Chuck Berry Influence

Some rock ‘n’ roll artists are Chuck Berry and Elvis Presley. Song examples are “Johnny B. Goode” and “La

Upon being referred to Chess Records by Waters, Berry, with the guidance of Leonard Chess, recorded his first hit single, Maybelline, which would reach No. 5 on the Billboard Pop chart and No. 1 on the R&B charts. Besides the infectious beat and chugging rhythm, the narrative lyrics encapsulated the trends of raucous adolescents – hot rods, big drums, and the naivety of young

Dave Marsh, a famed rock journalist and interviewer, said that, “Chuck Berry is to rock and roll what Louis Armstrong is to jazz.” Chuck Berry, also known as the “Father of Rock and Roll”, was the developer of what is considered rhythm and blues during the 1950’s. Berry was also a symbolic character during this period in time because he not only broke musical barriers, but racial barriers as well. Berry mashed rock and roll and soul music styles but also brought together the youth; black and whites alike.

This American guitarist, singer, and songwriter is one of the pioneers of rock and roll music and his songs are electrifying and his videos great to view. Chuck Berry whose full name is Charles Edward Anderson came out with such great hits in the 50s as “Maybellene”, “Roll Over Beethoven”, “Rock and Roll Music”, and “Johnny B. Goode”. He performed in such a way which left a lasting impression and greatly influenced rock music.

Motown is an American record company, as well as its own musical genre that was started in 1959. The civil rights act was going on the same time. It was act of nonviolent protest dialogues between activists and government authorities. The civil right act ended segregation in public places and banned employment discrimination of race, color, religion, sex, is considered one of the crowning legislative achievements of the civil rights movement. Motown was founded by Berry Gordy, Jr, a former prizefight promoter and song writer. Motown musical offerings betrayed several different stylistic influences, gospel, blues, rhythm and blues, doo wop (earlier) and white pop music. Artist such as Smokey Robinson and the Miracles, Marvin Gaye, Dianna Ross,

Rock ‘n’ roll has played a major role in some known historical developments post World War 2. Music plays a significant part in America 's Cold War culture. Music gave us a sense of new technologies and helped the world to prosper. It also is linked with African Americans living in the South. Music was known for shaping the lives of the people during the 1950s and 1960s. Music was geared towards the youth, race, ethnicity, gender and class. “All Shook Up: How Rock ‘n’ Roll Changed America” by Altschuler, Glenn C, tells us the story of the birth of rock and roll during the concrete years of 1955 to 1965. Altschuler gives us a overview of how rock ‘n’ roll has an historical context. “ For two years the Times printed dozens of

Blues, along with the artists that produced it, was noteworthy in the motivation of the Beatles. The Beatles had a great deal of respect for Chuck Berry and what he did for music. The Beatles credited Berry for being an important piece for creating rock and roll. Chuck Berry also prejudiced the Beatles with the lyrical content within his songs. It is easy to see that blues had an impact on rock and roll because a rock and roll band considered one of the best that ever lived, integrated it into their

Ray Charles music was a combination of all gospel, blues and jazz music which has shaped and inspired many songs and artists up until today. As Ray became a more experienced artist that had been known for a while he appealed to a young audience who were more accepting of black young artists unlike some older people who were against artists of other races. By the time he had fully identified his music style he found that having feminine backup vocals best suited his deep, gruff voice.

Miles Davis is an American trumpeter that had a large influence on jazz music. Jazz is an American style of music starting in New Orleans during the 20th century that is characterized by improvisation, syncopation, and usually a regular or forceful rhythm. We asked Davis what it was like growing up in the time where inequality was still effecting society, “It was very hard time to live in. A lot of colored people felt like they didn’t belong anywhere. That is why Jazz music emerged.

Many artists created a new form of music through the influence of the black artists. The first signs of this influence appeared in the music of Elvis Presley and Buddy Holly. It carried on to artists like Bob Dylan, The Beatles, and various other musicians.4 A new form of music emerged, rock and roll. This new style of music was fueled by emotion. One of the first stages in the development of rock and roll was sacrificing musical complexity for the sake of capturing an audience. The jazz and blues songs that were popular before rock and roll emerged, consisted of several chords and elaborate rhythms, while rock and roll songs are comprised of only three or four chords and very simple rhythms.5 More direct expressions of emotions were used, and lyrics of personal and political significance were brought into the mix. The relationship between artists and their audiences changed. Fans related to the musicians’ opinions rather than simply the style of the music. As a result of the bold lyrics, a general respect for musicians

“Walkin”, was a swaggering blues piece informed by the extended harmonies of bebop was a shift from cool jazz and announced the arrival of hard bop (Sales, 1992:171). Hard bop was the evolvement and development from bop during the 1950s and 1960s, often regarded as a reaction to the restraint and intellectualism of cool jazz (Kingman, 1990:389).

Rock ‘n’ roll music has widely influenced music and society and continues to do so today. Rock ‘n’ roll emerged in the 1950’s a time where whites and blacks were heavily segregated. Rock and roll music not only changed the nation’s current musical norms, but indicated the joy of the emerging youth culture of the generation. It influenced artists whether black or white to come into the mainstream music. Famous artists still remembered today also influenced rock and roll. Those pioneers helped change the musical norms and the overall history of music. White rock ‘n’ rollers helped build a ladder for black artists to come into the scene. It was certain that rock ‘n’ roll made it possible for greater acceptance, appreciation and a wider

Whilst in Paris, Reinhardt collaborated with numerous American jazz musicians including saxophonists Benny Carter and Coleman Hawkins, and cornetist Rex Stewart. Due to the prevalence of Jazz in America, it could be argued that future generations of jazz guitarists were influenced more by Charles Christian and other American jazz guitarists than Django, however, Reinhardt's influence was transmitted via these musicians with Mary Osborne recalling a concert in Bismark during the late 1930’s when Christian performed a note for note version of Reinhardt’s recording of “St. Louis Blues”.9 This was also the case with Les Paul who learnt Django’s solos by listening to his recordings and went on to perform them across America. There are a myriad of other celebrated guitar players who have cited Reinhardt as an inspiration for their music including Wes Montgomery, Chet Atkins, B.B. King, John McLaughlin, Carlos Santana, Vernon Reid, Andres Segovia and guitar legend Jeff Beck who claimed that, after listing through all of his own inspirations, “of course, it all started with Django. ”10

“The Beatles shift towards more introspective songwriting in the 60’s would never have happened without him” [V.Bogdanov, 2002]. Artists such as John Lennon, Paul McCartney, Neil Young, Bruce Springsteen, David Bowie, Patti Smith, Joni Mitchell and Tom Waits all acknowledge the profound impact Dylan had on the industry and themselves as artists. “Bob Dylan, I'll never be Bob Dylan. He's the master. If I'd like to be anyone, it's him. And he's a great writer, true to his music and done what he feels is the right thing to do for years and years and years. He's great. He's the one I look to”. [Neil Young, 2005]. Dylan encapsulated a generations hunger for change, challenged the social and political status quo but interestingly seemingly rejected this status after receiving the ‘Tom Paine Award’ from the National Emergency and Civil Liberties Committee he drunkenly questioned the role of the committee and claimed to see something of himself and everyone in JFK’s alleged assassin Lee Harvey Oswald [Andrew Loog Olham, 2005]. In 1965 The Byrds cover of his song Mr. Tambourine Man helped to propel not only The Byrds to super stardom but established the folk rock genre. [V.Bogdanov, 2002]. His verbal sophistication drew comparison to the romantic poets and much literary criticism artists still strive to attain today. His launch of Theme Time Radio Hour for XM Satellite Radio helped him to establish

One of the most influential groups of the 20th Century—the Beatles revolutionized rock and roll into what we know it as today. Not only were they great musicians, they wrote and composed each of their songs. The band proved to be popular and exciting causing mass hysteria at each of their public performances. The “Fab Four’s” talent was so great that the phenomenon was termed “Beatlemania” in Britain and eventually erupted in the United States being called the British Invasion of the Beatles (Britannica Online, 2005).