1. 1950s

2. Characteristics
Blend of black rhythm and blues and country and western
Strong rhythm w/ accent on off beat
Used electric guitars
Youth oriented lyrics
Optimistic mood of music paralleled the post WWII optimism in society

3. Rock-n-Roll Listeners
Rock-n-Roll formed the teen generation
Parents despised Rock-n-Roll, considered it as a fad
Rock-n-roll gave teens the opportunity to “break away” from the music their parents listened to
Parents/adults disapproved b/c of the black ties to rock-n-roll music, would have been shocked to know that black people associated the term rock and roll w/ sex, so opposed to it some states attempted to place bans on rock-n-roll, they blamed rock-n-roll for many riots and as an attempt to integrate American Society

4. Impact of Rock-n-Roll on American Society
White teens were listening to black music
Teens became consumers-easier access to jobs, had more $, bought rock-n-roll records

5. Alan Freed
Cleveland DJ who began playing black R&B-called this music Rock and Roll so he could attract white listeners to his show
Name of his show Moondog’s Rock and Roll Party
Hosted Moondog Coronation Ball on March 21, 1952 (date considered to be the birthdate of rock and roll)
Moved Show to NY in 1954
Despite his legal troubles, he was still inducted into R-n-R Hall of Fame in 1986

6. Black Artists Little Richard Fats Domino Chuck Berry
Little Richard-quite the energetic pianist, wore mascara and 6” pompadour, “Tutti Frutti”
Chuck Berry-wrote his own lyrics, famous for his own stage “duck walk,” “Johnny B. Goode”
Fats Domino-although he played the piano sitting down and was calmer than Little Richard, he still stirred audiences “Ain’t that a Shame”
Chuck Berry

7. Doo Wop Characteristics Vocal group harmony Wide range of Voices
Simple Beat &Light instrumentation
Simple music & lyrics
The Platters
Teenagers
There were many Doo-Wop groups but most of them were one hit wonders, Frankie Lyman, 13 yr old teenager in the teenagers was pretty scandalous-danced w. white girl on Freed’s show and had three wives at one time married in different years-just didn’t divorce

8. Billy Haley & the Comets
White Artists
Billy Haley & the Comets
Buddy Holly
Pat Boone
Jerry Lee Lewis “Great Balls of Fire,” married 13 yr old cousin-ruined his career
Bill Haley & the Comets-originally started out as a country band then changed musical style “Rock Around the Clock”
Buddy Holly & the Crickets- “That’ll be the Day” “Peggy Sue”, “American Pie” by Don McLean was a song about Holly’s tragic death
Pat Boone-adults approved of him b/c of his nice image, sang cover songs of “Tutti Frutti” and “Ain’t that a Shame”
Everly Brothers, Ricky Nelson, Fabian- teen idols
Jerry Lee Lewis

9. Teen Idols
Ricky Nelson
Fabain

10. And then there was…
Elvis!!!

11. Elvis-The King of Rock –n-Roll

12. Elvis talking about being called “Elvis the Pelvis”
Elvis Hits in the 1950s
Heartbreak Hotel (1956)
Hound Dog (1956)
All Shook Up (1957)
Teddy Bear (1957)
Jailhouse Rock (1957)
One Night (1958)
A Big Hunk O’ Love (1959)
Elvis talking about being called “Elvis the Pelvis”

13. The official website of Elvis
Elvis Link
The official website of Elvis

14. American Bandstand Philadelphia Dance TV Show
Dick Clark was assigned the ABC show-later named American Bandstand in 1956
Bandstand was more than just a show-teens watched to learn the latest dances, styles, and behavior
“Regulars” danced on the show-some even had their own fan club and were often the “feature” in teen magazines
Dancing on Bandstand

15. The End