Music's Big Bang: The Genesis of Rock and Roll Timeline

William Christopher Handy

Nov 16, 1873

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/W._C._Handy William Christopher Handy born November 16, 1873 in Florence, Alabama, U.S. and died March 28, 1958. He was known as "The Father of Blues" W.C. Handy. He still remains to be one of the most influential American songwriters.

Charley Patton

Apr 22, 1887

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charley_Patton Charley Patton was born in Mississippi between April 1887 and 1891 no one knows for sure. He died April 28, 1934 near Indianola Mississippi. He was well known for playing slide guitar.

Jelly Roll Morton

Oct 20, 1890

Ferdinand Joseph LaMothe (Jelly Roll Morton) born October 20, 1890 and died July 10,1941. In 1902 he claimed to have invented jazz.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jelly_Roll_Morton Ferdinand Joseph LaMothe (Jelly Roll Morton) born October 20, 1890 and died July 10,1941. In 1902 he claimed to have invented jazz.

Bessie Smith

Apr 15, 1894

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bessie_Smith Bessie Smith born, April 15, 1894 in Chattanooga, TN. She died September 26, 1937 in Clarksdale, MS. Daughter of William and Laura Smith. Her father was a part-time Baptist preacher. By the age of nine she lost her mother and a brother. Viola took care of the family after that.

"Jelly Roll Blues"

Jan 1, 1905

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jelly_Roll_MortonMorton was fourteen years old when he started working as a piano player in a sporting house. He also spent time working with minstrel shows, gambling and composing. He claims to have written "Jelly Roll Blues" in 1905.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ry0597jUNzk "Jelly Roll Blues"

Robert Leroy Johnson

May 8, 1911

Robert Leroy Johnson was born May 8, 1911 in Hazlehurst, Mississippi and died August 16, 1938.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Johnson He played mostly on street corners, juke joints, and saturday night dances.There was a legend that he sold his soul at the crossroads to achieve success.

Composed by W.C. Handy

Jan 1, 1912

"Yellow Dog Blues" written 1912 and published 1922

The song of 1912

Jan 31, 1912

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZGqBmlZR3dc W.C. Handy's "Memphis Blues" was written in 1909, published on sheet music in 1912, and recorded by Victor Military Band on July 15,1914.

Bessie beomes a Dancer

Apr 21, 1912

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bessie_Smith Bessie is hired as a dancer rather than a singer, by Lonnie and Cora Fisher. She eventually started performing in various chorus lines and made Atlanta her new home.

Composed by W.C. Handy

Jan 1, 1914

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TTPEDODqmJU "Saint Louis Blues" wwritten in 1914

World War I Songs

Apr 23, 1915

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9fhjT93Xa3U "I Didn't Raise My Boy to be a Soldier"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RTJXwOs2_bA "We Don't Want To Lose You (But We Think You Ought To Go)"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mngRoSlJJUI "Keep the Home Fires Burning"

Composed by W.C. Handy

Jan 1, 1916

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBnNJ1NyFkY "Beale Street Blues" written in 1916, sung by Marion Harris, and recorded at Columbia.

Composed by W.C. Handy

Jan 1, 1917

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r4ETfaTOhps "Ole Miss Rag" written 1917.

The United States entered World War I

Apr 6, 1917

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_War_I The Great War started July 28, 1914 and ended November 11, 1918. United States joined its allies Britain, France, and Russia to fight World War I.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kXcs1Vv3YlE "Pack Up Your Troubles in Your Old Kit-Bag, and Smile, Smile, Smile" Thiks marching song was written by George Henry Powell and published in 1915.

Composed by W.C. Handy

Sep 1, 1917

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y8Ohfmy7bco "Livery Stable Blues" acoustic recording September 1917 at Columbia.

The Empress of the Blues

Jan 31, 1923

Bessie is now living in Philadelphia, fell in love, and started her recording career. She became the highest paid black entertainer of the day.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=go6TiLIeVZA Among her first recordings was "Down Hearted Blues"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2k1M0vfHmmc and Gulf Coast Blues"

78 RPM Records

Apr 21, 1925

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LP_record The records that were made about 1898 and through the late 1950s, and played at a speed of 78 revolution per minute is called a "78" by collectors.

Jelly Roll Morton Signs a Contract with Victor

Jan 1, 1926

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Hot_Peppers Between 1926 and 1927 Jelly Roll Morton and His Red Hot Peppers into Victor's recording studio in Chicago, and play his arrangements. Such as "Black Bottom Stomp", "Smoke-House
Blues", and "Doctor Jazz".
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HTYAaX7lqjQ "Doctor Jazz"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CIerJMCK5_E "Black Bottom Stomp"

Chuck Berry

Oct 18, 1926

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chuck_Berry Chuck Berry was born October 18, 1926. He was one of the pioneers in rock and roll. 1955 was "Maybellene", 1956 "Roll Over Beethoven", 1957 Rock and Roll Music, and in 1958 he did "Johnny B. Goode".
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZFo8-JqzSCM "Johnny B. Goode"

The Great Mississippi Flood of 1927

Jan 1, 1927

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Mississippi_Flood_of_1927 The Great Mississippi Flood of 1927 was the worst river flood in the history of the United States. The states that were hit the hardest was Arkansas, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee, Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas. This flood would speed up the migration of African-Americans to move from the south into the northern cities.

Bessie Smith Songs from the Flood

Feb 17, 1927

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4gXShOJVwaM Out of the flood came "Back-Water Blues" by Bessie Smith.

Blind Lemon Jefferson Songs from the Flood

Apr 1, 1927

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PJzQMLvyBVU "Rising High Water Blues" by Blind Lemon Jefferson

Lonnie Johnson Songs from the Flood

Apr 4, 1927

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M_0i5t5wcvQ Lonnie Johnson composed this song four days after the flood. "South Bound Water"

Action to be Taken Flood of 1927

Jun 1, 1927

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Mississippi_Flood_of_1927 This river levee was blown up at Caernarvon in 1927.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=swhEa8vuP6U "When The Levee Breaks"

Barbecue Bob Songs from the Flood

Jun 1, 1927

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fgz0rowuRpo "Barbecue Blues" recorded March 1927.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gu2qYVT-Pmc "The Mississippi Heavy Water Blues" recorded June 1927

Charley Patton with Gennett Records

Apr 1, 1929

Here are two songs Charley Patton recorded at Gennett Records in Richmond Indiana, 1929
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JZ1zOarIoEA "Pony Blues"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NAbDjKg9Zww "Banty Rooster Blues"

Charley Patton with Paramount Records

Apr 22, 1929

Here are two songs Charley Patton recorded at Paramount Records in Grafton Wisconsin, 1929
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=72oQy_M7h4Q "High Water Everywhere Part 1"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rVdMz6aMj1Q "High Water Everywhere Part 2"

The Great Depression

Aug 1, 1929

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Great_Depression The Great Depressionin August of 1929 was when the United States economy first went into an economic recession.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yQ0eBSqy-Bg&feature=kp "No Depression in Heaven" by the Carter Family in 1936

Stock Market Crashes

Oct 29, 1929

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wall_Street_Crash_of_1929 The stock market crash!!! the 1929 stock market crash and the Great Depression formed the largest financial crisis of the 20th century.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eih67rlGNhU "Brother, Can You Spare a Dime Lyrics by Yip Harburg, music by Jay Gorney, sung by Bing Crosby.

Elivis Presley

Jan 8, 1935

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elvis_Presley Elvis Presley was born January 8, 1935 in Tupelo, Mississippi. He died August 16, 1977 in Memphis, Tennessee. He was known as The King of Rock and Roll. He started his career at Sun Record Studio. Sam Phillips sold Elvis's recording contract to RCA Victor. By 1956 he was an international success and starred in 33 films.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qka6JrKUM5U Jail House Rock

Jerry Lee Lewis

Sep 29, 1935

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jerry_Lee_Lewis Jerry Lee Lewis was born on September 29, 1935 in Louisiana. He was known as "The Killer". In 1956 he made his first recordings at Sun Records."Crazy Arms" sold 300,000 copies. In 1957 "Whole Lotta Shakin Going On" took Jerry Lewis to worldwide fame. After he married his thirteen year old cousin Jerry had little success in the charts.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9bXNbmXKFag "Crazy Arms"

Robert Leroy Johnson

Nov 23, 1936

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Johnson The first recording session was held November 23, 1936 in room 414 at the Gunter Hotal in San Antonio. Brunswick Records se up a temporary recording studio. For the next three days Johnson played sixteen songs and recorded most of the songs he played.

Robert Leroy Johnson with Brunswick Records

Nov 23, 1936

Here are two of the songs that were recorded with Brunswick Records.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7xO6yES9cUg "Come On in My Kitchen"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=82yNxiF-T4A "Kind Hearted Woman Blues"

Morton at The Library of Congress

May 1, 1938

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jelly_Roll_Morton Lomax invited Morton to record music and interviews for the Library of Congress. These non-commercial recordings that they made for music researchers, also attracted lots of jazz fans.
http://www.loc.gov/rr/record/nrpb/registry/nrpb-masterlist.html Check the year 1938 that's the year Morton was there.

Charley Patton with Vocalion Records

Apr 22, 1939

Here are two songs Charley Patton recorded at Vocalion Records in New York City, New York, 1939.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VV_8kEss8gY "Revenue Man Blues"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D0OZKQM0PYA "Troubled 'Bout My Mother"

World War II Songs

Sep 1, 1939

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_War_II Second World War, was a global war. It was considered to lasted from 1939 to 1945.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HStrLiUKn6s "Praise the Lord and Pass the Ammunition" written by Frank Loesser and published sheet music in 1942
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Praise_the_Lord_and_Pass_the_Ammunition They say that this song was a response to the attack on Pearl Harbor.

Richie Valance

May 13, 1941

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ritchie_Valens Richard Steven Valenzuela was born May 13, 1941 in Pacoima, California. Died in a plane crash with Buddy Holly and The Big Bopper on February 3, 1959. Richies' recording career lasted only eight months, but he was known as a rock and roll pioneer and a forefather of the Chicano rock. He was most popular for "La Bamba".
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jp6j5HJ-Cok "La Bamba"

Buddy Holly

Apr 24, 1950

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddy_Holly Buddy Holly was born September 7, 1936 in Lubbock Texas. He died February 3, 1959 in an airplane crash with The Bopper and Richie Valance. Bruce Eder said Buddy was "the single most influential creative force in rock and roll." He has inspired and influenced musicians like The Beatles, Elvis Costello, The Rolling Stones,and Bob Dylan. Buddy Holly and The Crickets formed a rock and roll band in 1950.

Sun Records

Mar 27, 1952

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sun_Records Sam Phillips started is own independent record company on March 27, 1952. Sam had a talent for discovering and recording some great musicians. Sam Phillips loved rhythm and blues and wanted to bring black music to a white audience. Many of Sun Records musicians helped to lay part of the foundation for late 20th century rock and roll.Paul McCartney appeared on a tribute album titled Good Rockin Tonight: The Legacy Of Sun Records in 2001.

Fats Domino "Blueberry Hill"

Jan 1, 1956

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fats_Domino Fats Domino born February 26, 1928 in New Orleans, Louisiana.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KXkeMvEJeRU His 1956 version of the 1940 Vincent Rose, Al Lewis and Larry Stock song, "Blueberry Hill"which reached No. 2 in the Top 40, and No. 1 on the R&B charts for 11 weeks, and was his biggest hit

The Quarrymen

Apr 24, 1956

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Quarrymen The Quarrymen was a British skiffle and rock and roll group started by John Lennon in 1956.Paul McCartney joined the band in October 1957. George Harrison in 1958. In 1958 they recorded themselves performing Buddy Holly's That'll Be the Day" and "In Spite of All the Danger written by Paul McCartney and George Harrison.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y8tobAFqjPY "In Spite of All the Danger"

Million Dollar Quartet

Dec 4, 1956

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Million_Dollar_QuartetOn Tuesday December 4, 1956 at Sun Record Studios in Memphis, Tennesseewhere they recorded a jam session involving Elvis, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, and Johnny Cash this group of musician was known as the "Million Dollar Quartet".
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MCg2HMXiATE The "Million Dollar Quartet" Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Carl Perkins here is some of the recordings from that day in 1956.

Buddy Holly and The Crickets

Jan 1, 1957

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WvJXCNwzBq4 Their first hit "That'll Be the Day" was recorded in 1957.

Songs Written by The Big Bopper

Jan 1, 1959

Some of his other songs he wrote were "White Lightning" which George Jones recorded and became Jones' first #1 country hit in 1959. "Running Bear" for Johnny Preston, and a friend from Texas.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WE5pM1HXxlI "White Lightning"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E3meEmDpaDU "Running Bear"

"The Day the Music Died"

Feb 3, 1959

http://www.geeksofdoom.com/2013/02/03/remembering-february-3-1959-the-day-the-music-died On February 3, 1959, on what has become known as "The Day the Music Died" Buddy Holly, The Big Bopper, Richie Valens, and the pilot Roger Peterson died in a small-plane crash in Iowa, a tragedy that also claimed the lives of these four men.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QmyGZ64J9yg "The Day the Music Died"

Big Bopper

Apr 24, 1959

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Big_Bopper Jiles Perry Richardson, Jr. was born October 24, 1959 Grant Township, Cerro Gordo County, Iowa. He died in February 3, 1959 a plane crash with Buddy Holly and Richie Valance. He was known as The Big Bopper was best known for his 1958 recording of "Chantilly Lace".
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4b-by5e4saI "Chantilly Lace"

The Beatles

Aug 1, 1960

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Quarrymen The Quarrymen changed the name of their band to The Beatles August 1960, and Ringo Starr joined the band in August 1962. Ringo played the drums.