larsonrockch02

HISTORY OF ROCK & ROLL
### Chapter 2: The Rock and Roll Explosion

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## Post-War America
- Post WWII America is characterized by:
- Peace and prosperity.
- Consumer goods become everyday necessities.
- Innovations in computer science, medicine, and space travel.
- Television rises to popularity.
- Increased dependence on automobiles:
- Development of interstate highways.
- Rise of suburbs, motels, and fast food culture.

### The Teen Experience in the 1950s
- New teenage demographic emerges:
- First generation with disposable income.
- Target of mass marketing through TV and radio.
- Shift in adult perceptions:
- Adults feel teens disrespect authority.
- Issues of juvenile delinquency and sexual permissiveness arise.
- Generation gap becomes apparent.

### Disenfranchised Youth
- 1950s teenagers feel disenfranchised with traditional values:
- New role models:
- Holden Caulfield from Catcher in the Rye.
- Marlon Brando in The Wild One (1953).
- James Dean in Rebel Without a Cause (1954).

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## The First Sounds
### Bill Haley
- Key figure in early rock and roll:
- Leader of country band, the Saddlemen, in 1952.
- Rebrands as R&B-oriented Bill Haley and the Comets.
- Notable hits:
- "Crazy Man Crazy" (1953) – first Top 20 R&B hit by a white band (#15).
- "Shake, Rattle and Roll" (1954) – peaked at #7.

### The Rise of Rock and Roll
- "Rock Around the Clock" becomes a defining song:
- After initial charting, re-appears in Blackboard Jungle, reaches #1, selling 20 million copies.
- Brief reign as the only major rock and roll band by Haley.
- Emergence of Elvis Presley and others in 1955 challenges Haley's popularity.

## Indie Labels and Rockabilly
### Market Dynamics
- Indie labels capitalize on rock and roll when major labels underestimate staying power.
- Key players like:
- Sam Phillips – opens Memphis Recording Service and later Sun Records, known for hits like "Rocket 88" and "Bearcat".

### Rockabilly Characteristics
- Early Sun rockabilly defined by:
- Fast tempo, nervous beat.
- Sparse instruments: acoustic and electric guitars, slap bass (no drums).
- Single vocalist style, often employing hiccups.
- Later rockabilly by Haley incorporates full rhythm section and additional instruments.

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## Elvis Presley
### Early Life
- Elvis Aaron Presley, born January 8, 1935, in Tupelo, Mississippi.
- Grew up in poverty; family moved to Memphis in 1948.
- Influenced by diverse musical sources in Memphis.

### Discovery and Rise
- 1953: Records "My Happiness"; kept by Sam Phillips for future reference.
- Connection with musicians Scotty Moore and Bill Black leads to successful recordings.
- July 5, 1954: records “That’s All Right” and “Blue Moon of Kentucky”.
- Immediate hit upon broadcast.

### RCA and Commercial Success
- Mid-1955: Manager Col. Tom Parker secures major label contract.
- RCA pays $40,000 for Elvis’s contract.
- Emphasis shifts from raw energy to commercial success with hits:
- “Heartbreak Hotel” (1956) and “I Want You, I Need You, I Love You” (1956).

### Television and Movie Star
- Heavy presence on national television in 1956:
- Dorsey Brothers, Milton Berle, and The Ed Sullivan Show follow.
- Starring in first movie, Love Me Tender, in 1956.

### The Presley Legacy
- Significant impact with over 500 million records sold worldwide.
- Symbol of the American Dream and rags-to-riches narrative.
- Although isolated towards his later years, his legacy remains influential.

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## The First Crossover Artists
- 1956: Rock and roll as a unifying force across racial lines.
- Artists beginning to attract both black and white fanbases.

## The New Orleans Sound
### Fats Domino
- Fats Domino, born in New Orleans, achieves early success with singles like "Fat Man” and “Blueberry Hill.”
- Worked with Dave Bartholomew at J&M Recording Studio.
- Known for his easygoing style appealing to broad audiences.

### Little Richard
- Little Richard emerges as rock's first androgynous performer:
- Influenced by gospel before entering secular music.
- Major hits include “Tutti Frutti.”
- Retires to ministry life (1957-64).

## Chicago R&B
### Chess Records
- Founded by Phil and Leonard Chess, evolving from Aristocrat Records.
- Distinctive sound characterized by powerful electric guitar.

### Influential Artists
- Bo Diddley: Innovator of rhythm and effects, debuted with "Bo Diddley" (1955).
- Chuck Berry: Major influence on rock lyricism; significant hits include "Maybellene."

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## Other Important Sun Rockabilly Artists
### Sam Phillips
- Faced bankruptcy but achieved national prominence with a new wave of rockabilly.
- Opened new studio in 1960 and sold Sun in 1969.

### Carl Perkins
- Notable for "Blue Suede Shoes" (1955) and enduring influence with later artists like the Beatles.

### Jerry Lee Lewis
- Controversial figure known for hits like “Great Balls of Fire” until personal issues led to career decline.

## Buddy Holly
### Musical Journey
- Transitions from country to rockabilly after Elvis's influence.
- Breakthrough with "That’ll Be the Day" and subsequent hits.
- Untimely death in a plane crash in 1959 marked a tragic end to a promising career.