Patti Page
crossover country singer, Tennessee Waltz
Johnny Ray
emotional Country, paved way for Rock & Roll performers, Cry (1951)
Les Paul and Mary Ford
pioneered multitrack recording, evolved electric guitar
Alan Freed
Pop DJ in Cleveland, decided to play more R&B, became popular with teens
Bill Haley (and the Comets)
Rock Around the Clock (1955), 1st R&R #1 Hit, Early Rock and Roll
Joe Turner
Shake, Rattle & Roll (1954), R&B shouter, very dirty
Pete Johnson
Roll Em Pete (1938), Boogie-Woogie, with Joe Turner
The Chords
Sh-Boom (1954), 1st R&R record, Doo-Wop group, no country influence
Chuck Berry
Roll Over Beethoven (1956), early R&R artist, set standard for R&R guitar
Elvis Presley
Heartbreak Hotel, 2nd Pop Superstar, combined country and R&B, high and low vocals
Sam Phillips
owner of Memphis’ Sun Records, discovered Elvis
Ed Sullivan
put Elvis on an international platform on 1956 show
Buddy Holly
Peggy Sue (1957) with The Crickets, Rockabilly (Classic Rock Quartet-2 Guitars, bass, drums) singer/guitarist/writer
Jerry Lee Lewis
married younger cousin, DJs refused to play rockabilly music, Sun Records
The Penguins
Earth Angel (1954), doo-wop, not professional, appealed to teens
The Shirells
Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow (1961), Girl Group, 1960;s Rock and Roll
The Isley Brothers
Twist and Shout (1962), 1960’s Rock and Roll
The Beatles
I Want to Hold Your Hand (1964) came to US in 1964, 3rd superstars in Pop History, associated with Mod (Hip English Subculture) and Pop Art, influenced culture
Paul McCartney, John Lennon, Ringo Starr, George Harrison
Bass, Rhythm Guitar, Drums, lead guitar
Harrison studied sitar with Ravi Shankar
George Martin
main music producer/arranger for the Beatles
Brian Epstein
manager of the Beatles
Pete Seeger
Where Have All the Flowers Gone, Folk Music, led The Weavers in 1949, popular during ASCAP strikes
Woodie Guthrie
This Land is Your Land, wrote protest Folk Music during Depression
Kingston Trio
Folk Music, became popular with 1950’s college students
Peter, Paul and Mary
wrote Folk Music that took on political issues, Puff the Magic Dragon
Bob Dylan
most important Folk Singer of 1960’s, inspired by Woodie Guthrie, wrote all of his songs, most important contribution to rock was attitude, The Times…Changin (1963), Like A Rolling Stone (1965)
The Byrds
Mr. Tambourine Man (1965), 1st Folk Rock hit, many possible meanings
The Rolling Stones
Satisfaction (1965) most successful of “British Invaders,” always compared to Beatles, juvenile delinquents
Mick Jagger, Keith Richards
lead singer, lead guitarist
Jimi Hendrix
eccentric Acid Rock guitarist, led Jimi Hendrix Experience, Purple Haze (1967)
Janis Joplin
flamboyant Acid Rock virtuoso singer, died at 27, influenced by Blues
Marvin Gaye
I Heard it Through the Grapevine (1968), one of few solo Motown artists
Wilson Picket
Midnight Hour (1965), relaxed Atlantic/Memphis Soul singer
Aretha Franklin
solo Atlantic/Memphis Soul singer
James Brown
inventor of Funk, Say it Loud (1968)
Sly and the Family Stone
I Want to Take You Higher (1969), combined all styles: funk, rock, soul, folk rock, jazz rock, acid rock, all-inclusive, concerts were like rituals