Welcome back everyone! This time in Music History 333 we will be discussing R&B Atlantic records and the beginning of Rock ‘n’ Roll!
Atlantic Records was started in 1947. Their goal was to create a record company that focused on African American artists and attract a larger African American audience. This is a R&B independent label. Tom Dowd was the engineer of Atlantic Records and Ahmet Ertegun, Herb Abramson and later Jerry Wexlerw were all major contributors to the company. However, the company is known as “The house that Ruth Brown built”. Ruth Brown is know as miss rhythm. Her famous song “Mama, He Treats Your Daughter Mean” was a hit and later covered by white artists. Ruth Brown started in church and at one time did 71 shows in a row! Touring made money and that was the goal for record companies. She was very successful but did not become rich because of the control of white studio owners. Ray Charles 1930-2004 is one of the most inspiring and influential artists of his time. He lost his sight from age 4-7 from Glaucoma, attended the school for the blind and learned to read music in brail. He was very talented and had a career at age 14. He moved to seattle at age 18. His style was a combination of gospel and R&B. He has many hit songs but the main one we talked about in class was “I Got A Women” which some lyrics in the song are more likely known by our generation from Kanye West’s song “Gold Digger”. I personally like Ray’s version better. It is obviously more original and has a cool beat too it.
The beginnings of Rock n Roll or “Big Beat” blues is finally beginning to become more current and touch on the meat of the class. Music History from 1945 to present day. The song by artists Jackie Brenston and producer Sam Phillips was one of the first recognized as Rock n Roll. The song came out in 1951, just shortly after WWII ended. At the time automobiles just became more popular in society due to the war being over, and Jackie Brenston’s song Rocket 88 had everybody listening. It represented freedom and mobility and was sort of a youth movement. Rock & Roll is a slang term for sex. Alan “moondog” Freed named it that. This genre included R&B, Jump Blues (Rhythm), Urban Blues (Guitar), Doo-Wop (singing) , country (strait ahead two beat, and story telling) , and Tin Pan Alley (Songwriting). Other artists that contributed to Rock n Roll are Elvis, Chuck Berry, Little Richard, The Coasters, The Shirelles (women), Buddy Holly and the Crickets, The Flamingos etc. Popular producers and song writers included Leiber & Stoller, Sam Phillips, Carole King & Jerry Goffin, Dorothy LaBostrie. Each of these artists have their own special style or twist they bring to the table. Little Richard is famously known for is energetic performances, Chuck Berry used country and R&B as an influence in his music more than most of the other artists, and is known for the duck walk. Buddy Holly was able to get past just covering stuff. He has a distinctive vocal sound and is similar to the way elvis uses his voice.