1/ A blend of country & western and rhythm & blues, rockabilly arose in mid-1950s. The genre's stylistic legacy--it pointed the way to classic rock 'n' roll--far outweighed its commercial impact. By the late 1950s, virtually all rockabilly practitioners had been subsumed by either pop-rock or country music.
2/ Rockabilly began as a music genre, but is now considered a subculture who's style of dress is heavily influenced by the 1950s.
Rockabilly gets its name from combining "rock n' roll" with "hillbilly"; a term that came about to describe a type of music hybrid in the 1950s made popular by artists like Elvis and Johnny Cash.
3/ The term rockabilly is a portmanteau rock from rock 'n' roll and hillbilly, the latter a reference to the country music often called hillbilly music in the 1940s and 1950s that contributed strongly to the style's development.
NOW ROCK 'n' ROLL
1/ A great advance in American civil liberties, as well as a revolution in music, took place as a result of the introduction of rock and roll in 1951. The introducer was Alan Freed, a disc jockey in Cleveland, who used the term to undermine the segregation of popular music into black and white. African-American popular music of the day, known as rhythm and blues, was increasingly influential, but radio stations and the record industry insisted on having white performers for white audiences. The only way a song composed and performed by blacks could reach a wider audience was for it to be remade by a white group.
Freed was able to get around the prohibition against African-American music on his radio station by coining a catchy name that was new and therefore all-encompassing. He wouldn't fight to play the forbidden rhythm and blues; instead, he would treat his audiences to what he called rock and roll. And while that term did not end music segregation overnight, it eventually made segregation impossible, as both black and white performers took up the phrase and together developed the new rock and roll. From the beginning it was also known informally as rock 'n' roll. By the mid-1960s the triumph of rock and roll was so complete that the name of the genre, now performed by musicians of all races all over the world, shrank to rock. No longer needed for music, the full phrase rock and roll recently has been used to mean "get going, move along," as in "Let's rock and roll."
Freed, who went on to greater fame and misfortune, is appropriately memorialized in Cleveland's Rock 'n' Roll Museum. But he did not actually invent rock and roll; he just gave it a new definition. Freed probably picked up rock and roll from the lyrics of a 1948 rhythm-and-blues hit called "Good Rockin' Tonight." Before that, both rock and roll had sexual meanings in jazz and blues, as in "My Man Rocks Me with One Steady Roll," recorded by Trixie Smith in 1922, which inspired Bill Haley's famous "Rock Around the Clock" in 1954.
2/ rock 'n' roll - a genre of popular music originating in the 1950s; a blend of black rhythm-and-blues with white country-and-western; "rock is a generic term for the range of styles that evolved out of rock'n'roll."
3/ Style of music characterized by a basic drum-beat, generally 4/4 riffs, based on (usually electric) guitar, drums, and vocals (generally with bass guitar). Generally used to refer to the 1950"s rock, and rock of its style, quite close to swing.
NOW NEO ROCKABILLY(not many definitions available on this so this about covers it)
Neo-Rockabilly is a musical language inspired to the Rockabilly (a kind of music popular during the fifties) and it isn't conceptually different from Rockabilly music, the word "Neo" being a Latin word meaning "new". The reason why this term is used (by the bands and in Record Labels' catalogs) instead of using simply "Rockabilly", is that these subjects want to refer to new original songs written by musicians and bands, beginning in the early 1980s or even in the second part of the 1970s). Actually, because Rockabilly is a type of music written during the fifties, the term Neo-Rockabilly was thought to refer to music written by bands active during the eighties and till now. The term is useful to make an historical distinction among the initiators of this type of music and those artists who made this music later, sometime with a different approach sometimes not. At the same time, because during the eighties a consistent rockabilly revival began and many bands were formed to play the successes of the fifties, the Neo-Rockabilly term is also useful to maintain a distinction over the mere "Rockabilly Revival" bands.
It is important to understand that the term Rockabilly is not obsolete and the term Neo-Rockabilly is no way destined to substitute it. In fact nowadays we have both Rockabilly Bands and Neo-Rockabilly Bands and the same we will have in the future. Many still uses these two terms indifferently but it should not be made if one wants to avoid ambiguity and further specifications.
* A contemporary Rockabilly band is a band that plays rockabilly songs (covers of the songs written during the fifties).
* A contemporary Neo-Rockabilly band is a band that writes and plays its own songs, this implies a creative talent to be present.
The chance that many Neo-Rockabilly bands also keep a variable number of Rockabilly covers in their repertoires is not to be considered relevant if the main condition (writing new songs to play live and to record) is satisfied.
An interesting question would be: will there be a band in the future playing just covers of one or more Neo-Rockabilly Bands? And in that case how should we classify this band? Probably that should be classified as a Rockabilly Band being a band playing what will be considered the new classics, or the latter classics of Rockabilly and not a band with a repertoire of originals.
NEO-ROCKABILLY AS A 'CONTAINER' TERM The bands that classify their music as "Neo-Rockabilly" produce a sound which is the nearest to the classic sound and themes of the fifties. Other terms were born to point out heavier variations and diversions of the Neo-Rockabilly music from the original Rockabilly of the fifties. In example Psychobilly, Punk-a-Billy, and others. All these are part of Neo-Rockabilly which remains a more general and neuter term
NOW SWING(and this should suffice)
Swing music, also known as swing jazz or simply swing, is a form of jazz music that developed in the early 1930s and became a distinctive style by 1935 in the United States. Swing uses a strong rhythm section of double bass and drums as the anchor for a lead section of brass instruments such as trumpets and trombones, woodwinds including saxophones and clarinets, and sometimes stringed instruments such as violin and guitar, medium to fast tempos, and a "lilting" swing time rhythm. Swing bands usually featured soloists who would improvise on the melody over the arrangement. The danceable swing style of bandleaders such as Benny Goodman and Count Basie was the dominant form of American popular music from 1935 to 1945.
AND FINALLY RHYTHM N 'n' BLUES
Rhythm and blues, often abbreviated to R&B, is a genre of popular African American music that originated in the 1940s.[1] The term was originally used by record companies to describe recordings marketed predominantly to urban African Americans, at a time when "urbane, rocking, jazz based music with a heavy, insistent beat" was becoming more popular.[2]
The term has subsequently had a number of shifts in meaning. In the early 1950s and beyond, the term rhythm and blues was frequently applied to blues records.[3] Starting in the 1950s, after this style of music contributed to the development of rock and roll, the term "R&B" became used to refer to music styles that developed from and incorporated electric blues, as well as gospel and soul music. By the 1970s, rhythm and blues was used as a blanket term for soul and funk. In the 1980s, a newer style of R&B developed, becoming known as contemporary R&B.
OK, now you should see from this that most importantly it is the style of music that dictates how it is danced to and not vice versa!!!!
You should also see that there is no Rockabilly influences in SWING music, so the post on the Jive Aces should noted as the Band being a Rock 'n' Roll Band or a Swing Band, I have my opinion, you can have yours, but they are sure to differ!!!!
What is most important whatever your opinion is that it is the musicians who play whatever style of music they do that promote the dance style, DANCE comes as a result of the Music that is presented!!!!
And oh yeh, you will note that there are no references to Latin American Dance styles or Modern Ballroom styles in any Music Genre to do with ANY form of Rock 'n' Roll, THAT is something entirely seperate, and should remain so, again my opinion!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
rockabilly is awesome no need to say anything else :P
never worry about what someone has to say about you because while they are busy trying to destroy you, you are being exactly what they only wish they could be!
tede has said it all...in the last paragraph jazz,the rest has been googled?copied and pasted outta some mag or book,thoughtful reading,and you are right tede,your opinion,on your thoughts,but?as a dancer and an avid music lover?you are simply incorrect,bands and artists do not play music to suit the humble dancers of this world,we adapt to the music being played...my opinion only.terry.
Just to chuck a bit more spin on this subject an extract from John Tennisons on going study of the history Boogie Woogie which I have been studying from time to time.
Quote:
"Chuck Berry, Little Richard, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Ray Charles were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame at their first induction dinner in 1986. These four of the very first inductees into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame have stated the following about Boogie Woogie:
Little Richard said:
"Everything I play is boogie woogie...rock and roll is just up-tempo boogie woogie!"
In a 1990 interview, Little Richard also offered this explanation for the birth of rock:
"I would say that boogie-woogie and rhythm & blues mixed is rock and roll."
On page 142 of his 1987 autobiography, “Chuck Berry: The Autobiography,”29 Berry wrote:
“The nature and backbone of my beat is boogie and muscle of my music is melodies that are simple. Call it what you may: jive, jazz, jump, swing, soul, rhythm, rock, or even punk, it’s still boogie so far as I’m connected with it. When I can't connect to it, I have no right to dispute its title. When its boogie, but with an alien title, the connection is still boogie and my kind of music.”29
The "alien title," of "Rock and Roll" to which Berry refers indicates that he was aware that his music had been arbitrarily re-labeled by promoters and marketers. Moreover, Berry partly borrowed his guitar style from the Boogie Woogie as played by the pianist in Berry's band, Johnnie Johnson. For this reason, some historians regard Johnnie Johnson as a more legitimate "Father" of Rock and Roll than Berry".
Terry I kind of disagree with your statement bands or artists don't play for dancers I think the more correct statement would be some bands and artists don't play for dancers, as I personally know some artists and they specifically choose or generate music to encourage dancing.
some do,some dont?on the local live scene,yes some bands or artists do play for dancers gio,but not once?was the word dancers mentioned with the evolution of all these music cultures...put it this way,artists and bands go to studios and record there music for two things,for the love of what they are doing?and to get paid...bands go play gigs for the same reasons,go to a concert,mostly no room to dance so?we headbang,sway,whatever,our bodies and souls go with the music,its a natural inclination for humans to sing and dance...
I 100% agree Tezza, but I just wonder what this entire thread is about. Some folk like nothing but rockabilly, others are more catholic in their taste. Neither are right or wrong.
Without wanting to cause a stir.. do we really need to analyse every piece of music produced?
Isn't it enough to just enjoy whatever style/sound/rhythm that is being played as intended by its makers?
Should we not just appreciate all music for what it is whether we intend to dance to it or just sit back and listen?
People the world over in every culture make and enjoy music, music is to be enjoyed and celebrated, I think perhaps we pick it apart too much.
I mean does anyone really care if a certain song is 'true' rock n roll? or 'Authentic' swing etc? How bout just saying 'wow what a great song!'
"I like it" or "I don't like it" is the most basic classification system.
But some of us like to think more deeply about things.
What distinguishes the many manifestations of Rock'n'Roll is a pet subject of mine.
Why? 'Cos it is fun for me.
There are also practical reasons to have music in categories. Imagine going into a music shop to find a particular Rockin' CD. If all the stock was in a big stack labeled "Music People Like" you would have to sift through Beethoven, The Wiggles and K-Tel Classics to find what you wanted.
Ted has gone to some trouble copying this out for us. It is fascinating to look at the net and see how people have used the statement "Rockabilly is a portmanteau ...". I wonder who said it first?
Hey Rob E
Maybe Rockabilly was likened to Rock & Roll and the name was evolved as similar from Boogie Woogie.
“Once again taken from John Tennisons study of Boogie Woogie an extract”
Rockabilly - Sometimes used to describe the use of a Boogie Woogie beats, pulses, bass lines (often adapted to guitar) in country music that emerged in the 1940s and that (in addition to the direct influence of piano-based Boogie Woogie) influenced such artists as Jerry Lee Lewis and Chuck Berry, both of whom consider their own music to be a form of Boogie Woogie
Hillbilly-- Sometimes used interchangeably with "Rockabilly" Moon Mullican (AKA "King of the Hillbilly Pianists") is an example of a white performer who played Boogie Woogie, influenced Jerry Lee Lewis, and brought Boogie Woogie to the Nashville country music scene.
During a November 3, 1999 interview by Nick Spitzer on the American Routes Radio Show, Spitzer asked Jerry Lee Lewis about the music that came to be called Rock and Roll. Lewis responded: "They called it blues. They called it Boogie Woogie. Then they changed the name of it to Rock and Roll."
By referring to "they," Lewis suggests that it was not he who changed the name of the type of music he was playing, but rather those who promoted and marketed the music he was playing.
Ray Charles gives ample evidence of the influence that Boogie Woogie had on him, indicating that Boogie Woogie was the first style to which he was exposed, and that Boogie Woogie records were the first records to which he listened.
I don’t take this study as the bible of the music or whether he is right or wrong, but this John Tennison has done some research on his subject, and it is still on going. It sounds plausible to me. Rockabilly could have been named in a similar way as Lewis commented for R&R .
I still reckon Sweetheart was on the ball by saying that it is all good music and I also suspect, coming from a Marketing background, that all of the “Coined’ labels for the various forms of music were derived simply to help market the music at the time………..Just as today, in some circles, Michael Jackson was the King Of Rock and Roll, or Rock ‘n’ Roll, as was Jerry Lee, Elvis and numerous others during our childhood days…………..how easy we forget that more than one Country Music Star had their music “Labeled” by Sun Records as Rockabilly……….Elvis, Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins.
There are songs in all forms of music that you can dance too and some you can’t, some are absolute crap and some make your toes tap, so it is not necessarily correct to label a particular style of music related to it’s compatibility for dancing, or Cultural background.
Also, when it comes to music, as in cars, football and politics, everyone thinks they know the answer, but in my opinion, the scene that we love so much is the 50’s and early 60’s, without the Mersey influence.
I enjoy hearing the rumble of a 48’ flathead in the background of a pumping Ronnie Self tune just as much as watching the VRRDA champions strut their stuff to Rock Around The clock………….Nah, the 48 Flatty is better…lol
At the end of the day, the whole bundle of nostalgia along with all the forms of music from that era does it for me.
People's opinions do and will differ. Out of interest, we interviewed Bobby Crawford and Sonny Burgess - the original Sun Studio artists (Red Headed Woman, I Wanna Boogie), and they say they only heard the term rockabilly only 15-20 years ago.
Here is an excerpt from an article in the Batesville (Arkansas) Daily Guard by Mark Randall:
Larry Donn and former Sun artist Sonny Burgess of Newport were surprised by the revival. Ironically, neither of them consider themselves rockabilly. They call it rock'n'roll. "'Honey Bun' has been called rockabilly, and it isn't even remotely rockabilly," Donn said. "It's about as perfect an example of rock 'n' roll as any record I've ever heard. I'm like Billy Lee (Riley) and Jerry Lee (Lewis). It's not rockabilly. It's rock'n'roll. I recognize there is a kind of music that can be called rockabilly as it has no other name. But 'Honey Bun' ain't it." Donn said rockabilly was a derogatory name given to early rock'n'roll singers from the South by northern disc jockeys. "Rockabilly was originally a putdown of the Sun artists," Donn said. "Rock'n'roll was getting a big name and the northern people in business wanted to keep the name for the tie-wearing, finger-snapping artists like Bobby Darin, Paul Anka and the like so they started calling our rock'n'roll rockabilly so it wouldn't be confused with their kind of rock'n'roll.
"A lot of the stuff these guys did I don't even consider rock'n'roll. They were still into the big band/jazz mentality and all they were doing is trying to keep the market for the big bands while Elvis, Carl and Jerry Lee were selling all the records. They couldn't stand it that these hoodlums and hillbilly hicks from the South were taking all their record sales." Burgess said while he considers what he did to be rock'n'roll, he doesn't care what they label it. "We thought we were rock'n'rollers," Burgess said. "But who cares what they call it." European audiences still have a nearly cult-like passion for rockabilly.
Howdy, ya'll! ... been a while but I'll try to keep it going this time for a while. Actually this is one I have been dreading but I knew it was a' comin' ... here goes.
Question: What is a rockabilly? And What is rockabilly? Well, a rockabilly is one who participates IN or listens TO rockabilly music and philosophies. Rockabilly is a genre or type of music. Performed in the rockabilly style and usually among rockabilly fans, the total sound (As would come out of Sun Studios, for example), is a sure-fire distinctive mix of rhythmic patterns with musical tones put forth by a small combo where bass slaps, guitar licks and the drummer pounding out the back-beat on two and four with the down beats on one and three, with spurts of drum breaks , make it literally impossible to keep still. It impels those listening to get on the dance floor and "Cut a rug" as the old folks used to say. When you find yourself sweating as you hold sweetie-pie's hand and feel like you're having fun, you have passed into the realm of rockabilly ... the key word being "Fun".
Back in the 50's, some columnist called us "Rockabillies" - it hurt our feelings but we got labeled that from then on. I believe it was the way we talked that put the label on us - of course, later, we were glad to be called rockabillies - but to tell you the truth I never felt like we touched on the sound of "That's alright, Mama" which, in my humble opinion was the very first real rockabilly song - it was always my measuring stick. Ricky's style was definitely rockabilly - man it was a great sound with James filling those donuts up with clean, solid licks coming off of that telly - not to mention numerous others who were fantastic musicians.
There is not much that can compare with the first lick of a rockabilly band in perfect tune as they wind up into a good ol' foot-pattin', hand-clappin' solid song that puts you shakin' on the ballroom floor.
Someone asked at work last week what the heck was wrong with the recording industry? Well, here it is in the nut-shell ... we forgot the girls. Girls like to dance - WITH BOYS!" - but boys are shy and don't know how to "Fast Dance" they call it - oh, no sweat - they can "Slow-Dance" but will they? Once the kids start dancing' again, It will open up. Now, they sit or stand at a $75 or more concert - while their pained ears ache from the watts coming off of that stage - think the girls like it, generally? I say NO!. All it would take would be a courageous major label to try to turn the tide - search for uniqueness - ..play danceable music that doesn't kill your ears - come on somebody! - let's make music FUN again!
Anyway, it is obvious that rockabilly comes from hillbilly - meaning hillbilly stringed instruments, not horns or synthetic sounds - vocals are of the old gospel type with appropriate rock and roll beat. It means more. It means the music is played on stringed instruments with harmonies and simple chord progressions. Just my cup 'o tea -
Bye, ya'll
Joe Bennett
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Who's Joe Bennett and who does he speak about, well if you don't know you ain't really rockin!
But one things for sure, he ain't talkin about what most of you dance to and may term rockabilly???
I had it said to me in Sydney recently - Rockabilly is rock'n'roll with atttitude.
When I see some bands do Matchbox it is all rockn'roll to me, then I see Firebird do Matchbox and its all rockabilly. (No faster just different). Is it how they look, how they move, the inclusion of double bass, their age, their skill, their talent, their style or the whole package.
Joe Bennett & the Sparkletones - "Black Slacks, I'm cool daddyo, when I put them on I'm rarin' to go." Just great!
Did you ever notice that Joe at that time looked so much like Potsy from Happy Days? But then Sparky, on rhythm guitar, might have been the model for Alfred E Newman.
(Guess this was a different Joe Bennett to the bloke who did great artwork for Marvel and then DC Comics.)
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