American Music (From Elvis to Nirvana): Pop Gallery eBooks, #2

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Intro to American Music

What will people be saying 100 years from now about rock n’ roll? Will Elvis Presley, Chuck Berry, Little Richard, Johnny Cash, Buddy Holly, Bo Diddley and Jerry Lee Lewis all the way to Nirvana in the 1990s be given their proper due as the founders of rock n’ roll? I also cover R&B, Disco, Power Pop, Punk and New Wave in this book. There is a little of everything in this book, except the wonderful genre of Jazz Music.

The youth of America has always been served by rebellion. Kids question authority and rock music has always been on the cutting edge of questioning authority. TV, movies and the media in general were all controlled by an establishment who insisted on trying to mold everyone into what would serve their needs.

Rock music offered a differing viewpoint. AM (and later FM) radio had their own corporate needs and carefully paid attention to THEIR constituents: The youth.

Money was and still is a driving force in this art form. To deny that would be naïve. It is important to remember that the music industry was created out of need, just like any products the marketplace demands.

Back in the early part of the 20th century, roots records were produced by companies promoting cabinets and furniture makers and other companies. There was a demand for the Product and these early entrepreneurs set out to give the people what they wanted.

That practice carried on throughout the 1920s, 1930s and 1940s. Jazz and Big band music trends created interest and demand in the marketplace for the youth and adults of America.

In the 1950s AM radio gained a lot more traction regionally and the fusion of country music and rhythm and blues exploded in 1956 when RCA Records released Elvis’s debut album after regional success with his Sun Records recordings. This book traces those early days right up to the Corporate phase in the mid-1970s.

The American Rock Revolution 1956-1976 covers a lot of changes and a vast amount of history in what is a short amount of time numerically, but THE CONTEXT was huge.  For instance, there is a big difference from Elvis Presley’s music in 1956 to his music in later years up to his death in 1977.

I am focusing on pop, rock, blues and R&B records. I tried to cover as much popular music, even a little disco.  I have left out novelty records, which have always been a big money-making machine. The record companies have always jumped on the novelty bandwagon when they could cash in on it.

One example would be an early (1959) Carole King 45rpm called "Short Mort, which was a novelty response record to Annette Funicello’s Tall Paul" hit record of the same year. RCA rushed King’s response record out quickly and had meager sales.

There will be anecdotes and notated quotes throughout the book.

I hope you enjoy this user-friendly book that has been written to easily explain the rich history of American Music.

Elvis Aaron Presley: The Singing Truck Driver

Elvis Aaron Presley was born in 1935, drove a truck, listened to country and blues records, could sing like a bird AND played guitar well enough to help start a movement that we would all come to call rock n’ roll music.

It can be argued that some of America’s great black rhythm & blues artists were really the FIRST rockers, but it took a skinny white kid who could sing like a black man to make (first) the south notice and then the rest of the country and finally The WORLD.

Elvis was a talented interpreter of popular music. He sang church hymns, country, R&B with equal adeptness and vigor.

When Sun Records owner and Producer Sam Phillips teamed Elvis with guitarist Scotty Moore and bassist Bill Black, Elvis found his sound and live energy on stage: The first time that I appeared on stage, it scared me to death. I really didn't know what all the yelling was about. (Interview Magazine- 1972)

His early recordings of Big Mama Thornton’s song "Hound Dog and Leiber & Stoller’s song Jailhouse Rock put him on the map nationally. It was Elvis’s EARLIER recordings of Arthur Crudup’s song That’s Alright and Bill Monroe’s song Blue Moon of Kentucky" originally recorded in 1954 by Presley and re-released in 1956 when Elvis’s contract was purchased by RCA Records from Sam Phillips’ Sun Records label, that made the world realize that this kid was the real deal.

Elvis Aaron Presley went on to an illustrious career making records and cheesy movies. He would captivate audiences for many years, was reclusive and trapped by fame. The Beatles would later point out that Elvis being trapped by fame was probably more difficult for him because there was only one Elvis, but there were four of them to deal with their fame together.

Elvis began the cultural phenomenon of rock n’ roll mania. Screaming girls went everywhere Elvis went, much like the early Sinatra years. Elvis appeared on Steve Allen, Milton Berle, Dorsey Brothers and of course The Ed Sullivan Show. Eight years later The Beatles would also reach manic notoriety on the very same program.

Elvis Presley’s music transformed the entire music business overnight. Songs like "Treat Me Nice, Blue Suede Shoes, All Shook Up,  Don’t Be Cruel, Love Me Tender, Jailhouse Rock, and his first HUGE hit Heartbreak Hotel" put him on the charts and making money for everyone at a high rate.

It was a year later he broke into films starting with ‘Love Me Tender,’ a western. He sang "Love Me Tender" in the film and the girls screamed in the movie theater the same way when they were at a concert or seeing him in person for a TV broadcast.

I would think Elvis and his manager must have figured they can make just as much money by making these movies, doing a few musical numbers and NOT have to travel like a carnival, much like The Beatles would do for the first 4 years of their recording career. The MOVIE could do the touring and keep Elvis out there.

It is a shame that his music changed dramatically after his two-year army stint. Presley picked up a drug habit in the army by getting hooked on amphetamines. This would haunt him the rest of his short life (42 years old).

Elvis Presley first brought out the rebel in youngsters with his attitude and movements. He hit the national scene at the same time James Dean (‘Rebel Without a Cause’) died in a car accident.

You could make a case that his manager Colonel Tom Parker felt that Elvis could fill Dean’s void. Presley was an adequate actor, but not even close to James Dean’s caliber as an actor. Presley admired Dean Martin and like Martin, did a better job being Elvis than those cheesy all-too-familiar characters and situations the movie studios cooked up for the young singer.

Elvis Presley went back to touring in 1973 and died of a heart attack in 1977 at age 42.

A Little Context

John Lennon once said: Before Elvis, there was nothing.

For many fans after The Beatles first appeared on Ed Sullivan, you could stick the name The Beatles in that quote. For John Lennon to say that speaks volumes of the importance of Presley’s music and style throughout the world.

Before Elvis, rock n’ roll was mainly Black Music recorded and distributed on regional record labels.

When RCA Victor released ‘Elvis Presley’ in 1956 and "Heartbreak Hotel" exploded on the airwaves, it changed everything.

That is all the context you will ever need about how important Elvis Presley was as rock n’ roll’s first most important superstar.

Deconstructing Elvis Presley (RCA Debut)

The original album does NOT have "Heartbreak Hotel," which was the Elvis single that really launched him world-wide.

Presley did record several singles for Sam Phillips at Sun Records in Memphis, but those were mostly regional recordings. This record is a stunning debut for the former truck driver, starting with a Carl Perkins song that made both men famous and a lot of money.

Side One:

"Blue Suede Shoes was written in 1955 by Carl Perkins after some prodding from his friend Johnny Cash, who suggested he write about blue suede shoes that he had bought. Perkins was playing a dance soon after and noticed some boys dancing and saying things like Hey man, don’t step on my suedes. When Perkins wrote the words down he misspelled Suede. His original spelling was Blue ‘Swade’ Shoes." Perkins, Elvis, Buddy Holly and Eddie Cochran all recorded versions of this early rock n’ roll classic song.

"I'm Counting On You is a song by Don Robertson. It is a ballad that features that distinct Floyd Kramer piano sound we would hear in these early recordings. Steve Sholes is listed as Producer," but it is well-established that Elvis was the producer on all these recordings. In those days a staff producer was assigned to artists, but Elvis was running this show.

"I Got a Woman" is a great Ray Charles song that is well-served here by Elvis. This has the band on it Scotty Moore (guitar), Bill Black (upright bass) and DJ Fontana (drums) and Floyd Kramer (piano). This one smokes.

"One-Sided Love Affair" is a VERY fun and hooky song was written by Bill Campbell. This is an underrated gem. Elvis does all kinds of vocal tongue-and-cheek fun. There is strong boogie-woogie piano, expertly played by Shorty Long.

"I Love You Because" is a Sun Session holdover produced by Sam Phillips in Memphis. Bill Black and Scotty Moore are the only backing. This song was written by Leon Payne. Elvis croons this ballad and there is a lot of Scotty Moore jazz noodling on the guitar.

"Just Because" was written by Sydney Robin, Bob & Joe Shelton and is another Sun Sessions recording from 1954. Bill Black and Scotty Moore were still his backing band. This is a quicker country, blues rocker.

Side Two:

"Tutti Frutti is a Little Richard classic that was greatly-aided by Elvis recording his version. It really helped put Little Richard on the map with white folks. Little Richard Penniman" always expressed great gratitude to the white artists who exposed his music. Elvis produced this track.

"Trying To Get To You" is yet another debut album masterpiece. This is one of those songs Elvis belts. The song was written by Rose Marie Singleton and Charlie McCoy. There is no doubt that Elvis Presley created rock n’ roll on this album. You can hear it in the passion in his voice.

"I’m Gonna Sit Right Down and Cry (Over You)" is my favorite song on this record. It rocks and has every element a great rock n’ roll song needs: Passion, rhythm, hooks and a great message. It was written by Howard Biggs and Joe Thomas.

"I’ll Never Let You Go (Little Darlin’)" is a ballad from the Sun Sessions in 1954 with Bill and Scotty. It picks up in the second half of the song in that bluesy rockin’ Elvis Presley style we would all come to know. It was written by Jimmy Wakely.

"Blue Moon" is a classic early Sun Sessions Elvis track produced by Sam Phillips. Elvis howls and croons his way to regional stardom before becoming a national figure. It is a Rogers & Hart classic. It is one of Elvis’s best-known early tracks.

"Money Honey is a rock n’ roll classic. It was written by Jesse Stone and features Floyd Kramer on piano, DJ on drums, Scotty on guitar and Bill Black on upright bass. This song is the precursor to Jailhouse Rock," a song that was soon to come and launch Elvis Presley to even greater heights.

Context

‘Elvis Presley’ is a fantastic debut record at a time albums were a collection of singles. This is a collection of odds and ends in the respect that RCA purchased recordings from Sam Phillips and Sun Records and mixed in. In my opinion, if you had to own one record by Elvis Presley, this would be it.

Buddy Holly & the Crickets

Buddy Holly (from Lubbock, Texas) was on the planet for a short 22 years, but managed to make quite an impact as the first white rock n’ roll star to write, produce and perform his written material himself.

Buddy and his band The Crickets opened a show for Elvis Presley in Lubbock in 1955 and later opened for Bill Haley & The Comets ("Rock Around The Clock") and began to fine tune their live act. Holly was young, but rather ambitious by insisting that he produce his own recordings.

After two failed early singles on Decca Records in early January, 1957, Holly secured new management and a new deal at a Decca Records subsidiary label called Brunswick. Buddy Holly and his Crickets revamped an old song of theirs called "That’ll Be the Day," which was released in May, 1957. The song became an international sensation. Things then began to accelerate quickly.

Buddy Holly was known as a stubborn artist in that he wanted to control every aspect of the music’s creation, but he was also sincere and easy to credit other people: Without Elvis, none of us would have made it (1957)

Buddy Holly influenced so many acts in his short lifetime it is mind boggling. The Beatles often said their first 40 songs were influenced by The Crickets as well as their name ‘The Beatles’ were a take-off of the name ‘The Crickets.’ They covered Holly’s "Words of Love" almost note for note in 1964.

Roy Orbison’s famous black-rimmed glasses were a direct influence and later Elvis Costello.

Bob Dylan (then known as Robert Zimmerman) saw Buddy Holly and The Crickets just two nights before Holly’s death: And I just want to say that when I was sixteen or seventeen years old, I went to see Buddy Holly play at Duluth National Guard Armory and I was three feet away from him...and he LOOKED at me (Dylan, 1998 at the Grammy Awards)

Buddy Holly’s true legacy is the great catalog he left behind after the plane crash that took his life, The Big Bopper and Ritchie Valens in February, 1959.

"That’ll Be the Day, Peggy Sue, Rave On, True Love Ways, Words of Love, Not Fade Away, Raining In My Heart, Oh Boy, Heartbeat, Everyday, It Doesn’t Matter Anymore, Well Alright and Think It Over" are all songs that have influenced countless artists for more than half a century.

A Little Context

It is incredible to realize that Buddy’s first big hit "That’ll Be the Day, was released when he was 20 years old and he would perish just two years later at 22 years old in that plane wreck with 17-year old Ritchie Valens and 28-year-old Jerry (The Big Bopper") Richardson in Clear lake, Iowa.

The fact that Buddy Holly died so young does not diminish the fact that all the young British bands including their namesake The Hollies and The Beatles worshipped his musical contributions. His look was copied by Hall of famers Roy Orbison and Elvis Costello. Most importantly his songs are still covered to this day.

Deconstructing Buddy’s Debut Album

Buddy Holly: The Chirping Crickets

Remember, Buddy Holly was only 22-years-old when he left the planet in that plane crash in Iowa with Ritchie Valens and The Big Bopper. He did record a lot of material, but none more important than this ‘The Chirping Crickets’ debut album. This put Holly in that upper stratosphere of Elvis Presley and Chuck Berry. If you had to own one Buddy Holly disc, this is it.

Side One

"Oh Boy was a big hit for Buddy Holly. He did NOT write the song. This one was penned by Sonny West, Bill Tilghman and Norman Petty. Oh Boy is a great way to start Buddy Holly’s short recording career as a rock n’ roll pioneer. It moves quickly and is over before you know it. Norman Petty is listed as Producer" of these recordings, but we all know that Buddy Holly was the man in the driver’s seat for all of his recordings.

"Note Fade Away is Holly’s homage to Bo Diddley. One of the practices of the music business was for Producers and others to get their names listed as songwriters when they DIDN’T write the songs. Even though Norman Petty’s name is listed on so many of these songs, I will not credit this man. I know Buddy Holly wrote these songs. Note Fade Away," a classic rock n’ roll song, made even more popular in the early 1960s, when The