RocknRoll firsts

That one is debatable. Here's a 1938 example, and there are older ones still.

 

Johnny Ace shot himself accidentally. It went something like this: Ace was backstage with a couple of women, including Big Mama Thornton. Ace was fooling around with a pistol and pointed it at one of the women. Big Mama scolded him for that, so he told her it's not even loaded, demonstrating this by pointing the gun at his own head and pulling the trigger. Boom. Well, that's the way I've heard it anyway.

The Boswell Sisters had a song called Rock and Roll in 1934.

 

Actually the phrase was first used by
Trixie Smith in 1922 in the tune My
Baby Rocks Me(And Rolls Me All
Night).But these songs arent in the RnR idiom.We are talking RnR not jazz,swing,blues etc.

 

All these decades I thought it was Roullette hell well known critic Greil Marcus stated in his 1978 book Stranded it was RR.I don't doubt you but I will research this myself.

 

I read the story in a book that told about different artists' deaths but I don't remember the name of the book. Apparently this version of the story is the way Big Mama has told it.

 

Sounds like a most reputable source to me.And I did know she was there with other chicks back stage.

 

I always thought it was a generic idol worship. "Johnny Ace? That's gotta be a made up name."

 

No. Johnny Ace is not a made up name.
I recommend the Hip-O cd "the Roots of rock n roll 1947-1954"
This will open some doors and insight into R&B, and includes a Johnny Ace song.
To others on this thread I recommend reading the book "Sound of the City" by Charlie Gillett.
It is a primer for everything rock.

 

I was saying that when I heard the name in the song that I came to the conclusion, based on the name, I thought it was a generic/made up name. I now know that this was a person who died of a gunshot wound to the head.

 

I don't think songs come any more beautiful than Pledging My Love by Johnny.

 

Well, (extremely!) pedantically, I suppose that the phrase "rock & roll" dates back to the days of sea shanties. "Bring 'em Down" & "One More Day" spring to mind.

Definitely not RnR idiom!

 

So that's where that came from. I always wondered about that.

 

It was a made up name (but he was a real person) His real name was John Marshall Alexander Jr. He died on Christmas day 1954 backstage at the Civic Auditorium in Houston, Texas, just 25 years old.

Johnny Ace was no more a rock and roll singer than Trixie Smith or the Boswell sisters. It just happened to be 1954 and his recording of a standard went to #17 on the by then existing pop chart posthumously (#1 r and b).

 

<-- First true rock opera - The Pretty Things S.F. Sorrow.

 

The Beatles did score a lot of firsts!

 

Pink Floyd - First band to perform with quadraphonic sound

 

George Harrison - First solo act to release a triple album

 

The Moody Blues - First use of electronic drums, 1971. The song 'Procession'

 

First power chord:

Link Ray on the song Rumble

 

The 1st use of a Moog Modular Syntheziser was by Monkees on the 4th LP Pisces,Aquarius,Capricorn & Jones LTD issued on Colgems Records 11-6-
67.Others to follow:


Beatles (George) Abbey Road -1969 not only did the quiet one do that but he also released an entire LP the
same year titled "Electronic Sound" on the Zapple Label featuring the Moog.Which was released on 5-9-69 pre-dates AR by some 4 months.
Byrds (McGuinn)TNBB-1968
Who (Townsend) Who's Next-1971

 

It is a fusion of R&B-Gospel with a secular approach therefore labeling it RocknRoll.

 

Electric Flag's (Mike Bloomfield) soundtrack to The Trip was earlier.

No. Sorry. The 1-5-8 guitar form has been used by guitarists since the first guitar showed up. Countless recorded instances predate "Rumble."

 

The 1st and as far as I recall only RnR'er to chart as a one man band is Wilbert Harrison-Lets Work Together 1968.This was a remake of a earlier Harrison tune.More appropriate for the late 60's than 1962.That's why it became a hit in late 60s.Covered by many. Never topped.I saw him open for CCR (alone) simply amazing.Peace.

 

I like the cover version by The Door's for this song. Amazing how old the song is.

 

First instrumental to receive an airplay ban (on some stations, not nationally), see above.