If you don’t know, February is Black History Month. Maybe that interests you. Maybe you rolled your eyes. Either way, Black History is important because Black people are important. One of the many reasons why is our creative contributions to America. To pop culture. Sports. Language. Fashion. Dance. Literature. Music.
Speaking of music…
Let’s talk about Rock & Roll. America’s first pre-Hip-hop musical mass phenomenon. One of the big three music genres (the others being Motown and Hip-Hop) that changed the way humans lived their lives. Like the other categories of music I mentioned, Rock was created…
…by Black people.
That’s right. It’s a fact. Agreed on by music historians and cultural experts. And, if you do the research, and you still don’t believe it?
Let me just show you.
This woman’s name is Sister Rosetta Tharpe.
She’s been called “the Godmother of Rock and Roll”...because arguably, she’s its creator. With her innovative electric guitar playing and Gospel singing, she influenced many of the earliest (her biggest hits were in the 1930’s and 40’s) and some of the most important Rock artists: Chuck Berry, Little Richard, and, ahem, Elvis Presley.
Check this out.
This song is called Rocket “88”, and it’s performed by Jackie Brenston and his Delta Cats (it was actually performed by Ike Turner and his Kings of Rhythm band). I posted this song because for many people throughout history, this song is the first Rock & Roll composition ever made.
Now, I’m sure you’ve seen this guy before.
If you don’t know (you should), the man singing this song is Little Richard. The song he’s singing is the legendary Rock smash Tutti Frutti. Now, why is this singer and song important? Because, Richard is seen by cultural experts as the architect of Rock & Roll, and Tutti Frutti as Rock’s first impactful hit. Now, Elvis Presley (he has to be mentioned at different times in this article because he’s been called The King of Rock & Roll. For better or worse, he’s the bar) had a big regional hit with his cover version of That’s All Right in 1954. But, Richard was the first to have a national hit on the Pop charts in 1955 with Tutti Frutti, one year before Presley would drop his first national hit, Heartbreak Hotel. Richard, like Tharpe, is revered as one of the most, if not the most influential artists in Rock…ask the two surviving members of The Beatles about Richard’s impact on their band.
Lastly, you’ve heard this guy’s music before, even if you don’t realize it.
This is Chuck Berry, and this his first hit single, Maybellene. I know, Berry is a very problematic figure. But, his contribution to Rock & Roll and American culture can’t be denied. And Maybellene is a hell of a contribution. Like Little Richard’s Tutti Frutti, Maybellene also exploded in 1955. Berry’s song gets special notice among Rock historians because of the prominence of the electric guitar in the song and its subject content, cars, girls, and love. The song reached the number five position on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart.
Chuck Berry also created and sang this…
Which inspired this…
Sorry. I had a nerd moment.
That’s the story of Rock & Roll. Originated by African-Americans, and later molded by many geniuses and special creatives from diverse backgrounds and origins. This story isn’t limited to Rock & Roll. There are more creations from Black Americans that impacted the United States and the entire world.
You’ll read about them really, really soon.
