History of Rock and Roll

This week, we take a look across the pond to Great Britain. How was rock and roll developing over there? This was years before the British Invasion, and things were starting off rather slowly, but the rockin' pneumonia would eventually catch on as American tunes drifted over the sea. Supplement this episode with this playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5gwmmNvk1d2PmmENdpCHCl?si=cc4a656ccb414d8d https://music.apple.com/ca/playlist/history-of-rock-and-roll-episode-6-playlist/pl.u-aZb0kWvF1MP7e0r

After a long hiatus, I'm finally back! Today we will cover the end of the 50's - the many blows rock and roll would face culminating in the tragic 'Day the Music Died' and the loss of several of rock and roll's key champions. Supplement this episode with this playlist: https://music.apple.com/ca/playlist/history-of-rock-and-roll-episode-5-playlist/pl.u-mJy81KDsN5zr370 https://open.spotify.com/playlist/12zoiSxmUMvWvvNZh1Sqty?si=ca505bc260144391

In this fourth episode, we see 1957 begin with a rock and roll recession: suddenly, Pat Boone is the one making the big bucks. Where are the teenagers? What can be done? Supplement this episode with this playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6eR7euLB1DZZrF5IYPZUx4?si=ab7156fcaaf74d84 Youtube Music/Apple Music playlist in the works!

Elvis hits the ground running with 'That's All Right' and soon finds national success, inspiring a wave of rock and roll stars, and creating a new genre - rockabilly (with some help from Carl Perkins). The industry backlash continues as old timers get increasingly frustrated with rock and roll's way of messing up everything that had come before. Here is a playlist of relevant songs: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6idWFaTtVeHkgRaps2yjXJ?si=f595548f6e684cab https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLzf0PaWdH2NCkCZvT8agTd9bkfQK50Gjz&si=ISmZf64lS0O5pH-2

We examine the onslaught of rhythm and blues against the traditional music industry, a movement that would gain speed throughout the 50’s until eventually succeeding under the name rock and roll. This episode includes an overview of the rise of indie labels and the doo-wop genre, and the struggles endured by early rhythm and blues artists. Here is a playlist of relevant songs to supplement the episode: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4xukMSCRtpCXUnDHOxrjqO?si=e777495b337b4beb https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLzf0PaWdH2NBTP8E8M_V7MVSkFGFxeyL9&si=4FUUM-qeJDUb1CJN

In this first episode, I look at what genres pre-dated rock and roll, including the blues, jazz, rhythm and blues - and everything in between. This episode is intended to bring listeners up to speed with what rock and roll looked like at the onset of the 1950's. Feel free to skip ahead to a time period that best suits your interests.