Rockabilly

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The legend of Sun Records seems to expand and shine brighter with every passing year, as successive generations discover the almost unbelievable array of musical gems that were created at that modest little studio at 706 Union Avenue, Memphis. Sun was the brainchild of one man and it is no exaggeration to say that without his contribution, not just country music but indeed all facets of popular music would have ...

Source: The Definitive Illustrated Encyclopedia of Country Music, consultant editor Bob Allen
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The 1950s was a period of enormous upheaval and social change, as the world slowly recovered from the deprivations of the Second World War. Changes were apparent in every aspect of life, but perhaps the greatest was the rise of the ‘teenager’ as a distinct socio-economic class. For the first time, young people had money in their pockets and a desire to express themselves through their own music and fashion. ...

Source: The Definitive Illustrated Encyclopedia of Country Music, consultant editor Bob Allen
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Rock guitarist Albert Lee was born in Leominster, Herefordshire in 1943. The son of a musician, Lee started his musical career on piano, but like many of his generation, took up the guitar upon the arrival of rock’n’roll, inspired in particular by Buddy Holly. He played in various bands after leaving school at the age of 16, before becoming lead guitarist with Chris Farlowe & The Thunderbirds. Preferring country to the ...

Source: Rock Guitar Heroes, consultant editor Rusty Cutchin
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Blues-rock guitarist Alvin Lee was born Graham Barnes in Nottingham in 1944. Inspired by rock’n’roll guitarists Chuck Berry and Scotty Moore, Lee began to play at the age of 13, and formed his first band, Ivan Jay & The Jaymen, in 1960. Lee became lead vocalist in 1962 when the band changed their name to The Jaybirds and played Hamburg’s Star Club. They moved to London in 1966, eventually settling on ...

Source: Rock Guitar Heroes, consultant editor Rusty Cutchin
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(Vocals, piano, 1940–2005) One of the few black rockabilly performers, Downing – from Lenapah, Oklahoma – was in fact a musical chameleon who tried just about every style of popular music during his long career. While a member of The Poe-Kats he played piano on several Wanda Jackson rockabilly recordings, as well as cut rockers himself for different labels – without success. He charted in later years after re-inventing himself first ...

Source: The Definitive Illustrated Encyclopedia of Country Music, consultant editor Bob Allen
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(Instrumental group, 1958–65) Bassist Black helped create the rockabilly sound on Elvis Presley’s Sun recordings and in the singer’s live performances from 1954–58 with guitarist Scotty Moore and drummer D.J. Fontana. Ironically, Black became better known commercially through a string of instrumental hits with The Bill Black Combo, a group he formed after leaving Presley in a dispute over wages. The Combo’s hits included ‘Smokie’, ‘White Silver Sands’ and ‘Josephine’. Black ...

Source: The Definitive Illustrated Encyclopedia of Rock, general editor Michael Heatley
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William John Clifton Haley was born on 6 July 1925 in Highland Park, Detroit, and raised near Chester, Pennsylvania. His parents were both musical, and he got his first proper guitar when he was 13. Even though he was blind in one eye and shy about his disability (he later tried to distract from it with his trademark kiss-curl), he started playing local shows. A Professional Yodeller In his late teens he joined ...

Source: The Definitive Illustrated Encyclopedia of Rock, general editor Michael Heatley
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(Vocals, 1940–83) This fated Liverpudlian was on a par with Cliff Richard as a British Elvis Presley, enjoying 11 Top 10 hits before vanishing into a cabaret netherworld. Though dogged by severe ill health, he resurfaced as a typecast rock’n’roll singer in the 1973 movie That’ll Be The Day. As he may have wished, he died with a record in the charts – 1983’s ‘Devil Or Angel’ – although he was ...

Source: The Definitive Illustrated Encyclopedia of Rock, general editor Michael Heatley
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(Vocals, guitar, harmonica, b. 1933) Riley was born in Pocahontas, Arkansas, and enjoyed seven releases on Sun without ever securing the hit that his finest work undoubtedly deserved. He and his band were often utilized as session musicians and worked with many other Sun artists. A highly versatile artist, he eventually recorded rockabilly, blues, hillbilly and country soul, plus harmonica instrumentals for a host of different labels under numerous aliases. Sadly, ...

Source: The Definitive Illustrated Encyclopedia of Country Music, consultant editor Bob Allen
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(Vocals, 1937–78) Greatly influenced by Elvis Presley, Bob Luman from Kilgore, Texas was a regular on the Louisiana Hayride. He recorded rockabilly for Imperial and appeared in the movie Carnival Rock (1957). His band, which included guitarist James Burton, left him to join Ricky Nelson, after which he adapted to a pop-rock style and scored his biggest hit with ‘Let’s Think About Living’ (1960). In 1962 he moved to Nashville and ...

Source: The Definitive Illustrated Encyclopedia of Country Music, consultant editor Bob Allen
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(Vocals, b. 1944) The diminutive Georgia-born Brenda Tarpley turned professional aged six, and was known as ‘Little Miss Dynamite’, debuting on the US pop and country charts in early 1957. 1959’s ‘Sweet Nothin’s’, a sexy rocker, was her first US Top 5 hit, and her biggest success came with 1960’s million-selling US No. 1 ballad, ‘I’m Sorry’. ‘Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree’ was another 1960 million-seller, and she accumulated over 50 ...

Source: The Definitive Illustrated Encyclopedia of Rock, general editor Michael Heatley
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Buddy Holly was born Charles Hardin Holley in Lubbock, Texas, on 7 September 1936. Buddy got a guitar in his mid-teens and started practising with friend, Bob Montgomery. They liked country and western but also had predilection for the blues. An Elvis gig in Lubbock in early 1955 alerted them to new possibilities. Buddy and Bob, as they called themselves, played local radio stations and were making a reputation; but when ...

Source: The Definitive Illustrated Encyclopedia of Rock, general editor Michael Heatley
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(Vocals, guitar, 1936–59) Born Charles Holley in Lubbock, Texas, Buddy was one of the biggest names of the rock’n’roll era. Along with his group, The Crickets, he recorded for producer Norman Petty and created a series of instantly recognizable worldwide hits. He came from a strictly hillbilly background but incorporated both R&B and blues into his music with great success. His later work veered towards pop and away from rockabilly. Tragically, ...

Source: The Definitive Illustrated Encyclopedia of Country Music, consultant editor Bob Allen
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Buddy Holly helped define and popularize rock’n’roll in its earliest days, when its future was in doubt and its existence was under attack. Strumming a Fender Stratocaster, he brought an extra dose of country to a sound that was still closely related to pure blues and rhythm and blues. He blazed a trail for white artists who, unlike Elvis, could write their own songs. His death at the age of ...

Source: Rock Guitar Heroes, consultant editor Rusty Cutchin
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(Guitar, vocals, 1933–99) Texas-born Knox formed The Rhythm Orchids at West Texas State high school with Jimmy Bowen (bass, vocals). ‘Party Doll’ (by Knox) and ‘I’m Stickin’ With You’ (by Bowen), recorded by Norman Petty, which possibly influenced Buddy Holly to choose Petty as his producer, were released as the two sides of a 1957 million-selling single. Thereafter, Knox managed lesser hits until 1961, but Bowen became a label executive and ...

Source: The Definitive Illustrated Encyclopedia of Rock, general editor Michael Heatley
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