lecture 4

Early Rock ‘n’ Roll

Sun Records’ “Million Dollar Quartet”

• Key artists:

  • Jerry Lee Lewis

  • Carl Perkins

  • Elvis Presley

  • Johnny Cash

• Other notable ‘50s artists from Sun Records:

  • Roy Orbison

  • Eddie Cochran

The Life of Elvis Presley (1935-1977)

• Background:

  • Grew up hearing Gospel music at church, Pop on the radio, and Blues on Beale Street.

  • Early influences from Hillbilly music.

• Early life challenges:

  • Cut from high school football team due to his unconventional hairstyle (sideburns and ducktail).

• Initial recordings:

  • Recorded "My Happiness" and Ink Spots' "That’s When Your Heartaches Begin" as a gift for his mother at Memphis Recording Service.

Elvis and Sam Phillips’ Breakthrough

• Sam Phillips’ recognition:

  • Discovered Elvis singing “That’s All Right” (Blues with a country rhythm).

  • Quote: “If I could find a white man that had the Negro song, and the Negro feel, I could make a million dollars.”

• Career beginnings:

  • Elvis signed a management contract with Colonel Tom Parker.

  • Phillips sold Elvis’ contract to RCA for $35,000,

    • This was a record sum at the time for a country artist.

• Parker’s marketing strategies:

  • Recognized Elvis’s potential as a money-making machine.

  • Innovatively marketed him in a way never done before.

Promotion of Elvis Presley

• Rising fame via television:

  • RCA and Parker promoted Elvis aggressively; his appearance and performances made him both a sensation and a target of criticism.

  • April 3, 1956: Appeared on Milton Berle Show.

    • 25,000 applications for tickets; 40 million viewers.

  • January 6, 1957: Appeared on Ed Sullivan Show.

    • Captured 83% of the TV audience (54 million viewers).

    • Showed only from waist up to avoid controversy.

  • RCA merchandised Elvis widely, becoming the first artist to be marketed in this manner.

Backlash Against Rock ‘n’ Roll

• Public perception:

  • Seen as promoting violence; fights occurred at concerts (e.g., Bill Haley).

  • Many cities banned rock concerts due to concerns about juvenile delinquency.

  • Example of ordinance from Jersey City condemning Rock ‘n’ Roll.

• Racial tensions:

  • White segregationists criticized Rock ‘n’ Roll as threatening moral standards, associating it with black music and culture.

  • Attack on Nat King Cole during a concert exemplifying racial backlash.

Key Figures in Early Rock ‘n’ Roll

Jerry Lee Lewis “The Killer” (b. 1935)

• Musical style:

  • Combined elements of Gospel, Country, and Boogie-woogie.

  • Thrown out of Bible college for performing Boogie-woogie.

  • Initially restricted by piano performance but evolved his stage presence by dancing on the piano.

• Breakthrough hit:

  • "Whole Lotta Shakin’" reached #1 on Pop, Country, and R&B charts, being the first to do so.

Carl Perkins (1932-1998)

• Musical contributions:

  • Pioneer of Rockabilly genre (fusion of Rock and Country).

  • Notable as a songwriter and lead guitarist.

• Influence on others:

  • Songs covered by The Beatles and other artists in the 1960s.

  • Guitar style inspired future rock musicians.

• Major hit:

  • "Blue Suede Shoes" was Sun Records’ first million-selling single.

  • His fame was briefly eclipsed by Elvis’s cover version after an auto accident.

Early Rock ‘n’ Roll in Film

• Influential movies:

  • "Rock Around The Clock"

    • Helped export rock music worldwide.

    • Featured performances by various artists including Bill Haley & His Comets, the Platters, Little Richard.

  • "The Girl Can’t Help It"

    • The first color Rock ‘n’ Roll movie featuring Eddie Cochran, Fats Domino, and Little Richard.

  • "Don’t Knock The Rock"

    • Included performances by Bill Haley & His Comets and Little Richard.

The Tragedies and Scandals of Classic Rockers

• Little Richard:

  • Enrolled in theological college in 1957 to become a minister.

• Jerry Lee Lewis:

  • Married Myra, his 13-year-old second cousin; resulted in a drastic drop in fee during an England tour.

• Elvis Presley:

  • Drafted into the US Army in 1958, affecting his career.

• Chuck Berry:

  • Arrested in 1959 for transporting a minor.

• Bill Haley & His Comets:

  • Faced decline in popularity in the late 1950s as they aged.

• Tragic losses:

  • Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, Eddie Cochran among those who faced untimely deaths.