attachments_06-04-2012_23-41-26 / 15 Rock Music

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Rock Music

During the first half of last century rock music developed from two musical traditions in America. One was closely connected with black Americans and the “Soul” songs they used to sing working in the fields when slaves. Those songs were full of sufferings, tears and sorrow and later transformed into jazz and blues, performed by such guitarists like B. B. King and Bo Diddley. The second tradition was originated by white Americans, who had always been famous for folk songs, romantic ballads and “country music”.

By the mid – 1950s disc-jockey Alan Fried popularized the term “rock’n’roll” on a Cleveland radio station, and Elvis Presley created a sensation and founded a new era in American musical history.

Being a white man, Elvis Presley sounded like a black singer, thus combining the two above mentioned traditions of singing. He became one of the most popular singers in the world. At his concerts fans used to scream and faint. Rock’n’roll owed its success not just to Presley, but also to legendary showman Chuck Berry and Little Richard.

In the post-war years in Britain, many teenagers of the 1950’s were influenced by events taking place across the Atlantic in America.

Film stars and fashions were copied and the youngsters wanted something different from their parents, they sought out their own kinds of music and style. The “British invasion” in 1964 changed rock forever with the rebellious and infectious music by “The Beatles”, “The Rolling Stones” and “The Kinks”.

1. From what traditions did rock music develop?

2. What is the secret of Presley’s popularity?

3. Why are “The Beatles” considered to be the founders of a new era?