Elvis and Rockabilly Bill Haley and the Comets

Elvis and Rockabilly

Bill Haley and the Comets • Haley from Western swing tradition • Some success with cover of Rocket 88 – Renamed band “the Comets” – Starts performing R&B covers • Hits with Rock Around the Clock – For most of song, fast shuffle rhythm – Occasionally beat evens out, esp. during guitar solos

Bill Haley and the Comets • Style combination of Western swing, boogiewoogie, and R&B • Not a huge impact in this country, but in England, bigger than Elvis – Starts English teens singing rock and roll • • • Strong crossover appeal Frequently involves mixture of styles Most defined by strong rhythmic activity

Elvis Presley • Is most of Elvis’ music rock and roll? – Jailhouse Rock? – Mystery Train? – Hound Dog? – All Shook Up?

Elvis Presley • Regardless of beat structure, Elvis is rock and roll -- • Figure though which R&B/rock and roll reaches large white audience

Elvis Presley (1935 -1977) • Born Tupelo, Mississippi into poor family • Begins playing guitar age 11 • Influences: Muddy Waters, Jimmie Rodgers • Moves to Memphis 1948, absorbs blues, R&B scene • Early 1954 goes into Sun studios to record demo

Elvis Presley (1935 -1977) • Early 1954 goes into Sun studios to record demo • Second session records That’s All Right Mama and Blue Moon of Kentucky • By August featured on Grand Old Opry • August 1956 TV appearances make a sensation

Elvis - Major Influences • Brings huge number of vocal styles into rock and roll • Persona in which country and R&B, black and white cultures mesh • Style combination of honky-tonk, Western swing, R&B, with unique vocal style • Creates sub-genre of rock and roll = rockabilly

Rockabilly • Combination of country and R&B, but with more weight on the country elements • Less blues influence on vocal style than Berry, Little Richard – Rather, hiccups, stutters – vibrato (quavery) vocal effects • Fast, nervous tempos of bluegrass

Rockabilly • Combination of country and R&B, but with more weight on the country elements • Less blues influence on vocal style than Berry, Little Richard • Accented backbeat, but even beats of country music

Rockabilly • “rock” or “honky-tonk” instrumentation – lead electric guitar – acoustic rhythm guitar – string bass – drums • songs from R&B repertoire, or in similar style

Carl Perkins (1932 -1998) • Born rural Tennessee • Working as country singer when heard Elvis on radio • Decided to pattern style after Elvis • Went to Sun records, auditioned for Sam Phillips • First record - Blues Suede Shoes - major hit

Blue Suede Shoes • Country influences audible • But heavy doses of blues as well – Stop time – guitar style – riff-based

Buddy Holly (1936 -1959) • Born Lubbock, TX • Formed Western swing band in high school; worked as back-up band for Bill Haley • Models vocal style after Elvis after meeting at gigs • First recording, in 1956, unsuccessful

Buddy Holly (1936 -1959) • That’ll Be The Day a hit in 1957 • Rapid string of seven hit records with band The Crickets • Killed in plane crash in 1959 - “The Day The Music Died”

Buddy Holly - style • Equal parts of country, R&B, and rock and roll – Guitar style: R&B influenced – Vocal style: country + Elvis – Musical forms, Chuck Berry-influenced lyrics: rock and roll • Compositions most sophisticated of early rock artists

Not Fade Away • • • Riff-based, but combines with stop time Stuttering vocal style Multiple rhythmic layers – beat – style beat – Bo Diddley beat – backbeat

Well…All Right • • • Very different style - more pop oriented Verse/refrain, with weight on verses Forward-looking: Blind Faith records a decade later

Jerry Lee Lewis (1935 - ) • Born Ferriday, Louisiana • Primary influences - boogie-woogie piano, New Orleans R&B style of Professor Longhair • Often categorized as rockabilly, but more in common with Little Richard

Great Balls of Fire • Percussive, boogie-woogie piano style – With addition of glissandos, triplets of New Orleans style • Frantic performing style • Honky-tonk/hillbilly vocals • Blatantly sexual lyrics

Everly Brothers (Don 1937 - and Phil 1938 - ) • Born into family of country musicians • Parents ran radio station in Iowa, so heard and performed everything • Earliest recordings for Candice label in Nashville

Everly Brothers - Style • “Old-Timey” vocal harmony in thirds • High tenor range - influence from blues and gospel • “rock” instrumentation + piano • catchy melody lines • gentle rock timekeeping