Music's Big Bang: The Genesis of Rock and Roll By Tanya0510 Sep 18, 1899 “Maple Leaf Rag” by Scott Joplin first to sell 1 million copies of sheet music Maple Leaf Rag Jan 1, 1909 W.C. Handy, self-proclaimed Father of the Blues W.C. Handy Jan 1, 1910 Memphis Blues Memphis Blues Jan 1, 1922 Louis Armstrong, influential New Orleans Musician Louis Armstrong Jan 1, 1926 Hokum Blues. Predecessor to Rock n' Roll Hokum Blues Jun 1, 1926 Mississippi Delta Blues Delta Blues Apr 24, 1929 Charley Patton, influential Mississippi Delta Blues Musician Charley Patton Jan 1, 1930 Son House, influential Mississippi Delta Blues Musician Son House Jan 1, 1930 Chicago Blues Chicago Blues Jan 1, 1935 Frank Sinatra, Rock Star before Rock n' Roll Frank Sinatra Jan 1, 1935 Leadbelly, influential Louisiana Blues Musician Leadbelly Jan 1, 1936 Robert Johnson, influential Delta Blues Musician Robert Johnson Jan 1, 1944 The Bo Diddley Beat Bo Diddley Beat Oct 27, 1947 Little Richard Little Richard Jan 1, 1948 Muddy Waters, Mississippi Delta Blues Musician considered the "father of modern Chicago blues" Muddy Waters Jan 1, 1948 John Lee Hooker, influential Mississippi Delta Blues Musician John Lee Hooker Jan 1, 1949 Fats Domino, New Orleans R&B, Rock n' Roll Musician Fats Domino Jan 3, 1950 Sam Phillips, influential record producer opens Memphis Recording Service Sam Phillips Jun 1, 1950 Chess Records, Electric Blues & early Rock n' Roll Chicago recording studio Chess Records Jan 1, 1951 Disc Jockey Alan Freed coined the term "Rock n' Roll" Alan Freed Jan 1, 1951 Howlin Wolf, influential Chicago Blues Musician Howlin Wolf May 20, 1951 Dinah Shore's "Sweet Violets" recorded, Inspires youth to rebel & gravitate to RnR Sweet Violets Jan 1, 1952 Big Mama Thornton Recorded "Hound Dog" Spent 7wks at #1 on R&B charts Big Mama Thornton Mar 27, 1952 Sun Records opened in Memphis Sun Records Jan 1, 1953 Roy Orbison, Poet Laureate of the Lonely Roy Orbison Jul 18, 1953 Marion Keisker, assistant to Sam Phillips, first person to record Elvis Marion Keisker Jul 17, 1954 Elvis Presley, "King of Rock n' Roll" Elvis Presley Jan 1, 1955 Chuck Berry, pioneer of Rock n' Roll Chuck Berry Jan 1, 1955 Johnny Cash Johnny Cash Oct 15, 1955 Buddy Holly, pioneer of Rock n' Roll Buddy Holly Nov 20, 1955 Bo Diddley, The Originator, Blues Musician who transitioned blues to rock Bo Diddley Dec 15, 1955 "Folsom Prison Blues" by Johnny Cash released "Folsom Prison Blues" Jan 1, 1956 Carl Perkins releases "Blue Suede Shoes" Carl Perkins Jul 1, 1956 Elvis's "Hound Dog" topped the Pop, R&B & Country charts "Hound Dog" Nov 1, 1956 Jerry Lee Lewis Jerry Lee Lewis Dec 4, 1956 Million Dollar Quartet: Elvis, Cash, Lewis, Perkins jam session at Sun Records Millioin Dollar Quartet Jan 1, 1957 The Crickets, Buddy Holly's band The Crickets May 27, 1958 Ritchie Valens, pioneer of Rock n' Roll & forefather of Chicano Rock Ritchie Valens Feb 3, 1959 The Day the Music Died: death of Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, Big Bopper The Day the Music Died Jan 1, 1962 The Beatles, inspired by many blues musician & chose their name in homage to The Crickets The Beatles Jan 16, 1964 "Hello Dolly" by Louis Armstrong made him the oldest person to top the Billboard chart "Hello Dolly" Mar 15, 1968 "Lady Madonna" by the Beatles, influenced by Fats Domino "Lady Madonna" Oct 18, 1988 Traveling Wilburys, supergroup with Orbison, Petty, Dylan, Harrison, Lynne Traveling Wilburys
