ROCK AROUND THE CLOCK, The Beginning of Rock and Roll

Bill Haley and the Comets

No one can say when rock and roll began. It's beginnings can be heard in songs of the 1920's, in jazz and blues songs, in many times and places. But when did rock and roll take on an identity and a life of its own? Most people say it began with the song Rock Around the Clock .

Bill Haley was not a Pennsylvanian. However, most of his group, The Comets, were from Pennsylvania, so it is proper that they be recognized here for their contribution to the most popular form of music in the second half of the 20th century - and beyond. Their names are Joey Ambrose (born Joseph D'Ambrosio), saxophone, and Johnny Grande, piano, both born in Philadelphia, Dick Richards (born Richard Boccelli), drums, of Darby, Franny Beecher, lead guitar, of Norristown, as well as lead singer Bill Haley of Michigan and bass player Marshall Lytle of North Carolina. There is much confusion and many claims about who wrote the song and even who was in the band at which exact time, but this formed the basis for the group in 1954-1955. Danny Cedrone, though not a member of the group, did play for the recording session, and contributed what is considered one of the classic rock and roll guitar solos of all time.

In 1954, studio producer Milt Gabler wanted the song Thirteen Women (and Only One Man in Town) for their new release, and a hastily recorded version of Rock Around the Clock was placed on the "B" side. (It was actually a combination of two takes.) Although that record dissappointed, in 1955 Rock Around the Clock was used as the opening for the famous teen rebellion movie, The Blackboard Jungle. With this exposure, the song quickly rose to the top of the popular music charts, the first rock song to ever do that, and stayed there for eight weeks. It had similar success in England and many other countries. It unleashed many other singers and writers who adopted the rock and roll style whole-heartedly, and things would never be the same. Many rock stars, including Elvis Presley, John Lennon, and Paul McCartney, were greatly influenced by this record.

Although not the first rock and roll record (many musical historians give that honor to Haley's Rocket 88, a 1951 recording) it is considered by many to be the song that put brought rock and roll to the forefront as a musical style of its own.