Rockabilly Music Revolution of the late 1940s and 1950s

What is Rockabilly? Rockabilly is a genre (or style) of music that was one of the earliest forms of rock and roll. Rockabilly is the combination of two styles of music… _______________ & _____________________ CountryRhythm and Blues Rockabilly gets its name from the word Hillbilly which comes from its country roots, and the word Rock, which is what some had started to refer to this style of music as. That term eventually became Rock and Roll.

The SOUND of Rockabilly The instrumentation that is common to us today was not always commonplace. Rockabilly bands were able to achieve a full sound with few players because they had the following. 1. A rhythm section 2. Rhythm guitars to comp the harmonic progression 3. Vocals and Background Vocals - Bass and Drums

The SOUND of Rockabilly (continued) Before Rockabilly, larger ensembles were more commonly used for live performances. This was the case for several reasons. 1. There were not methods of amplification 2.Larger ensembles made it easier to cover the harmony and the melody of music.

The Electric Guitar was invented by Les Paul in 1921 Electrical Amplification Acoustic Guitars vs. Electric Guitars

The LOOK of Rockabilly Rockabilly artists were known for having a specific look to them. As far as clothing: 1. Jeans 2. T-shirts 3. Leather Jackets 4. GREASY HAIR! Think of the movie “Grease”

Sometimes groups dressed alike. The LOOK of Rockabilly (continued)

Rockabilly HAIR! “Elvis Hair” as it is often known was styled high and used a LOT of hair products.

Rockabilly Artists The most recognized Rockabilly artists are: Elvis Presley Jerry Lee Lewis Buddy Holly