s after the initial rock wave subsided - resulting in four trends: Vestiges of the 50s - Folk - Surfing - and Dance Crazes

The Four Seasons

A successful early 60s vocal group with lead singer Frankie Valli known for tight harmonies and the use of falsetto

Urban Folk Trend

A movement of well-educated performers like the Kingston Trio who used acoustic instruments and focused on serious social and political lyrics

Folk Music Characteristics

Avoided the 12-bar blues and "shouting" style - used pure vocal tones - and was marketed to the 18-24 year old demographic

LP (Long Play)

Introduced by Columbia Records in 1948 - this format became the primary medium for folk music sales as opposed to hit singles

Peter Paul and Mary

A commercially successful folk group that represented the "Folknik" look and a campus-oriented subculture focused on social awareness

Surfing Music

A genre centered in Southern California that used electric instruments and effects to sing about cars, girls, and beach parties

Brian Wilson

The leader of the Beach Boys who was responsible for the group's style and their shift into musical experimentation

Good Vibrations

A 1966 Beach Boys milestone that cost $50 -000 to produce - used a Theremin - and featured complex changes in tempo and harmony

The Twist

A dance craze instigated by Chubby Checker where partners did not touch - serving as a precursor to disco and break dancing

The Kingston Trio

A group of Stanford students whose hit "Tom Dooley" is considered the first real hit of the 1960s folk music trend