1. The Early Years Of Rock And
Roll, And Its Impact On
American Culture
Senior Project 5/23/16
Ian McCann

2. 2
INTRODUCTION
For most of my life, rock and roll music has been a driving force behind
everything I have done. I grew up listening to it, and attending shows, and my love
for it drove me to study the music industry. I listen to music from all eras of rock and
roll, even the early ones. Artists such as Elvis Presley, Chuck Berry and Little Richard
heavily influence me, and I can see their influence on the other styles of music that I
listen to. Almost every type of modern music is influenced by rock and roll. Whether
it is heavy metal, hip-hop and rap, or dance music, all of their roots can be traced
back to rock and roll.
Somehow, decades after its inception, rock and roll not only survives, but
thrives. Even in the midst of a music industry that is much weaker than it was when
it began, rock and roll is surviving with new bands. Without the money from selling
millions of records, bands are adapting to streaming sources to make up some of the
revenue that is lost to piracy. In addition, bands are touring more and more to make
up revenue. In order to sell more tickets, rock shows are no longer just shows, but
often spectacles. They are becoming can’t-miss events for many people. Some bands
have embraced that by not only having tour merchandise, but merchandise for
specific shows as well that you can only get at the venue.
Even older bands such as The Rolling Stones, who have been around since
1962 are still incredibly successful. They regularly sell out arenas and stadiums, and
as of recently the average gross for their last 36 months has been $8,228,616
(Pollstar Pro). I have seen them somewhat recently, and they earn every cent of that.

3. 3
I love music, but especially rock and roll. It speaks to me in a way that
nothing else does. So, for my senior project, I decided to research the origin of rock
and roll, and how it impacted not only music, but American culture, to get a better
understanding of where the music I love comes from, as well as its impact on
American culture.
Rock and roll is one of the most influential aspects of American history and
culture. It has been one of the driving influences on the evolution of American
culture since its inception. Rock and roll was born from a time of prosperity.
America was just on the winning side of World War II, The Great Depression was
over, and most importantly, teenagers were becoming teenagers in the way that we
know them today. Rock and roll also came as the result of the comments and the
actions made by the disc jockey Alan Freed. Rock and roll helped influence the
sexual revolution and change long-standing ideas of what is considered acceptable,
normal and proper. Rock and roll would also change the idea of how live music was
performed. All of these factors, and more came together in an era of changing
morals and ideals to create a perfect storm of conditions and cause the birth of rock
and roll, as well the beginning of a new era of American culture, some of which still
exists today.
POST WAR AMERICA AND TEENAGERS
The birth of rock and roll came, in large part, as a result of post war America.
After World War II, America found itself in its greatest time of prosperity since the
pre-great depression era known as the roaring twenties. Between 1940 and 1955,

4. 4
the personal income of Americans rose by 293 percent, and as a result, the
consumption of consumer goods began to rise (Altschuler 9). Many of these goods
were changing from luxuries to necessities. In 1946, it is estimated that there were
6,000 televisions in America. By 1951 that number would grow to about 12 million.
No other invention had ever entered American homes faster than the black and
white television, and by 1955, half of all American homes had one (Stephens).
Shopping centers began to spring up all across the country, and the sales of cars
dramatically increased. Cars in particular were seen as fast, shiny and new, and to
teenagers, they were objects of obsession (Larson 22). These are the same teenagers
that made rock and roll what it is today.
The teenagers of the 1940’s were drastically different than those of the
1950’s, and the teenagers of the 1940’s were even more different than their
predecessors. During and after the era known as the roaring twenties, people in
their teen years were generally very shielded from the world. During the 1940’s
teenagers generally fell into one of a few categories. The older ones were at war, and
the younger ones either helped out where they could or were very sheltered from
what was happening in the world. During the popularization of cars in the 1940’s
and 1950’s, teenagers began having access to them. This change is what helped to
un-shelter youth. They all of a sudden had more freedom than they ever had, and an
ability to go new places and have new experiences. This made them curious, and
thus more likely to discover things that previous generations would not have
discovered at the same age. Due to the rise of industrialization, children were no
longer required to work at a young age to help support families. Particularly on

5. 5
farms, adults were now able to handle much more of the work on their own. This
time period saw the rise of the middle class, people who were not rich, but far more
well off than people had been before. This new quality of life that many were now
able to experience led to a change in values. The new economic statuses of the
parents were reflected on their children. Public schools and child labor laws made it
so children were now more innocent and sheltered. The knowledge and activities of
young children now extended to a later age (Ward 64). This new place for children
would not last long, as it would begin to fade during World War II when many adults
went to war or to work. The word “teenager” existed in the 1940’s but it described a
different kind of person than what we think of as a teenager today. Many had to
work to support their families due to family members being in the military and
away fighting the war (Larson 22). These teenagers had a lot more responsibility
than they had before, and as a result lost some of their innocence. This would
change again in post-war America.
In the 1950’s the country was booming again, children and teenagers
working was no longer a necessity, but jobs were now a desire. Teenagers were able
to take jobs for their own reasons and pleasures. They were now able to earn and
spend their own money. Teenagers were now seen as a target for producers to
purchase their goods (Larson 22). While there were upsides to the new situation
that teenagers found themselves in such as disposable income and free time, there
were major downsides to this era as well. Adults now saw teenagers as a threat to
their society’s morals, and criticized that they had too much time and money, and
thought that they needed a little more discipline. Yes, they had some responsibility

6. 6
in their jobs, but those jobs were mainly for pleasure as a way to get money to fund
the activities that the parents did not approve of. Some frequent examples used to
highlight these problems were juvenile delinquency, and sexual permissiveness.
Teenagers were beginning to rebel, and adults were looking down on them. That
growing disapproval only fed the fire that was teenage rebellion, which eventually
led to the generation gap (Larson 23). The teenagers of the 1950’s became a blend of
the teenagers of the 1940’s and the ones during the roaring twenties. Like the
roaring twenties teenagers, they had time and some freedom, but they still had the
adult behavior of the teenagers of the 1940’s. Children began to lose their innocence
at an earlier age, but they weren’t charged with the responsibilities of an adult. This
new brand of American youth would help lead to the idea of teenagers that we know
today, as well as the rise of rock and roll music.
RADIO
In order to properly explain how influential rock and roll has been on
American culture, one must go back several decades to the roots of radio and
discover how it impacted the rise of music in general. During the early days of radio,
recorded music was not a very prominent presence. Many stations were in small
towns, and primarily served as a way to connect the community in which they were
located. They would broadcast programs of local interest such as sermons, weather
and farm reports, and local talent. If a town was lucky enough for their station to be
part of a larger network, then they would get programs such as soap operas, comedy

7. 7
from stars at the time such as Jack Benny, sports scores, or broadcasts of orchestras
and dances from larger cities such as Chicago or New York (Ward 26).
A big turning point in the life of radio came in July of 1926, when Clinton R.
White from Chicago’s station WCRW put his wife Josephine on the air with his
vibraphone. The machine allowed the mechanical vibrations of the record to trigger
electrical impulses, which would be broadcast as music. Ed Ward, the author of the
“Fifties and Before” section of Rock Of Ages, notes that although the term disc jockey
was likely coined by Variety in 1941, this is really the first notable appearance of a
disc jockey. The leader of the Chicago musicians union, James C. Petrillo eventually
had White brought in front of the Federal Radio Commission who issued a desist
order to White. This did not stop any of the smaller stations. Many would continue
playing records, and neglect reporting what they were playing to ASCAP, as well as
neglect paying fees to ASCAP (Ward 26). This was a beginning to the story of music
on the radio, but it would not become commonplace for a few more years
The little recorded music that was played on the radio came when other
content was not immediately available; the network feed was not working correctly,
or in the time while the broadcasters were waiting for the next program. Records
and recorded music were seen as a cheap and readily available method for the DJs to
fill that space with quality entertainment. It was not immediately seen as a way to
promote music. Record companies felt threatened by radio stations playing their
music, and although they had caved to jukeboxes and saw the value that they carried
towards record sales, they stood against radio. Record companies put notices on

8. 8
records saying that they were not for broadcast. This measure was easy to get
around and not largely enforced, and many broadcasters ignored it (Ward 26).
MUSIC AND RACE
During World War II, American pop music largely consisted of swing music,
and the music of the crooners. The popular music of that time came from artists
such as Bing Crosby, Harry James and Dick Haymes, Jimmy Dorsey, the Andrews
Sisters, and the Mills Brothers. These were among some of the top selling artists at
the end of 1944 (Ward 33). This music however, was not very popular with the
soldiers overseas in the war. White artists generally recorded this popular music for
white audiences, and there was not much diversity. During their time fighting
overseas, soldiers began to discover that they had new interests in music. The
American army’s publication, Yank magazine conducted a poll of 3,700 soldiers, and
found that most people preferred what was now being referred to as “Folk” music,
which was the new term for hillbilly music. In fact, the results of the survey showed
that soldiers preferred Roy Acuff to Frank Sinatra by 600 votes (Ward 33). That
pattern was also beginning to be reflected across America, particularly in the south.
Trade publications such as Billboard were now tracking folk music as its own
separate category, and even began to list the top ten folk records each week (Ward
33).
This boom in folk music can be somewhat attributed to a very slightly
enlightened racial situation in the United States. While there were still very racist
tendencies among white Americans, some began to show an appreciation for the

9. 9
African American community. Bob Wills was a folk musician during this time, and he
drew heavily upon blues music, whose main audience was African Americans. One
of his main influences was jazz pianist, Count Basie. Other musicians who adopted
this new influence were Spade Cooley, and newcomer Merle Travis (Ward 34).
While this new influence of folk music seems like it would be an indication of
a more enlightened America, that was still not the case in most parts of the country.
Many stages were still segregated, not just in the Deep South, but also in large
metropolitan areas. One example of the segregation that was occurring comes from
Earl “Fatha” Hines. He was asked to give a lecture on jazz music at the University of
Louisville, but refused to because the lecture was not open to black students (Ward
34). This segregation shows how still unenlightened the country was at that time.
This event with Earl “Fatha” Hines is the perfect example of where the country was
culturally. We were fine with African American musicians. We loved their music, and
white Americans were influenced by it. They were seen as celebrities, so there was
an appreciation towards them. However, we still were not accepting of the everyday
African American citizens. Segregation was still prevalent in the country. But this
blues influence on folk music would help lay the groundwork for a more enlightened
America.
Even though in the beginning of the 1950’s there was still segregation in both
the music industry, and American society in general, acceptance was coming, and
music helped facilitate it. More often than not, buying rhythm and blues records was
more difficult in white neighborhoods. Record stores would not stock them, and
consumers would have to go to different neighborhoods to find them. However,

10. 10
many white teenagers would find ways to get them, usually by going to primarily
African-American populated neighborhoods (Altschuler 18). Many clubs were
similarly segregated. White teenagers, in their determination to consume rhythm
and blues, would often frequent African American nightclubs. Clubs would
sometimes fear repercussions from the authorities, so some would create “whites
only” sections of the club or “white spectator tickets” which allowed white
consumers in, but kept them separate, and in the eyes of the club, out of trouble
(Altschuler 18). While these examples still show how racially divided America was
during this time, it also shows that society was beginning to start down the right
path. The older generations were clearly the more racially closed-minded people in
America. They were the nightclub and storeowners and managers, and the ones who
implemented all of the rules. The younger generation of teenagers was the far more
accepting group. The majority of them were not focused on race, but rather the
music that they liked was far more important to them, much as it is today. More
often than not we do not think about race when it comes to music. We like what we
like and go to the shows that we want to go to. It is common now to see all different
kinds of people at a variety of shows. This ideal that young people had was a huge
part of what helped desegregate America in the coming years, propelled us to where
we are today.
ROCK AND ROLL ORIGINS
When discussing the origins of rock and roll, it is impossible to not talk about
rhythm and blues. Rhythm and blues is the foundation of rock and roll music.

11. 11
Rhythm and blues was not a complex style of music. It evolved out of jump blues in
the 1940’s. What makes it different is the song. The focus of rhythm and blues is that
the musicians playing it focus on the song and not improvisation while playing. It
sticks much more to what was written. There was some improvisation, especially in
guitar solos, but many of the other instruments would stick to what was written,
unlike jazz, which was a highly improvised style of music. Also, the “rhythm” in
rhythm and blues is a big difference. Unlike jump blues which had and up-tempo
and swinging rhythm and was heavily used by big bands in the 1940’s, rhythm and
blues generally consisted of a much more straightforward and driving rhythm in the
music. The music was blues chords, which is generally the 12-bar blues, and a
driving backbeat (Allmusic). On paper, rock and roll is very similar to rhythm and
blues in terms of structure. It also often borrows the boogie feel of blues. Boogie is
generally created by a fast, and hard-hitting rhythm played on piano. It is what
makes blues and rock and roll danceable. That boogie-woogie feel is what made rock
and roll stars get on stage to shake their hips. Rhythm and blues may be the primary
source of inspiration for the music, but rock and roll combines a number of different
characteristics and even some new ones to create its sound.
The evolution from rhythm and blues to rock and roll is subtle, but
important. What makes rock and roll different from rhythm and blues is the
distorted guitar tone. It is common for rock and roll artists to use a blues form, but
with the addition of distorted guitar, and sometimes a faster tempo. Sometimes
musicians would incorporate ideas from other styles of music such as beats from
country western music, but rhythm and blues is the foundation for almost all rock

12. 12
and roll music. During his performance at a Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame Ceremony,
Little Richard said “I want to let you know that rhythm and blues had a baby and
they called it rock ‘n’ roll.” After that he emphasized what he meant by saying “Rock
‘n’ roll is a child of rhythm and blues” (Little Richard Says… 59). While it is obvious
that he does not mean a literal child, there is a direct lineage between the two
genres of music. We can look today and see the influence that rhythm and blues had
on rock and roll, but this is a prime example of musicians knowing exactly where
their influence was coming from. They were not keeping it a secret.
While rhythm and blues music may be the primary source of inspiration for
rock and roll, it is not the only one. Country western music also had a large impact
on the new style. The country beat is a large influence on the development of rock
and roll. It is very straightforward and upbeat, which is what rock and roll
borrowed. Early rock and roll is the best example of this, but there is also a certain
country attitude in the music. It is only natural that this type of influence would
develop on rock and roll considering that many of the early stars such as Elvis
Presley were from the south, so their southern attitude and accent would show in
their music. Because of this country western influence on the music, early rock and
roll is often referred to as rockabilly. Rockabilly can best be described as a fusion of
rock and roll, and hillbilly or country western music. The only difference between
early rock and roll and rockabilly is the performer. Most early rock and roll had the
country backbeat to it, but the performers voice is what really made rockabilly
noticeable. If they were from the south, they probably had a southern accent and to
me that is what makes it rockabilly. Even though country western music is not as big

13. 13
of an influence as rhythm and blues, and the music is not as often referred to as
rockabilly as it is just rock and roll, rockabilly is still a very important aspect of the
story, particularly for musicians such as Elvis, who were, and still are huge stars and
that is where a lot of their influence comes from.
RHYTHM AND BLUES ON THE RADIO
During the 1940’s and 1950’s radio saw a surge in rhythm and blues
broadcasts. Among the new stations that were born after the end of World War II, a
number of them had white owners that programmed for African American citizens.
This became a trend due to the rise in the economy. Many African American citizens
now had disposable income, and most had radios in their homes. In late 1948 and
early 1949, WDIA, an AM station in Memphis, Tennessee stopped programming pop
music that was recorded for white Americans, and instead became the first radio
station in the country to program entirely for the African American community
(Altschuler 13). Due to the success of WDIA’s programming, stations all across the
country began to expand what was referred to as “Negro appeal programming.”
Throughout the 1950’s there was an increase of rhythm and blues on the radio, and
as a result of this, Variety noted that in 1953 there were around 500 African
American disc jockeys on stations all over the country (Altschuler 14). Not only did
this help boost the profile of rhythm and blues on the radio, but also it was an
industry that began to widely accept African Americans as employees and
personalities.

14. 14
ALAN FREED
In addition to the rise of African American radio personalities playing rhythm
and blues music on the radio, white radio personality Alan Freed had an immense
impact on the rock and roll landscape. Born on December 15, 1921 in Windber,
Pennsylvania, Alan Freed moved to Salem, Ohio with his family when he was twelve
years old. After spending time in the United States military, he was hired as a news
and sports announcer at WAKR in Akron, Ohio in 1945. By 1950, he had moved to
Cleveland, Ohio and was a radio personality at WJW-AM. It was during his time in
Cleveland that he got the idea of using the term “rock and roll” to describe music.
The story goes that while in Record Rendezvous, one of the largest record stores in
Cleveland, he noticed many white teenagers buying rhythm and blues records,
which at the time were often referred to as “race records,” as they were primarily
recorded by African American musicians for an African American audience
(Rockhall.com). I have previously gone into detail about white teenagers going out
of their way looking for these records, and Alan Freed witnessed this first hand. As a
result, he began playing them on the air. At the suggestion of the store’s owner, Leo
Mintz, Freed began programming rhythm and blues music on the air on a late-night
show called “Moondog Rock ‘n’ Roll Party” on WJW. Alan Freed became one of the
first white deejays in the area to play this type of music on air. The show was
perfectly named, and perfectly timed. Being a late-night show, it would naturally
attract an older crowd, and because it was late, I imagine that not many people that
were too young to listen had access to it. With a show that has a sexual reference in
the title, that was probably a good thing. Ideally, the target audience would be

15. 15
people old enough to appreciate what the show was doing for music and enjoy the
music, but people that were not at the age of having children who believed that their
children could be negatively influenced by it. That sweet spot of a demographic is
what would be ideal for both the listeners and programmers where everyone could
enjoy it, but people would not be offended by it. The show became a huge hit, and
the sales numbers for rhythm and blues increased. Freed and Mintz began to think
that the music needed a new name, and Freed began calling it “rock and roll” while
on the air. The term was not new, as it was generally used to describe sex. Freed
believed that the term suggested the idea of rolling to the beat of the music, which it
absolutely did. Alan Freed was the person to call the music by this new name, and he
was the first person to use the phrase on the air (Rockhall.com).
Alan Freed is without a doubt the most important radio figure in the birth of
rock and roll. Even though he was not a musician, nor did he use the term to
describe the first rock and roll song, a topic that I discuss later on in this paper, but
he was the first person to use the term “rock and roll” to describe music, which I
think is far more important. I understand that obviously the “first” rock and roll
song is important, but the concept is much more significant. Pairing the phrase with
the music set the tone for generations of music, as well as associations with the
music of the time. The idea that Alan Freed had for rock and roll was young people
coming together to enjoy music. That music made them want to dance, have fun, and
even put the idea of sex in their mind. Freed recognizing the connection between
this music and sex was significant. First, it led him to use the term “rock and roll”
which was already used to describe sex. Secondly, it was a hint to where America’s

16. 16
culture and ideals were headed. Using a term for sex in such a public and heavily
used way was definitely the start of what some people of the time would probably
have called loose morals, but today we would consider it a more progressive thing
to do. Sex is not taboo to talk about the way today it used to be, and it is in most
music now. I like to think that Alan Freed played a large part in that. Freed was such
an important part in the history of rock and roll, that The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
was built in Cleveland where he held his radio show, and he was enshrined in their
first class.
SAM PHILLIPS AND “ROCKET 88”
Music producer Sam Phillips also made one of the largest impacts on the rock
and roll landscape. Sam Phillips owned a Sun Records, a studio in Memphis,
Tennessee, where anyone could come in and for two dollars, have a record made
(Larson 29). While Phillips is perhaps best known as the man who discovered Elvis
Presley, who was, and is still known as the King of Rock and Roll, which is not all
that he is known for. One of his earlier recordings was Jackie Brenston and The
Kings Of Rhythm’s 1951 hit, “Rocket 88.” “Rocket 88” is a song that had distorted
guitar, lyrical themes that focused on cars and also had some sexual innuendos in it,
particularly the line “Takin’ my rocket on a long, hot run” (Songlyrics), and also had
a boogie beat. All of these elements combined is why many people cite “Rocket 88”
as the first rock and roll song (Larson 29). Although it is nearly impossible to exactly
pinpoint the first rock and roll song, “Rocket 88” is perhaps the most commonly
used example. I choose it for the same reasons that many people do, the guitar tone

17. 17
and the lyrics. The words in particular reflect the ideals that would go on to define
American culture in the 1950’s particularly for teenagers. Due to their new situation
of having free time and money, teenagers became obsessed with cars. They wanted
them newer, shinier, and faster. The central idea of the fast car in “Rocket 88,” and
the badmouthing of old “jalopies” appealed to the ideals held by this new era of
American teenagers.
ELVIS PRESLEY
In addition to recording “Rocket 88,” Sam Phillips is most well known for
being the person to discover Elvis Presley, the King of Rock and Roll. Elvis Presley
was born in Tupelo Mississippi in 1935 (Larson 30). Although he was slightly
involved in music during his childhood, his real story began in 1953 when he walked
into the Memphis Recording Service. He came in to record two songs as a gift for his
mother’s birthday. While there, he attracted the attention of Sam Phillips. Sam
Phillips was so impressed with what he saw Elvis do, that he invited him back in the
summer of 1954, and set him up with other musicians. They were guitarist Scotty
Moore, and bassist Bill Black. The first part of this new session did not go well, but
Elvis began performing the rhythm and blues tune “That’s All Right” by Arthur “Big
Boy” Crudup in a rhythm and blues and country western style crossover. In addition
to that performance, they also recorded the Bill Monroe song “Blue Moon of
Kentucky” in a very similar way (Larson 30). The positive reaction to this recording
was incredible, and instantaneous. Disc jockey Dewey Phillips played it seven times
in a row on his radio show just two nights after it was recorded. In the next few

18. 18
months, Elvis would tour with Moore and Black at, among other places, the Grand
Ole Opry, and the Louisiana Hayride (Larson 31).
The rising influence of rhythm and blues was very much seen in Elvis, who
was 19 years old when he did his first recordings. His unique mix of country
western, and rhythm and blues was hard to classify for many people. His style of
music is what is often referred to as rockabilly. He took rhythm and blues music, and
added in the southern influence and beat to create his style. It is still absolutely rock
and roll, but you can clearly hear that he is from the south in a lot of his music. The
obvious combination of the two styles creates rockabilly, a genre that Elvis is the
biggest star of. Whatever influences he had, one thing was certain, people loved it
and they wanted more of it. Elvis was in that age group of young people who had
access to more types of music, and probably some extra money to spend on music.
His rhythm and blues influence is fairly evident in his music, so it is likely that he
was one of the white people out looking for it in stores. Also, by showing the
influence in his music, reducing the stigma and misconceptions held by older white
Americas about rhythm and blues music. Many people initially thought that he was
African American when they first heard him, and were shocked to find out that he
was white. That realization of race helped reduce the stigma and show that it could
be anyone who was playing the music, as long as it was enjoyable. There was also a
negative aspect to his African American sounding music. Due to the rampant racism
that was still common in America, some older Americans took offense to him and
would not let their children listen to him. Even someone who was influenced by the

19. 19
rhythm and blues music of African Americans was considered a bad influence on
youth.
Elvis’s biggest legacy may not have been anything he did, but what he stood
for. Yes, he helped shape rock and roll music, and helped change what was
considered acceptable to do on stage during shows, but his real legacy is the
American dream. He came from almost nothing, discovered what he was good at,
and made use of it to become rich (Larson 33). Tom Larson points this out in his
book, History Of Rock and Roll, and while this is true, I believe there is a little moreto
it than that. Yes he made the rags to riches leap that every American dreams up, but
he made it in a way that reflects where America is at today. The original American
dream was that you come to America, you work hard, and you become successful
and comfortable, then you are able to provide a nice life for your family. Today
America’s youth idolizes the reality television lifestyle and do not want to do any
real work to achieve the American dream. Elvis was one of the earliest examples of
what today’s youth idolize. He went from nothing, to the biggest star in the world,
without much actual work. He just happened to have a voice that people liked, and
charisma to back it up. He was one of the earliest examples of having a talent, or
becoming known for something, and then becoming a superstar without putting in
years of hard work like most Americans. I find it incredibly amusing to study that,
considering that I live in a time where it is becoming a semi-regular occurrence.
However, most celebrities now do not achieve the icon status that Elvis did. During
his life, Elvis was a household name, and it would be tough to find someone who
didn’t know who he was. There were other people before Presley who made

20. 20
celebrities out of themselves who came from nothing, but not to the level of
celebrity that Elvis had achieved. His status as not only a musician, but an actor too
made him an entertainer. Everything he touched turned to gold, and everyone
wanted more of him. After all of my research I consider him to be the first “rock
star.” To this day we idolize Elvis and are influenced by him. I have nothing but
respect for Elvis, and I continue to be influenced by him myself. One of the most
interesting aspects of conducting this research was drawing these parallels between
Elvis’s rise to superstardom and the way we look at celebrities today. Now we see
celebrities come and go constantly, they have become a-dime-a-dozen. Some
become pop stars, reality television stars, brief movie stars, or famous on social
media. In the 1950’s there were massive movie stars such as John Wayne, James
Dean, and Marilyn Monroe, television stars like Ed Sullivan, and radio stars like Jack
Benny, but there were not as many huge music stars. One of the few huge music
stars was Frank Sinatra. Elvis was able to not only become part of that group, but
stay in it his entire career as well as to this day because it was a relatively
unsaturated market for celebrities.
Elvis Presley was a figure that had one of the largest impacts on the rock and
roll landscape, as well as American culture. America’s youth loved Elvis; some of the
older generation had a different opinion. For the time, he was considered lewd.
Crowds loved him at live shows. He would get on stage and wiggle his hips and
dance provocatively. Women often chased him after shows (Larson 32). Ed Sullivan
brought Elvis, along with many other musicians of the time, to television. In 1957,
Elvis made his third and final appearance on Sullivan’s show, and he was only

21. 21
broadcast from the waist up. In an effort to diffuse some of the tension and
controversy surrounding Elvis and his stage presence, Sullivan stated on the air that
Elvis was “a decent, fine boy… We want to say we have never had a more pleasanter
[sic] experience with a big name than we’ve had with you” (Elvis.com Timeline). He
was censored this way because of the gyrating he did on stage. This offended many
people, particularly parents who did not want their children exposed to this kind of
sexual behavior. By today’s standards, there would really be nothing wrong with the
way he was dancing, but it was new so it scared people. A large amount of adults
saw it as an attack on American ideals and morals, which many people today would
find silly, but in the context of the time, it was upsetting and offensive to many. But I
understand why Ed Sullivan did what he did, and I believe that he made the right
choice during the broadcast. First of all, he addressed that Elvis was a good person,
and that he enjoyed working with him. That is very important, because Sullivan was
a great television personality who was beloved by millions. He was trusted, so by
him saying that Elvis was a good boy, his intention was to put parents’ minds at
ease. Secondly, by censoring the performance and only showing him from the waist
up, he made a reasonable compromise. Normally I do not agree with censorship in
any way, shape or form, but I understand Sullivan’s decision. By showing Elvis this
way, he gave rock and roll fans what they wanted, which was music, and a chance to
see the artist perform it. He also gave the parents some peace of mind that their
children were not seeing crude behavior on television. This gives everyone a little
bit of what they want. Like I said before, I do not agree with censorship, but
considering how new rock and roll was at the time, and also taking into

22. 22
consideration some of the controversies and problems there were at the time, this
was probably the safest option. If certain steps were not taken to ease people into
the new music, it is likely that rock and roll could have been censored the way that
comic books were censored during this time under the Comics Code Authority.
A crucial era of Elvis’s career is the 1960’s. While it may not have been as
important as his beginnings and his hand in rock and roll’s origin, it is a prime
example of just how beloved and successful he was. Elvis was putting out hits his
entire career. He was beloved by rock and roll fans. However, beginning in 1957, he
began making movies, his first being Love Me Tender, and the title track was another
hit for him. On March 24, 1958, Elvis entered the army, where he reached the rank
of sergeant. He was discharged in March of 1960. During those two years he was not
able to make new music, so his manager, Colonel Tom Parker continued to release
previously recorded music on Elvis’s behalf (Larson 33). Anyone who even remotely
knows who Colonel Tom Parker is would not find this surprising. Parker is famous
for not only managing Elvis, but for taking a fifty percent cut of the money, which
was much higher than a normal manager’s ten percent cut. Parker loved Elvis like a
son, a fact that is well documented in nearly any article regarding their relationship.
However, it is important to know that Parker worked Elvis excruciatingly hard,
particularly at the end of Elvis’s career when he was not in the best of health. It is
also important to note that Elvis looked to Parker as a father figure guiding his
career. I am sure that Parker saw Elvis’s time in the army as lost profits and made
the best of the situation. When Elvis returned from the army, his career took a new
path. He stopped touring, and began making movies instead. He made a total of 33

23. 23
movies in his life (Elvis.com Biography). I have seen some of these movies, and
while I enjoy them, in the grand scheme of things they are nothing to write home
about. However, because he was making only movies during this time, they were
still highly successful because that was the only way his fans were able to see him
until the 1970’s. They all had his music in them as well, so his string of hits
continued (Larson 33). While this may not be as crucial to the very early days of
rock and roll, it is still an important aspect of the story of Elvis. It showed how loved
Elvis was, and how devoted his fans were, that they would go see all these movies
just to see him, and they still bought the music. This era spawned what is in my
opinion some of his best songs, particularly “Jailhouse Rock.”
SHAPING THE LANDSCAPE
Jackie Brenston and The Kings of Rhythm may have the first rock and roll
song with their hit “Rocket 88,” and Elvis may be the most famous musician of this
time, they are not the only ones who helped shape the rock and roll landscape.
Another early rock and roll pioneer was Chuck Berry. Born in 1926 in St. Louis,
Missouri, Chuck Berry was raised on country, blues, gospel, rhythm and blues, and
the music of the crooners such as Frank Sinatra and Nat “King” Cole (Larson 38).
These influences are very clear in his music. He often combines blues guitar, with a
country beat, but sings with the clarity that the crooners sang with (Larson 39).
With the goal of recording a record, he moved to Chicago in May of 1955 and met
Muddy Waters, who referred him to Leonard Chess, the founder of Chess Records,
for whom he recorded his hit song “Maybelline” (Larson 38). What makes Berry

24. 24
stand out in his music is his lyrical content. He wrote one of the greatest rock
anthems of all time when he wrote “Johnny B. Goode.” The song tells a great story
about the character Johnny B. Goode and his surprising musical talents, but also has
one of the most recognizable hooks in music in the chorus when he sings “Go! Go!
Johnny; Go! Go! Go!” In addition to his storytelling ability, he also tackled some
tough and political topics, most notably in his song “Brown Eyed Handsome Man,”
which tackled the topic of racial injustice. Chuck Berry’s storytelling ability is one of
the most important aspects of his music. In his book History of Rock and Roll, Tom
Larson also mentions Chuck Berry’s song “Sweet Sixteen” and how it is about a girl
who is dressed up and ready to rock, but still needs her parent’s permission (Larson
39). I think this song is particularly important lyrically, because I see it as a portrait
of what teenagers were like at the time, and I am sure that Berry intended that when
he wrote it. That image of a teenager wanting to rock, and being ready to do so, but
then still needing their parent’s permission is very much what it was like for young
Americans. Young people had the desire and passion for the music, but many
parents still carried a negative view towards it and the messages it carried. Songs
like “Sweet Sixteen,” which were written with younger people in mind were
particularly important, because it gave them something in which they related to.
Chuck Berry also contributed more to rock and roll than just music. I think it
is important to note his iconic duck-walk that he did on stage. This gave him
something memorable and original to do on stage with his body, and add a little
something else to the performance. To me, this is where the concept of what I would
call a “showman” began to take shape. To me, a showman is someone who ads an

25. 25
extra element to the show that is not just the music. Soon other musicians would
begin to do more on stage than just stand there and sing. Elvis’s famous routine was
gyrating his hips, so much so that many people found it crude and offensive, and on
his final performance on The Ed Sullivan Show he was only shown above the waistso
his hips would not be broadcast into homes. These early showmen helped lay the
groundwork for the “front man,” who would begin to appear in the 1960’s. In my
opinion, the greatest front man ever was, and still is Mick Jagger of The Rolling
Stones. To me, there has never been a singer who can rival his stage presence, or
command a stage and the crowd the way that he does. The front man became, and
remains a crucial aspect of rock and roll concerts, and without Chuck Berry, I do not
believe that they would have evolved the way that they did.
Another powerhouse of early rock and roll was Fats Domino. While he does
not have the legendary status that Elvis does, Antoine “Fats” Domino is notable for a
very impressive milestone. With the exception of Elvis, he sold more records than
any of the other early rock and roll pioneers, a total of 65 million (Larson 35).
Domino was born in 1929 in New Orleans, and as a result, had a distinctive creole
style dialect in his singing. As a musician he played piano in a boogie style. He had a
calm demeanor and his very non-threatening personality made him more likable to
a mainstream audience. The music he played was very typical of the New Orleans
style rhythm and blues. It had a loose feeling, pianos, saxophones, and a walking
bass line to give it its boogie-woogie feel (Larson 35). His accessible music and
likeability was important because he was African American. When he signed his
record deal in 1949 (Larson 35), America was still in an era of racial discrimination.

26. 26
There was still segregation and many people were still unaccepting of African
Americans. Having an artist like Fats Domino who was likeable and enjoyable to all
is significant. Breaking down racial barriers was very tough, and it still is today, but
having musicians who were liked by all was important to help advance American
ideals. Domino’s most successful era came between 1955 and 1960 when he
recorded hits such as “Ain’t That A Shame” in 1955, “I’m In Love Again” in 1956,
“Blueberry Hill” in 1956-57, and “Blue Monday” in 1957. All of these songs were
huge hits, and since 1955, Domino has had nine gold singles, and thirty-seven Top
40 Hits (Larson 36). The success of an African American musician during this time
was crucial to changing America’s attitude towards race. While he may not be
remembered the way Elvis or Chuck Berry are today, Fats Domino was an important
aspect in the evolution of rock and roll music, as well as the evolution of America’s
culture.
FASHION DURING THE 1950’S
Fashion also effected, and was affected by the rise of rock and roll. Perhaps
the most notable item to come from this era was the bikini. During the 1940’s,
fashion was very modest compared to what is accepted today. Women in particular
did not often show as much skin as they do today, and a clothing item like the bikini
was not considered acceptable. On July 5th 1946, French designer Louis Réard
announced that he would debut the bikini at the Piscine Molitor fashion-show
(Brode 97). The item was widely considered skimpy, offensive, vulgar or scandalous.
Réard knew that no professional model would be the first to debut his new product

27. 27
so instead he hired Micheline Bernardini, a nude performer at the Casino de Paris
(Brode 97). Even though the bikini debuted in Europe, a version of it had already
been introduced in America, which helped it to become accepted here a little more
easily. During World War II, there were shortages of materials, and in 1943 the
government made requests to reduce the amount of materials used on women’s
swimwear. The first change to be made was the removal of the skirt on one-piece
bathing suits. The second change made was the removal of the midriff section of the
bathing suit, which resulted in the first two-piece bathing suits in America. Because
this was done during wartime, and for material conservation reasons, women could
claim that wearing these bathing suits was not for the sake of showing skin or
showing off, but that they were actually being patriotic and helping to conserve
materials (Brode 98). America’s acceptance of the bikini is an important landmark
in its cultural history. It was another step on the road to the sexual revolution, a
path that rock and roll also played a large part in. The way that the bikinis were
introduced was particularly important to the progress made. The fact that it was
done as a way to conserve materials during wartime was crucial. That made it so
older, and more conservative people would not look down on it, and they would see
it as women doing their patriotic duty. At the same time, young people who either
did not know any better or did not care about the issue were fine with this change,
and I am sure some even encouraged it. Young people were more open to new ideas
such as the bikini. This situation led to the bikini becoming an acceptable piece of
clothing to wear in the right situation. Without the bikini, I believe that Americans
would have progressed to the sexual revolution even slower, and the rock and roll

28. 28
landscape would have been changed. Between the bikini, and the newly sexual
lyrical content of rock and roll, two pieces of what would become the iconic idea of
“sex, drugs and rock and roll.” The drugs aspect would become much more popular
just a few years later in the 1960’s.
In addition to becoming a fashionable piece of clothing during the 1950’s
bikinis would also used in movies, particularly in the surf movies in the 1960’s, and
that is where the connection to rock and roll comes in. Bikinis became an often used
piece of clothing in movies, particularly when it came to movies about the beach,
especially with teenagers. Young men in particular wanted to see movies with great
music and women wearing little clothing. It was something that was not easily
available before, and with America’s changing standards for what was considered
acceptable, it was now something that they could see. It took a few years to merge
together, but rock and roll, movies, and women’s swimwear would eventually all
merge together to make surf movies. They were made for young people, particularly
on the west coast where there were waves to surf, so the content was tailored to
them. Music, outdoor fun and women were all things that young men enjoyed, and
surf movies became great entertainment.
ROCK AND ROLL IN OTHER MEDIA
Rock and roll has a long history on the big screen. One of the earliest known
instances of rock and roll being in the movies came in Blackboard Jungle in 1955.
The movie features young, delinquent children dancing to Bill Haley and The
Comets, while the good kids are not taking part at all. At one point in the movie a

29. 29
teacher brings in his collection of jazz and swing records to use in his lessons, but
the bad students go on a rampage and begin destroying all of his music, and
eventually forced the teacher to resign. This was one of the first occasions that a
visualization of violence had been paired with rock and roll, so when adults saw the
film, they learned of the “dangers” of rock and roll. We obviously know that rock and
roll is not dangerous, but when the movie came out in 1955, there were still people
who were unknowledgeable came to rock and roll and the influence that it had on
Americans. The music was introduced as the music of barbarians who wanted to
destroy the music that previous generations held dear. As a result of this movie, the
negative ideas that adults held towards rock and roll were reinforced, this time with
the addition of visual violence. Parents who previously had no problem buying
records for their children began to refuse to purchase records for them. However,
after this film future rock and roll films would be different. Movies would no longer
be able to simply show rock and roll neutrally, they now had to defend the music
(Brode 18).
What many consider to be the first “rock and roll movie,” which was made for
young fans of rock and roll, was not very rock and roll. On March 21, 1956, Columbia
Pictures released Rock Around The Clock, named after the song by Bill Haley and The
Comets, who were in the movie (Brode 21). Intended to be a rock and roll movie for
a young audience, it was a success financially, but not to the degree desired. The
movie quadrupled its expense of $300,000 at the box office, but it was not very well
received by its target audience, teenagers (Brode 25). The plot revolves around
Steve Hollis, a band manager in his forties, and Corrine Talbot, a musical talent

30. 30
agent. Steve discovers the band Bill Haley and The Comets and believes that he can
make stars out of them. Corrine does not agree and decides to stick to the big bands
that she knows. The first major problem was that there were no teenagers in the
movie. Young people were not interested in a movie that was supposedly made for
them, but did not feature anyone that they could relate to. The youngest person in
the cast was Lisa Gaye, who played a dancer named Lisa who had just turned 22
years old (Brode 21). The second problem was the plot. There was a love story
involved, and when the characters involved in that love story are older than the
target audience, the audience was uninterested. Even in the one semi-romantic
scene on a beach, the music used was not from Bill Haley and The Comets, but
instead it was the love theme used in the film From Here To Eternity. That was not
the music that the audience was there to hear. Rock Around The Clock was being
advertised as a rock and roll movie for youth, and that was not rock and roll. The
main reason perhaps for the movie being the way it was is the head of Columbia at
the time, Harry Cohn, who was 64 years old. He was part of the older generation
who did not understand what rock and roll was or why young people loved it so
much. He simply saw the fad at the time, and made a movie that was basically a
caricature of what he thought the rock and roll culture was, and what he thought
American teenagers would respond to (Brode 22). The one redeeming factor of the
movie for America’s youth was Bill Haley and The Comets. After all, that is why they
went in the first place. They performed in their signature outfits of plaid jackets and
black bow ties (Brode 22). Even if teenagers did not like the movie, at least they had
some of their favorite musicians playing music in it. Rock Around The Clock had been

31. 31
salvaged to some degree. Part of what made it uninteresting is that rock and roll was
neither seen as good or bad. It was simply there, and the movie showed characters
that worked in it. One downfall of this is that it came so soon after Blackboard Jungle
that it was already written and being worked on when the negativity surrounding
Blackboard Jungle began to surface. It could have been a much more interesting
movie if the writers had the thought to address the complaints and controversies
that were beginning to happen (Brode 23). I think that if Rock Around The Clock had
addressed what was beginning to happen it would have drawn more attention from
youth. If the writers had blatantly defended rock and roll, the youth would have
rallied behind it to also defend the music that they love. I have seen the movie, and
the opportunity was there, but was never taken. There was not enough time
between the movies to really see what was happening. It absolutely did not portray
rock and roll in a negative light; it was just used as a plot device in order to further
develop the characters, give them some background, and also as a backdrop for their
story. Even so, it is still and important piece in the history of rock and roll.
Movies were not the only visual medium that played a part in rock and roll’s
history. Television also played a role. Ed Sullivan, who was hosting his television
program The Ed Sullivan Show saw the rising trend in rock and roll and also saw the
value in it. He began inviting some of the acts to perform on his show, which had a
considerable Saturday night audience (Ward 110). On August 7, 1955, Ed Sullivan
made rock and roll history when he invited Bill Haley and The Comets on the show
to perform their hit “Rock Around The Clock” (Dunavin). This was just after
Blackboard Jungle came out, so the song was fresh in people’s minds. Rock historian

32. 32
Jim Dawson notes that it is likely that this was the first time that there was a rock
and roll performance on live television. Dawson has stated, “If Elvis was the King,
Bill Haley was John The Baptist” (Dunavin). I absolutely agree with this metaphor.
Elvis may be the famous one in the history of rock and roll, but Haley was the first to
show us the way. Also in 1955, while looking for acts to perform, Sullivan’s producer
spotted Bo Diddley with a guitar, and was impressed. At the time, one of the rising
songs was “Sixteen Tons,” written by guitarist Merle Travis in the 1940’s. The
producer figured that he would get Diddley on the show to play the song. He
assumed that the song was what was important and not necessarily the person
playing it (Ward 110). When on the set, Diddley stated that he did not know “Sixteen
Tons,” so they had members of the studio orchestra work it out with him. The
production crew even wrote down all of the words on large cue cards for him. He
gave the performance, and when he was done walked offstage. He was met by a
member of the staff who said, “Man, maybe that was ‘Sixteen Tons’ on those cards,
but all I saw was Bo Diddley” (Ward 111). This performance made Bo Diddley even
better known than he already was, and as a result had a string of hits in the late
1950’s through the 1960’s. Television was becoming a good medium for rock and
roll to be showcased, and Ed Sullivan was the premier host. “The Ed Sullivan Show”
would eventually host many musicians on it including The Beatles, whose
appearances on the show marked the start of the British Invasion era of music in the
United States.
The Ed Sullivan Show was one of the first programs to put rock and roll on
television, and since that time, music has been played on all kinds of talk shows,

33. 33
variety shows, live broadcasts of concerts, and late night shows. Although it is not
important to the origins of rock and roll, I think the later eras of television is
important to note. This era is the MTV era in the 1980’s. On August 1, 1981 MTV:
Music Television launched by playing the music video for “Video Killed The Radio
Star,” by The Buggles, and indeed it did. The beginning of MTV was primarily music
videos provided by record companies for broadcast (History.com MTV). MTV would
go on to play music of all genres, whether it was heavy metal music videos or their
show Yo! MTV Raps. And although programming has changed over time, for many
years it’s primary focus was music videos. This resulted in the quality of videos
significantly increasing. Videos changed from being montages of bands performing
to videos that contained effects, settings and stories, which in turn resulted in better
entertainment. Like I said, this is not particularly relevant to the story I am trying to
tell, But I think it is important to note the relationship that rock and roll, and music
in general has had and continues to have with television. Rock and roll adapted very
well to visual mediums of entertainment, and the effect I believe has been positive
for all industries involved. Without Ed Sullivan, and his desire to bring the sight of
rock and roll to the masses, I truly believe that it would have taken a lot longer for
music videos to happen, and as a result, MTV would have taken longer to be
conceived, if at all. All it takes is a spark to set something in motion, and Ed Sullivan
was that spark for rock and roll’s relationship with television.
During this early era of rock and roll, musicians not only appeared in movies,
but starred in them as well. Perhaps the most famous musician to appear in movies
is Elvis Presley. Beginning in 1956, Elvis starred in a string of successful movies

34. 34
(Elvis.com Biography). In 1956, Elvis Presley made his debut movie, Love Me Tender.
The title track of the movie would go on to produce a number one hit (Larson 33).
This became a common aspect of his movie. Many of his movies also had songs
named after them, such as Jailhouse Rock, Loving You, and King Creole. Throughout
the 1960’s, Elvis would continue to make movies. He made a total of 33 films in his
career, and put off touring to do it. While most of his movies had scripts that were
not up to the standards of many other successful Hollywood productions, simply the
fact that Elvis was in them made them successful. This is due in large part to his lack
of touring. Throughout the sixties Elvis did not tour, so the only way that his fans
could see him was in his movies. Because all of his movies also had his music in
them, this gave him a string of hits through the sixties without touring. His fans
would not see him live until the seventies (Larson 33). While Elvis may not have
been the first rock star to appear in movies, he is one of the most important. He
showed that musicians could not only be in movies, but they could star in them, and
even have movies tailored around their music. This started a trend that would
continue, and still continues today in movies such as A Hard Day’s Night starring The
Beatles, Purple Rain starring Prince, and 8 Mile starring Eminem. I believe that this
idea of musicians starring in movies featuring their own music is what helped
popularize biopics about musicians. They follow a similar trend, and often cause a
boost in the popularity of whomever the movie is about, and increase their sales at
least for a brief period of time.
Rock and roll musicians branching into movies was just the beginning of
them reaching into other mediums of entertainment. Today we see musicians

35. 35
constantly branching out and growing their brand by chasing after other industries.
One example to note is the fashion industry. There are several musicians now with
their own fashion lines including Adam Levine of Maroon 5, Madonna and Pharell
Williams (Dellicarpini Jr.). All three are very successful musicians who have
branched out in order to expand their brand. It does not only have to work that way
either. Not only do some musicians make the transition to other media, but
sometimes music comes from another industry. My favorite example of that is the
television show Metalocalypse. The show was created by Brendon Small, and is an
animated series about the heavy metal band Dethklok, who is the biggest band in
the world, and have legions of fans who worship them to an extreme degree, often
ending in the deaths of fans at shows. It incorporates music that was written by
Small specifically for the show. The show became so popular to fans of metal music
that Brendon Small began touring with other musicians as the band Dethklok and
played the music from the show live. It’s amazing that a show could become so
popular amongst a certain group of fans that the fictional artists it was about could
become real. While these examples of other media are not directly related to what
was happening in early rock and roll, I do not think that they would have been
possible if musicians in the 1950’s were not branching out to act in movies.
THE FIRST ROCK SHOW
One of the most important aspects of rock and roll is the live concert. That
statement has held true for all of rock and roll’s existence, and continues to be true
today. The live concert is my favorite aspect of rock and roll. Listening to records is

36. 36
great and fun to do, but they do not even come close to capturing the raw power and
energy of a live show. Live albums are great, but they cannot recreate the
experience. Today we have live DVDs and Blu-Rays, and while they can show you
what was going on at the show, it’s hard to get as excited about it when you are
watching it from a couch in your living room. The biggest missing aspect is the
energy of the audience. Without being there, you lose the crowd cheering, dancing,
singing and sharing the love that they all have for the music. Alan Freed, who I
discussed earlier in the paper as being the person who coined the term “rock and
roll,” also helped shape live rock and roll shows into what they are today. In 1952,
concert promoter Lew Platt, along with Alan Freed and Leo Mintz decided to put on
a show featuring all of these newly popular acts that Freed was featuring on his
radio show. The Moondog Coronation Ball, which was named after Freed’s hugely
popular radio show from which the artists were chosen, was held at the Cleveland
Arena on March 21, 1952. Among the acts that performed were the Dominoes, Paul
Williams and the Hucklebuckers, Tiny Grimes and the Rocking Highlanders, Danny
Cobb, Varetta Dillard, and others. The arena only had a capacity of 10,000 people,
but about 25,000 people attended the concert (Rockhall.com). I do not think that
anyone anticipated how big this show would be. After the success of the show, Freed
would continue to be an advocate for rock and roll and promote other shows in the
area, including the Moondog Maytime Ball and the Sunday Teenagers’ Matinee, both
of which were also held at the Cleveland Arena. But that first show, the Moondog
Coronation Ball was the most important, as it is now considered to be the first ever
rock and roll show (Rockhall.com). This first rock and roll show set the tone for the

37. 37
way rock shows would occur for the rest of time. It was an extravaganza, and an
event. Today we look at rock shows as events, and that is what they are. With the
way the music industry is today, and how low sales numbers are compared to the
past, many artists make up for the lost revenue by touring almost continuously, and
in order to make their shows stand out, many large artists treat their shows as
events, and once in a lifetime experiences.
This first rock and roll show was also one of the earliest examples of not
being able to predict just how popular rock and roll music was, an occurrence that
would be repeated in 1969 at what is now considered to be the most famous rock
and roll concert of all time. Woodstock was held in Bethel, New York. Early
estimates for attendance numbers rose from 50,000 to 200,000 before the festival
opened. By the time the gates opened on Friday, August 15, 1969, over 400,000
people were entering the grounds for the concert. Many did not have tickets and
were coming through gaps in the fence, which forced the organizers to make the
event free for them (History.com Woodstock). This number of 400,000 is sixteen
times what the attendance was for the Moondog Coronation Ball, and in reality it
probably should be higher since there is no exact number for how many people
were there. The graph below gives a visual representation of the gap between the

38. 38
attendances of the two shows.
The gap presented is very large, but when you think of it as a percentage, the
overcrowding of the two become very similar. Moondog Coronation Ball went from
a 10,000-person capacity to 25,000 people in attendance. That is a growth of 150%.
Woodstock went from a final estimate of 200,000 people in attendance to and actual
number of over 400,000; which is a change of 100%. When thinking about it like
that, the Moondog Coronation Ball actually grew more than Woodstock. Even
though it is not talked about the way Woodstock is today, largely because of the
number difference, and Woodstock had many more “legendary” acts performing, it
is important to keep Moondog Coronation Ball in mind when discussing early rock
and roll. It helped develop rock and roll shows into events.
ROCK AND ROLL SEEN AS VIOLENT, OFFENSIVE AND CRUDE
0
50,000
100,000
150,000
200,000
250,000
300,000
350,000
400,000
450,000
Moondog Coronation Ball Woodstock
Moondog CoronationBall vs Woodstock
Series 1

39. 39
The rise of rock and roll was powerful and beloved by many. However, not
everyone saw the importance of it, and many people in older generations were anti-
rock and roll. To many it was seen as violent, crude and offensive. On April 15, 1957,
the New York Times ran a cover story titled “Rock ‘n’ Roll Fight Hospitalizes Youth.”
The story described a situation between both black and white boys and girls at a
show attended by ten thousand fans, which resulted in a fifteen-year-old boy being
stabbed and thrown onto subway tracks. He missed the live rail and reached the
platform before a train came by and hit him, but it was still a horrible situation. A
police officer quoted in the article blamed “the Negro youths” for the incident, and
went on to discuss how they expect trouble every time a rock and roll show was in
town (Altschuler 3). Many news outlets reported incidents like these for years, and
they were common. During that time, rock and roll was so exciting and interesting
to the public, that even events that had no kind of problem were considered
newsworthy. There is a news headline from the New York Times called “Rock ‘n’
Rollers React Calmly” that ran after a show at the Paramount Theater (Altschuler 3).
While there were plenty of shows that did not have problems, violent incidents were
not uncommon. Rock and roll got young people excited, and gave them an outlet to
express themselves in a new way and sometimes it was violent. We know today that
rock and roll from the 1950’s was not violent, but it was new and shocking then.
Now we have music from all kinds of genres such as rock and roll, hard rock, heavy
metal, hip-hop and rap that is much more violent and angry than anything that
existed back then. That time period was the beginning of a transition in morals and

40. 40
standards of what was considered acceptable. New things always shock people, and
rock and roll was no different.
Today, there are all kinds of music that is filled with violent imagery, and can
provoke violent thoughts. Looking back, the early rock and roll music of the 1950’s
is very tame compared to some of what we listen to now. However, that does not
mean that music then did not also have some violent imagery. One prominent
example of this that comes to mind is Elvis Presley’s 1957 hit, “Jailhouse Rock.” The
song is about partying in prison, and opens with the lines “warden threw a party in
the county jail. The prison band was there and began to wail. The band was jumpin’
and the joint began to swing. You should’ve heard those knocked out jailbirds sing”
(Jailhouse Rock Lyrics). While these lyrics themselves are not violent to us now, they
could however put the image of a prison in your mind, or that prison could be a
socially acceptable, if not laudable place to be. I imagine that most parents would
not approve of this image. However, the song was a huge hit, as well as the movie of
the same name from which the song is derived also premiered in 1957. The song
may have not have had much violent undertones, but the movie is a different matter.
The premise of the movie is the story of a construction worker who is sent to jail for
manslaughter. While imprisoned, he learns to play the guitar from a fellow inmate.
After he is released, he goes about his life working and continuing to play music and
trying to further his career as a musician. Considering that this is an Elvis Presley
movie, and the target audience was most likely young fans of Elvis and rock and roll
music in general, the idea of prison scenes that include a riot, and a scene with
Elvis’s character, Vince, striking a prison guard is rather daring. Violence like that,

41. 41
with the positive story of him learning music to better himself happening in the
background could have been concerning for some adults, especially with the target
audience being younger. But in the end, there were no major complaints about the
film, and it went on to be yet another major success for Elvis’s career. I believe that
it is important to note that there was content made for younger audiences in the late
1950’s had some more adult-leaning themes and stories in it. I think that this
example of a non-issue is a good illustration of how the adverse reaction to some of
early rock and roll cultures early content was beginning to die down, and it was
becoming enjoyable for all.
In addition to being a source of violence, rock and roll was also considered
very crude when it first started. Even early rock and roll had sexual references in the
lyrics. Going back to an example I already gave, “Rocket 88” was primarily about a
fast car, but there is some significant sexual innuendo in the lyrics that also suggests
what the singer would like to do with a woman in that car. Not only were sexual
lyrics found in rock and roll, but it was suggested in live shows as well Elvis was
well known for moving around on stage in a sexual manner. He would wiggle his
hips and shakes his legs, and he radiated sexuality and charisma. Women wanted
him and men wanted to be him. I gave this example earlier in the paper, but Elvis’s
stage presence and dance were considered so obscene by some people that it led to
Ed Sullivan censoring his performance on the show by only showing him from the
waist up. That way nobody other than people in the studio could see his gyrating hip
movements. Also, the term “rock and roll” was itself sexual. At the time, it literally
meant sex, but Alan Freed also coined it to describe this new music. All these factors,

42. 42
as well as other significant events during this time, such as the invention and
popularization of the bikini helped lead America’s youth down a new path. With all
of this sex being forced into the faces of Americans, we were about to see an era of
new and loosened morals. In 1950, Alfred Kinsey released his book Sexual Behavior
in the Human Male, which documented the differences between sexual acts that
Americans wanted to believe existed, and the ones that were actually occurring
(Brode 115). His follow-up book which was released in 1953, Sexual Behavior in the
Human Female, suggested that women were not disgusted by sex, which many
people, especially those from older generations wanted to believe, but were actually
obsessed with it (Brode 115).
The 1950’s were a time where ideals that concerned sex and sexuality were
in a very strange place. There were new ideas coming to light thanks to Alfred
Kinsey’s books on human sexuality, but there were still some elements of Victorian
ideals that thought of sex as taboo. These Victorian beliefs saw sex as something
mechanical that should not be enjoyed, and something that was strictly for the
purpose of procreating (Brode 115). However, by the end of the decade in 1960, the
FDA would approve the first oral contraceptive. At first it was only available for
married women who wanted to limit the number of children that they had, but it
was not long until younger, single women were using it out of their enjoyment of sex
(Brode116). That was a drastic step in the advancement of society’s view on sex,
and one that would lead America into the sexual revolution. Rock and roll’s
influence on this evolution can be seen. The sexual dialogue and sexuality of the
musicians helped get this revolution started. Rock and roll’s impact is very much

43. 43
like a fuse leading to the sexual revolution. Rock and roll was a way to discuss sex in
a somewhat more acceptable manor. It was usually quite subtle in the lyrics, and
therefore not as blatantly sexual as other manners of learning about sex. The
availability of rock and roll made it so younger listeners could come into contact
with the idea of sex at a younger age, and they were fascinated by it, and they
wanted more of it. Without the music discussing sex and sexuality, America’s youth
do not get that exposure, and would have been restricted to the same ideas about
sex that their parents had, because their parents probably would have been the only
source of that information. They were now allowed to form their own ideals and
opinions. Once they found out that they enjoyed it, they were more open about it.
That openness and desire for more led to the demand to things like contraceptives
and education on the topic. All of this would lead to America’s sexual revolution, and
eventually to where we are today.
It was not entirely the public’s fault that rock and roll was seen negatively at
first and carried negative connotations. I am sure that a large portion of the blame
can fall on the media. In 1986, Michael Parenti released a book titled Inventing
Reality: The Politics Of Mass Media. The book is about how there is no such thing as
an unbiased media and how it always has been and probably always will be affecting
the way we see things, particularly new concepts. We are at the mercy of the media.
We see and hear what it wants us to see and hear. We do not always get to see all
sides of an argument, only the sides that a particular media outlet agrees with. At
the time of the books release, the media was dominated by white males, a trend that
largely still continues today, and most certainly did before the book at the time of

44. 44
rock and roll’s introduction to America. Parenti notes some important statistics in
his work. Women at the time only accounted for about ten percent of persons
covered in the media. The rare occasion that they were it was usually because they
were appearing as celebrities or the wives of celebrities, or unusual “firsts” for
events. Also, women, African American’s and other minorities were
underrepresented as employees in media. During the 1980’s, the time at which the
book was written, the former Boston Globe editor, Thomas Winship, notes that of the
1,700 daily newspapers in the United States, the majority of them had never
employed a single African American, Asian American or Hispanic journalist. In 1986,
barely five percent of all reporters were of some minority, and the majority of the
ones that were reporters, worked for media outlets that were either ran or owned
by minorities. Also at this time, women only accounted for about 6.5 percent of all
reporters (Parenti 11).
All of this data boils down to one main idea, which is that the media is
controlled by older white men, and is biased towards their opinions. If these were
the statistics in 1986, then I am sure that they were much worse in the late 1940’s
and 1950’s when rock and roll was just beginning. The main group of people who
had problems with rock and roll was white Americans who felt that the music
threatened their ideals and way of life, and corrupted their children’s minds. There
was rampant racism in 1950’s America. People did not want their children being
exposed to the influence of African American musicians, or white musicians who
sounded African American. That means that the fathers of young rock and roll fans
were the ones who were putting out stories that showed the music in a negative

45. 45
light. If they did not like the music and did not want their children to be influenced
by or exposed to it, then it is not surprising that so many negative headlines about
rock and roll such as the New York Times headline “Rock ‘n’ Roll Fight Hospitalizes
Youth” were ran in the papers. It was not possible for there to be an unbiased
representation of it in newspapers when the writers of the articles did not like the
topic. That is why I believe figures like Ed Sullivan were so important during that
time. He saw the value in rock and roll and became a defender of it. For him to go on
the air and defend Elvis they way that he did was monumental. He was a figure
loved by almost all Americans and I believe his defense of the music helped it get
through a tough time where it could have easily been defeated. Yes music is
powerful, but to have entire generations hating it, and berating it could have been
just as powerful. We now know that rock and roll not only survived, but also thrived,
and continues to impact us in a major way today.
ROCK AND ROLL AS A SPIRIT
In addition to becoming one of the biggest forces in American culture, rock
and roll has almost transcended beyond music in some ways. Rock and roll is not
just a specific style of music anymore, but it has also become about rebellion, and as
long as there are people who are speaking out and questioning social norms, there
will always be rock and roll. On April 8th, 2016, legendary rap group N.W.A. was
inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. At the ceremony, members of the
group MC Ren and Ice Cube verbally attacked Gene Simmons of KISS directly, who
prior to the event had been very vocally against rap and hip-hop groups going into

46. 46
the Hall of Fame, of which KISS are already members. MC Ren said “I want to say to
Mr. Gene Simmons that hip-hop is here forever — get used to it.” When it was his
turn at the microphone, Ice Cube stated, “The question is, ‘Are we rock ‘n’ roll?’ and I
say ‘You g–damn right we rock ‘n’ roll!’ Rock ‘n’ roll is not an instrument — rock ‘n’
roll is not even a style of music. Rock ‘n’ roll is a spirit! A spirit that’s been going
since the blues, jazz, bebop, soul, R&B, rock ‘n’ roll, heavy metal, punk rock, and, yes,
hip-hop!” (DiVita). While I may not necessarily agree with N.W.A. going into the
Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, I am still a huge fan of their music and have nothing but
respect for them. I do like what Ice Cube had to say on the topic. Yes, rock and roll
started as a style of music, and continues to be, but I also believe that rock and roll
has also become an idea of rebellion. That idea goes back to the very first days of the
genre when teenagers were listening to music that their parents did not like or
understand. There has always been a certain attitude that goes along with rock and
roll that causes people to want to question social norms, and I think that is what has
made it last so long without ever becoming stale. I think that idea has become truer
over time, especially in more recent years where there are countless new styles and
sub-genres being created. Early rock and roll very much resembled rhythm and
blues, but with an added attitude and some changes in the sound, but now the term
rock and roll can mean any number of sounds from a number of eras. There will
always be something new to rebel against or question, and rock and roll will always
be there in some form to encourage people to do so.
CONCLUSION

47. 47
Rock and roll is a staple of American culture. It is not an incredibly old genre
of music, it has only been around for a little over 65 years if, like me, you count the
start of it as the release of Jackie Brenston and The Kings Of Rhythm’s hit song
“Rocket 88.” In that time, rock and roll has spawned countless sub genres and
superstars, some lasting only temporarily, but others that have lasted, and will
continue to last for many more years. It is remarkable the way that original, true
rock and roll has survived time. Today we still listen to the music of Elvis Presley,
Little Richard, Chuck Berry and others. Not only do we listen to them, but they are
ingrained in our culture permanently. For example, the Fats Domino song “I’m
Walkin” is played at nearly every baseball game when a batter is walked. There have
been countless other songs with the word “walk” in them, and yet we chose that one.
Elvis songs have been used on numerous occasions in television and movies that
range a wide variety of genres and topics. His songs have been heard in science
fiction movies like Men In Black, dramas like Forest Gump, and children’s movies
such as Lilo And Stitch. Since rock and roll’s beginning, numerous subgenres have
risen and fallen. Disco during the 1970’s, new wave in the 1970’s and 1980’s, and
grunge in the 1990’s are just a few examples of that. And in other eras, styles that
emulate early rock and roll have increased popularity, most notably in the early
1980’s with the Stray Cats. They were a band that played a very rockabilly style of
rock and roll, and achieved success while doing it. Even bands like Queen saw the
significance of rockabilly and paid tribute to the genre with their 1979 hit “Crazy
Little Thing Called Love.” The importance of the rockabilly style of rock and roll has
not been forgotten, and because of legendary acts like Elvis, it never will be. There

48. 48
will always be somebody drawing influence from it, or paying tribute to it, and other
early forms of rock and roll in some way. Somehow, rock and roll survives even in
the current state of the music industry, where music sales are low, internet
streaming is high, artists are not being properly compensated for their work, and
illegal music pirating is common. Musicians still find the will to make great music for
passionate people.
The power of rock and roll has proven to be a force of nature that brings
people of all backgrounds together in appreciation of music. That was proven in it’s
beginnings during a time of racial tension and segregation, when white teenagers,
driven by their passion for rock and roll were listening to, purchasing, dancing to,
and singing along to the music of African American musicians. This can still be seen
today in many forms of music. It also amazes me how influential rock and roll has
been. One particular example that comes to mind is country music. Early rock and
roll was influenced by old country western music, particularly the beats. Now,
modern country is coming full circle and incorporating elements of rock and roll, the
genre that it inspired, most notably the distorted guitar sound and the magnitude of
the shows. Many modern country acts have distorted guitar in their music. Rock and
roll music helped bring about social change, influenced fashion, television and
movies, and most importantly, it gave the world something new and exciting to
listen to. I have enjoyed researching and writing this paper. New ideas and
information were exposed, and pieces of rock and roll history were revealed. One in
particular was that Alan Freed helped organize what is considered the first rock and
roll show. As an avid concertgoer, it is exciting to know the origin of what I love, and

49. 49
the circumstances of how it came about. I am grateful for everything that rock and
roll has given us. I honestly do not know what I would be doing right now without it.
I do know one thing for certain, that the world is better because of it. We are a better
and more opened minded society as a result of the determination and perseverance
of the youth of our past. If there is one thing that I wholeheartedly believe, it is that
rock and roll will never die.

50. 50
Works Cited
"Alan Freed Biography." Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 May 2016.
<https://rockhall.com/inductees/alan-freed/bio/>.
Altschuler, Glenn C. All Shook Up: How Rock 'n' Roll Changed America. Oxford: Oxford
UP, 2003. Print.
"Artist Profile: The Rolling Stones." PollstarPro: Home - Welcome to PollstarPro! N.p.,
n.d. Web. 16 May 2016.
<https://www.pollstarpro.com/search.aspx?ArticleID=53&id=research&Arti
stID=19182&ScienceArtistID=71342>.
Brode, Douglas. Sex, Drugs & Rock 'n' Roll: The Evolution of an American Youth
Culture. N.p.: n.p., n.d. Print.
Dellicarpini Jr, Gregory. "10 Musicians With Clothing Lines: Are Rihanna, Beyonce,
Pharrell and More Hot or Cold?" Billboard. N.p., 6 Feb. 2014. Web. 16 May
2016. <http://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/the-
hook/5900957/10-musicians-with-clothing-lines-are-rihanna-beyonce-
pharrell-and>.
DiVita, Joe. "Tom Morello Supports N.W.A.'s Inclusion in Rock Hall of Fame."
Loudwire. N.p., 2 May 2016. Web. 16 May 2016. <http://loudwire.com/rage-
against-the-machine-tom-morello-supports-n-w-a-rock-and-roll-hall-of-
fame-induction/>.
Dunavin, Davis. "60 Years Ago, 'Rock Around The Clock' Made History In
Connecticut." WSHU. N.p., 7 Aug. 2015. Web. 16 May 2016.

51. 51
<http://wshu.org/post/60-years-ago-rock-around-clock-made-history-
connecticut>.
""Jailhouse Rock" Lyrics." AZLyrics. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 May 2016.
<http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/elvispresley/jailhouserock.html>.
Larson, Tom. History of Rock and Roll. Dubuque: Kendall/Hunt, 2004. Google Books.
Web. 16 May 2016.
Little Richard says 'rock 'n' roll is a child of rhythm and blues'
Anonymous Jet; Sep 25, 1995; 88, 20; ProQuest Research Library pg.
58
"MTV Launches." History.com. A&E Television Networks, n.d. Web. 16 May 2016.
<http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/mtv-launches>.
Parenti, Michael. Inventing Reality: The Politics of the Mass Media. New York: St.
Martin's, 1986. Print.
"R&B." ALLMUSIC.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 May 2016.
<http://www.allmusic.com/genre/r-b-ma0000002809>.
"Rocket 88 - Jackie Brenston." SongLyrics.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 May 2016.
<http://www.songlyrics.com/jackie-brenston/rocket-88-lyrics/>.
Stephens, Mitchell. "History of Television - Mitchell Stephens." NYU.edu. N.p., n.d.
Web. 16 May 2016.
<https://www.nyu.edu/classes/stephens/History%20of%20Television%20
page.htm>.
"Timeline." Elvis.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 May 2016.
<http://www.elvis.com/about/timeline>.

52. 52
Ward, Ed. "The Fifties and Before." Rock of Ages: The Rolling Stone History of Rock &
Roll. New York: Rolling Stone, 1986. N. pag. Print.
"The Woodstock Festival Opens in Bethel, New York." History.com. A&E Television
Networks, n.d. Web. 16 May 2016. <http://www.history.com/this-day-in-
history/the-woodstock-festival-opens-in-bethel-new-york>.