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The Early Days of Rock and Roll

Teenagers in the 1950s loved the new sound of rock and roll which was really an old sound: rhythm and blues. The older generation and the establishment thought rock and roll music led teenagers to become juvenile delinquents. Bill Haley & His Comets had the first rock and roll hit, “Rock Around the Clock.” Elvis Presley’s gyrating hips and provocative dance moves were seen as dangerous by the establishment, and Little Richard and Chuck Berry’s sensuous beats also challenged conventional norms as well as racial barriers. One group in Alabama went after businesses that had jukeboxes with the music and radio stations that played the music. This lecture will look at the early days of rock and roll, 1954-58, which left a lasting impact on the music industry and American popular culture.

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