Chapter 4

RnR erupted in 1950s ~ kind of…
Major RnR songs:
“Rock around the clock” by Bill Haley and his comets 1955
“Crazy man crazy” by Bill Haley 1953
“Sixty minute man” by Dominoes 1951

Definition is vague, as it has to deal with RnB, sexual context and the actual genre of RnR.
Sexual context of the term dates back into the mediaeval times. E.g. Shakespeare

RnR was very multicultural. A simple algebraic formula for RNR is RnB + CnW = RnR, but it is overlooking some other significant elements that contributed to the creation of the RnR.
RnR meant ethnicity and working-class
African American contribution was also significant
White and Black performers were equally performing
Black church from jazz/gospel Ray Charles (I got a woman), Clyde McPhatter (Treasure of love), Sam Cooke (You send me).
The Orioles, the Crows, the Chords, the Penguins created the sub genre of RnR “doo wop”.
Barely any females in RnR. Only occasional females in charts like Ruth Brown, LaVern Baker
Women did not sing, they were sung about, often in sexual connotation songs.
RCA, CBS, Decca, and Capitol released more than 80% of all weekly top 10 hits.
What allowed independent labels to compete with others: * poorly capitalized independent radio stations * Development of lightweight 45 rmp record no the 78 rmp.

In early 1950s patterns of ownership started to change from individual stations to “chains”
Todd Storz and Gordon McLendon both owned radio chains, who solved the problem of unavailable teens during school hours, by making the “Top Forty” radio which played these top 40 songs in constant rotation.
This method originated when Storz and Bill Stewart noticed how a person chose the same song in the jukebox even though it was played all day.
Though this method received negative reviews from deejays who were not needed anymore, in the short term it was clear that the opposite happened and new styles of music or new artists could make it on the radio, since the charts were now based on jukeboxes and what audience wanted.
Canada was not the same as the US, so people started tuning in to American radio stations.
CHUM AM in Toronto adopted the Storz format in 1957.

Sounds of cities
RnR was an urban sound
All elements of RnR came together in Mew Orleans
New Orleans was a city of people of diverse backgrounds
Cosimo Matassa – an Italian American jukebox operator. He was a co-owner and chief engineer of J&M studios. His production style was simple yet powerful, he created the classic RnR – heavy on bass and drums, light on horns and piano, with strong vocal lead.
De Luxe studio from New Jersey first used Matassa’s studio in 1947
Roy Brown was a significance influence on the vocal styles. “Good rockin’ tonight”
Bartholomew and his organization found steady work at the Dew Drop Inn and club Tijuana
Antoine “Fats” Domino – born in New Orleans in 1928. First language is French. Quit school to work in a bedspring factory and to play in local clubs. Domino began recording at Matassa’s studio in 1949. Never a sex symbol or musical iconoclast, he managed to transcend to a great degree the racism that cheated so many Af Am artists.
Most of Domino’s songs were recorded in Matassa’s studio and produced by Dave Batholomew
Matassa went bankrupt in 1966, who also tried to a producer of Ace Records.
Jimmy Clanton managed by Matassa too produced a string of pop hits including three that made the Top Ten “Just a Dream”, “Go Jimmy Go”, “Venus in the Blue Jeans”
Argo – subsidiary of Chess in Chicago
Lloyd Price 17 year old “Lawdy Miss Clawdy”, left for Paramount
After Price’s departure, Rupe though found Little Richard, Larry Williams
Little Richard from Macon Georgia. Unsuccessful at the beginning, going through numerous labels, he finally winds up at Matassa and records “Tutti Frutti”
Safe Fats Domino – outrageous Little Richard (style, mascara, pompadour)
Little Richard changed his career to a minister. “Reasons” – he promised God to leave the devil industry and etc.

Los Angeles:
Johnny Otis was clearly a catalyst for Af AM culture and talent. In his whole life, he has never been anything else, which is why it is sometimes surprising for people to learn that Otis happens to be white.
Class label – subsidiary of Exclusive/excelsior which was owned by Otis and Leon Rene.
Ritchie Valens – first Chicano RnR star. Recorded for Del-Fi “La Mamba”

Chicago:
Leonard Chess (Chess Records) often went to look for talent in the South to find blues men in their natural habitat.
Jackie Brenston “Rocket 88” with Ike Turner’s band
Bo Diddley – came from Mississippi but not recorded for Chess until 1955 “Bo DIddley”, “I’m a Man”, had a “Boo Diddley beat”, overshadowed by Chuck Berry
Chuck Berry – son of carpenter. Rejected by Mercury and Capitol, but with some editing of his song, he was signed by Chess Records and became a huge success. His career interrupted in 1959 when he was arrested for a violation of the Mann Act, and for transporting an underage girl from Mexico. “Rock and Roll Music”
Vee Jay was started by Vivian Carter and James Bracken – gospel-recording label.
Jimmy Reed (from Vee Jay label) was “Honest I do” and “Baby what you want me to do”
The Impressions included Jerry Butler and Curtis Mayfield, joind Roosters to form Impressions.
They didn’t have much of an impact on Af Am
Many artists became more successful once they switched to other labels.

Cincinnati: The Crossroads of Blues and Country