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Standing at the Crossroads
July 08, 2004
Monday, July 5 was the 50th anniversary of the invention of rock 'n roll, according to the hype machine at BMG Records, which owns the Elvis Presley catalogue. The Boston Globe reports: What's so special about that spot on the calendar? Elvis recorded his first single, "That's All Right," on that day in Memphis. And this entertainer gives the lowdown. "I think Elvis was given a lot of credit for introducing rock to the masses because he was white and gorgeous," says singer Sheryl Crow. "Not to take anything away from him, but I think you could easily trace the true beginning of rock back to the late '40s and early '50s with artists like Big Joe Turner, who did `Shake, Rattle & Roll,' which was undoubtedly a rock song, as well as Ike Turner with `Rocket 88.' " Yes, M'am. If you want to hear some of what launched rock, pick up some old (we're talking 1940s or 50s) Ike Turner (yeh, him, before he went upside Tina's head). You can hear the future of rock pretty clearly here. Equally important were "jump" or "race music" combos led by Wynonie Harris; Louis Jordan, Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown, and Jay McShann, among others - who came out of the earlier and somewhat stiffer jazz big band tradition. Also crucial in my book: Johnny "Guitar" Watson, who melded jump blues with early electric guitar pyrotechnics, and carried the Houston blues-rock sound to L.A. Guitar Slim is another seminal figure. You want to go back a step, try some Robert Nighthawk, Arthur "Big Boy" Crudup, Howlin' Wolf and Muddy Waters. We'll leave Robert Johnson, Mississippi Fred McDowell and Big Maceo for another time. My Desert Island proto-rock CD is "Jelly Roll King" by Mississippi harmonica player Frank Frost (you may have seen him playing in the movie, "Crossroads"). It's a dusty, drivin' Delta juke joint masterpiece, the first dozen tunes of which were recorded in 1962 in and around Memphis. Finally, a novelty item available from various online used LP merchants: Bill Cosby's 60s blues album, "Silver Throat." I found my shrink-wrapped copy for a song, in a second-hand shop years back. It's pretty good, actually. And, um, yeah, Cosby really DID live the blues, growing up. COMING SOON: Can white men sing the blues? Posted by Matt Rosenberg at July 8, 2004 08:41 AM Trackback Pings TrackBack URL for this entry: Comments:
"Can white men sing the blues?" asks the Great Rosenblogger, one of the most harrowing questions of all time. I can hardly wait for your judgment on that one, old chap - and want to further ask: can they actually play the blues as well? Your answer may involve a Gibson Byrdland. And remember, Ted Nugent carries firearms. Be brave. Posted by: Pescado at July 8, 2004 09:07 PMThe point is, just as Sheryl Crow iterated, Elvis did bring rock to the masses, along with the Beatles. The evidence of the rock popularity explosion due to them is overwhelming. Did he "father" rock and roll? No. BMG shouldn't claim that really anyway... you think they aren't aware of Arthur "Big Boy" Crudup, who wrote and recorded "That's All Right" way back in 1946. Bill Haley who re-recorded "Rocket 88" on the Essex label, and became the first white artist to play the new rock'n'roll music. (I see a pattern) Elvis had a "great" following, and his singing and physical "antics" on stage made rock more popular. Along with the "pretty boy" Beatles. The term "Rock and Roll" supposedly coined for this music came from noted disc jockey Alan Freed, who went on the air on the 11th July, 1951, with his first Rock and Roll Party in which he actually programmed black music for a white audience. He stated that he took the phrase from lyrics of the 1947 rhythm'n'blues hit "We're Gonna Rock (We're Gonna Roll)" released on the Apollo label by Wild Bill Moore. To the culture surrounding the original song, "rocking and rolling" seems to be a reference to having sex in a car... something that we didn't need Elvis to make popular! The rock'n'roll term was official in 1951, and that it its 50 Year Anniversary was 2001, the first year of the new millenium. The music, has been around longer. Posted by: rross at July 9, 2004 05:39 AMEdit: Last line of my previos post should read "The rock'n'roll term was official in 1951, and that's why its 50 Year Anniversary actually was 2001, the first year of the new millenium. The music, has been around even longer." Sorry folks. Posted by: rross at July 9, 2004 05:50 AMPost a comment
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