combining hillbilly with the blues, and it was this apparently simple formula that gave rock’n’roll its greatest star, Elvis Presley. For a short period in the mid-1950s, rockabilly became commercially successful and so dominant that it ended the careers of many established country singers and briefly threatened the entire fabric of country music. The success of Elvis Presley ...
The arrival of the rockabilly phenomenon in the mid-1950s can be traced back directly to the rise of Elvis Presley (1935–77) and there is no doubt that he was the dominant influence on most of the young country boys who followed him. The impact of Presley can never be overstated, but at the same time he did not materialize out ...
volumes for Sam Phillips’ perceptiveness and understanding of this new style of music, and his ability to create classic recordings that remain timeless and unsurpassed in their brilliance. The Rockabilly Craze By early 1956 Sun had forsaken its blues artists and was now at the forefront of the rockabilly craze that was sweeping the USA. Financial pressures had forced Sam ...
(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 ...
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, real commercial success has always eluded him, ...
(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 ...
and blues into his music with great success. His later work veered towards pop and away from rockabilly. Tragically, he died in a plane crash. Styles & Forms | Rockabilly | Country Personalities | Johnny Horton | Rockabilly | Country ...
, and less aggressive than his contemporaries. His career extended longer than most as he was able to adapt into both the pop and country markets. Styles & Forms | Rockabilly | Country Personalities | Jerry Lee Lewis | Rockabilly | Country ...
For a brief period in early 1956, Carl Perkins was the first singer to take a pure rockabilly record – his self-penned ‘Blue Suede Shoes’ – to the summit of the best-selling charts in the USA. He beat Elvis to the top, but was never a realistic candidate to sustain this early promise because he lacked Presley’s film-star looks ...
(Vocals, guitar, 1932–98) A cult hero, especially in Europe, Charlie enjoyed no commercial success whatsoever but was revered for his authentic rockabilly sound. Born near Holly Springs, Mississippi, he first recorded for Sun in 1954, but cut his finest rockabilly for King and Meteor. His unusual vocal technique – complete with hiccups and stutters ...
in Goldmine, Louisiana, and is a cousin of Ronnie Hawkins. His biggest success came in 1957 with the self-penned ‘Suzie-Q’ on Checker which, like most of his rockabilly, reflected the strong blues influence in his music. Dale was the first white singer to appear at Harlem’s Apollo Theatre. In the 1960s, he moved into record production ...
through the South, and his final Sun offering ‘I Forgot To Remember To Forget’ (1955) broke him nationally when it reached No. 1 on the country charts. King Of Rockabilly In November 1955, Sun sold Presley’s contract to RCA Victor for the then-substantial fee of $35,000. At the same time, his management was acquired by the Svengali-like ...
, he developed a wild and highly visual stage act. Vincent’s health deteriorated through heavy drinking, and he died prematurely of liver failure in California. Styles & Forms | Rockabilly | Country Personalities | Bill Anderson | Nashville & Beyond | Country ...
bluesy, baritone voice and, in many cases, the vocal harmonies of The Chantones. A shy man, he should have become a major country star after the rockabilly era, but this did not happen. He still managed an impressive tally of hits on Carlton, Top Rank and Capitol, though. He remains a dynamic and intense ...
(Vocals, guitar, b. 1940) Born in Sutherlin, Virginia, Janis Martin toured extensively but was too raunchy for mass acceptance, despite a series of outstanding rockabilly recordings. She retired in 1959 to raise her family but re-emerged in the 1980s. Since then she has made numerous live appearances, mainly in Europe, where she has established ...
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David Bowie
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