FOR OVER 20 YEARS I HAVE PLANNED AN HISTORICAL ACCOUNT OF THE MUSIC WE LOVED AND IT'S IMPACT UPON OUR CULTURE AND THE IMPACT OF OUR CULTURE UPON OUR MUSIC.
A SEMI-INVALID WIFE, RAISING THREE GRANDCHILDREN, AND SERVING AS PASTOR OF A RURAL OKLAHOMA CHURCH HAVE SHORTENED MY ACCOUNT TO THE SEVERAL POSTS THAT WILL APPEAR FROM TIME TO TIME.
1. Did You Know? This topic is well studied and documented; go to Amazon and look up books on the history of Rock n Roll and you get several hundred hits. Google the same subject and a million and one half hits will appear. Here's a shocker: Several universities offer courses in the history of Rock n Roll: Hold on to your 45RPM Elvis record for this tidbit: Doctoral Thesis have been written on this subject!
2. Different Approaches Taken: : Some writers focus on the many blended genres of Rock and Roll---Gospel, Blues, Big Band, Country, Rock-a-Billy, Jazz, and other musical forms. In a word or two: They are all correct.
Other books focus on the disc jockeys such as John R in WLAC, Dick Clark, American Bandstand, and Allan Freed, east coast DJ convicted of accepting Payola. They too are on target,
Still others to turned the spotlight up to high beam on the upstart record companies like: SUN label---Elvis, Johnny Cash, and Jerry Lee Lewis. DECCA, and ATLANTIC were the new kids on the block and making money, big, big money. Another right answer.
All histories highlight the major role of African-Americans in this art form. Rock n Roll was light years ahead of major league sports in providing opportunities to be the best--regardless of color.
I'll probably never get to write THE definitive history of WLAC in Nashville, TN and it's positive impact on race relations. Name dropping again: I have communicated with a screenwriter who has done a pilot for a mini-series on WLAC. So far he has not sold the idea. My guess it will only appear, if it ever does, on late, late night cable TV. The personal and on-air-lives of some of the WLAC DJs is not Sunday School material! One of the DJ's finished off a bottle of Scotch every show. The studios were near a local hotel, at the same higher story level, and a lot of binocular testing took place!
3. What Started It All? Here there is much disagreement. Some say as early as 1939. Others say 1951-52. Most, including this Blogger say 1955 with Bill Haley and The Comets with their "Rock Around the Clock" smash hit. Bill has my vote.
Most writers believe the epicenter of Rock n Roll was 1955-59. Isn't that amazing?? We experienced something very, very special.
An interesting side note to "Rock Around the Clock" is one of my high school cousins, who lived in Kentucky, and his friends played the song so many times on a local Juke Box the recording groves were worn smooth in just two days! Then it was only a nickle a play.
4. My Approach: I'll cover Groups (especially Doo Wop--I probably know more about Doo Wop music than any other pastor in OK! That may not be a good thing!), Singles, Instrumentals, One Hit Wonders, Country Cross Overs, Novelty Songs, Parent- School-Teenager Songs, R and B, Old Timers Still Holding On and other issues.
We experienced something that happens very infrequently---the birth of a truly new American musical art form.
FOR THE RECORD: I do not listen to what is called Rock n Roll today. In fact, I stopped listening when the saxophone disappeared from Rock n Roll music. That was, long long, long ago. While I am confessing: I also do not like most modern Country and Western music---it is only modern Rock n Roll with cowboy hats and boots on! That is probably more than you wanted to know about my musical tastes.
I am working on a Post that will surely draw lots of criticism: I contend Our Rock n Roll started to die when the Kingston Trio hung "Tom Dooley" and was pronounced dead by the BEATLES when they sang "I Wanna Hold Your Hand"
GOSH, I LOVED, AND STILL DO, THAT SPECIAL, SPECIAL MUSIC DURING OUR PCHS DAYS!
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