The Evolution Of Rock N Roll

The Evolution of Rock-N-Roll Rock music is defined as: "a form of popular music characterized by a pronounced and amplified beat." (Encyclopedia Americana 596) Rock-n-roll was a natural result of the combined forces of music that was brought here in the earlier centuries by the Africans and Europeans. The first, most important and direct of these is the early music of the slaves and share croppers in the plantations of the south. Primarily Mississippi. Some believe that Cleveland Mississippi may be the actual "birth-place" (www.rocknroll.com) "Rock" is short for the phrase "rock-n-roll" coined by Cleveland broadcaster Alan Freed in the mid 1950's to replace the phrase "rhythm-n-blues". Freed thought it was too racist. (Encyclopedia Americana 596) Rock is characterized as being simple, repetitive, and easy to remember. Most songs were only two to three minutes long. (The World Book Encyclopedia 376) Rock-n-roll music is a combination of rhythm-n-blues and southern music also known as hillbilly music.

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Chubby Checker - 2005

Later called "blue grass" music.(www.websingnet.com) The new music was introduced by Chubby Checker onto the dance scene in the early 1960's. Chubby Checker (Earnest Evans Jr.) introduced gyrating hips, twisting and free-style dance. Modern pop began with rock-n-roll in the mid 1950's. It was a mixture of two traditions: Negro rhythm-n-blues and white romantic crooning. (Cohn 9) New music had aggression, sexuality and beat.

At first rock music was considered to be too rebellious, sexual and antisocial to be acceptable. (www.rocknrollzone.com) Rock music was not accepted by most adults. It was seen as a fad and a threat to society. (The World Book Encyclopedia) Post World War II teenagers exposure to music was limited to the radio and on a rare occasion, a record purchase. (www.historyofrocknroll.com) While white teens listned to their rock-n-roll, black teens had adopted a "doo-whop" sound. (www.historyofrocknroll.com).