Dear creamofcards,
Importance is, of course, always subject to individual views. As an
avid collector of classic rock'n'roll, I have tried to create a list
of the 10 performers I consider, according to my knowledge, most
influential and groundbreaking for rock'n'roll in the 50s and 60s. You
may notice that they all Americans; there were hardly any European
artists before the Beatles that had international importance. I
excluded the Beatles themselves, too. Certainly they were very much a
rock'n'roll band, at least in their beginnings; and their importance
can't be overestimated. But I had a feeling that I should limit the
scope to the representatives of classic rock'n'roll.
- Chuck Berry -
Chuck Berry, rock'n'roll star of the first hour ("Maybellene", "Johnny
B. Goode"), did not only write and perform numerous songs re-recorded
by others; his distinctive guitar style also heavily influenced many
artists such as the Beatles or the Rolling Stones. Besides that, he
was one of the first black artists gaining immense popularity among a
white audience, thus clearing the road for others to follow.
See also:
The History of Rock'n'Roll: Chuck Berry
http://www.history-of-rock.com/berry.htm
- The Beach Boys -
While being miles away from the rough early rock'n'roll, the Beach
Boys were the major force in the development of the Californian-style
rock'n'roll that at the same time described and was part of the West
Coast way of life ("Surfin' USA", "Fun, Fun, Fun"). Through their
music - mainly composed by their brillant member Brian Wilson -, they
managed to bring this idealized concept even to audiences far away
from California, while inspiring countless other artists.
See also:
The Beach Boys: Biography
http://thebeachboys.com/bio.html
- Eddie Cochran -
Eddie Cochran was not only an early rock'n'roll star; he also made
some legendary classic rock records ("Summertime Blues", "Twenty
Flight Rock"), wrote or co-wrote many, and particpated in production
of numerous other artists' recordings.
See also:
Remember Eddie Cochran: Biography
http://www.eddiecochran.info/biography_home.htm
- Duane Eddy -
As the inventor of the striking "Twangy" sound that became his
trademark, Duane Eddy was not only a successful and proliferous
instrumental artist ("Rebel Rouser", "Peter Gunn Theme"). His
remarkable, distinctive guitar style did much for popularizing the
electric guitar among musicians, thus deeply changing the sound of
music.
See also:
The History of Rock'n'Roll: Duane Eddy
http://www.history-of-rock.com/duane_eddy.htm
- Bill Haley -
The importance of Bill Haley & His Comets is mainly based on the fact
that they were among the very first performers to experiment with a
fusion of black and white music and to make rock'n'roll a popular
style ("Rock Around The Clock", "Crazy Man Crazy"). Though their
popularity, at least in the USA, quickly declined after 1956, their
merit of being among the rock'n'roll pioneers remained.
See also:
The History of Rock'n'Roll: Bill Haley and His Comets
http://www.history-of-rock.com/haley.htm
- Buddy Holly -
His records alone ("Peggy Sue", "Not Fade Away") would be reason
enough to regard Buddy Holly one of rock'n'roll's most influential
figures. But his early death in a plane crash, at the age of only 22,
made him the first real legend of rock, and certainly the first
deceased performer other artists dedicated tribute songs to, thus
anticipating the cult around dead rock stars to develop in years to
come.
See also:
The History of Rock'n'Roll: Buddy Holly
http://www.history-of-rock.com/buddy_holly.htm
- Jerry Lee Lewis -
Even more than Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis ("Great Balls of Fire",
"High School Confidential") became the prototype of the modern rock
star: Excentric, wild and flamboyant beyond what "decent" people could
bear or understand. And he also became the very first one producing a
major scandal. His behaviour as much as his untamed approach towards
music set the pattern for those rock stars who followed years later.
See also:
The History of Rock'n'Roll: Jerry Lee Lewis
http://www.history-of-rock.com/lewis.htm
- Little Richard -
At least as flamboyant and frantic as Jerry Lee Lewis, but in a very
different kind, Little Richard ("Tutti Frutti", "The Girl Can't Help
It") contributed much to the future development of the style of rock,
both regarding music and image. Together with Chuck Berry's and Carl
Perkins' music, the songs he made popular were a major inspiration to
the beat artists of the 1960s.
See also:
Rockabilly Hall of Fame: Little Richard
http://www.rockabillyhall.com/LittleRichard.html
- Carl Perkins -
Except for one record - "Blue Suede Shoes" - Carl Perkins never
experienced overwhelming commercial success. However, that self-penned
song became one of rock'n'roll's greatest and best-known hits, albeit
the slightly earlier released version by Elvis Presley gained greater
popularity. This and other recordings of Carl Perkins, even if they
were not famous, heavily influenced the Beatles and other British
artists some years later, contributing much to the development of
their styles.
See also:
The History of Rock'n'Roll: Carl Perkins
http://www.history-of-rock.com/perkins.htm
- Gene Vincent -
Gene Vincent ("Be-Bop-A-Lula", "Blue Jean Bop") was one of the first
tragic figures in rock'n'roll. His exciting, "dangerous" sounding
singing style made him one of the early shooting stars of rock,
followed by quick descent into insignifivcance and failure after a
brief period of success. Nevertheless he vitally participated in
shaping the face of rock'n'roll.
See also:
The History of Rock'n'Roll: Gene Vincent
http://www.history-of-rock.com/vincent.htm
Hope this is what you needed!
Regards,
Scriptor |
