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Rock music originally started in the 1950's in the United States as a fusion of rhythm & blues, gospel, jazz, folk and country music. This means that rock music has both "black" and "white" roots. The "black" root of rock came from rhythm & blues (otherwise known as R&B), gospel and jazz. The "white" root came from country and folk music. It all started when R&B began to gain a wider audience in the late 1940's. In 1951, disc jockey Alan Freed (who helped to draw white teenagers to the music) used the term rock'n'roll. Which was then used as a synonym for R&B. Record companies started to capitalize on the popularity of the music with both blacks and white teenagers. The music market was fueled by covers of R&B songs performed by white artists. And this music was gaining a rebellious image. With this, rock music was started. It appealed then to younger listeners and often celebrated the joys of being young and the fustrations of youth. Many adults on the other hand called rock a passing fad and others condemmed it as a threat to society. It was louder and faster than its originating styles and was usually performed in a more wild manner with more raw displays of emotion. Some of the early rock stars included Chuck Berry, Elvis Presley and Bill Haley (who all personified the rebellious image rock had gained). Bill Haley became the first star with the song "Rock Around The Clock" which became an early rock anthem. Chuck Berry gained fame with songs like "Maybelline" because he could render teenage feelings in his songs even though he was over 30 years old. Elvis Presley's shot to stardom was because he had a style commonly associated with black music even though he was white. Along with his black sound and live performances, frequent radio play made him rock's first superstar. Rock was helped along in the mid 1950's by radio. TV was taking over as a chief producer of entertainment and radio stations played rock music to capture audiences. DJs (or disc jockeys) who played the rock records helped to promote the popularity of many rock performers. At the time, the United States was racially divided but people somehow found racial equality in rock music. Young children (who were listening to R&B stations during the early 50's) started listening to these rock stations without their parents knowing about it and these rock stations became very popular and didn't go unnoticed by everyone else. By the late 50's, rock was growing in popularity but the record companies and professional songwriters caught wind of its profitability. Much of the rock music released by record companies at that time had lost it's rebellious edge and was a lot tamer. Several artists toned down the volume and feel of the music that made it popular. One of the main objections towards rock in its beginnings was expressed by local government committees because the music was black in origin and nature. An example is that the Alabama White Citizens council announced a campaign to rid the United States of this "animalistic Nigger bop". Parents agreed with these local governments who expressed the racial arguments and they realized that the way they were brought up didn't appeal to their children. Parents and local PTA's agreed that rock music was to blame. To them, it was sinful and immoral and the infallibility of the family and honor of society was at stake. The adults had their arguments but the adolescents kept listening to the music they liked which to them was more important then the possible deprativity of morality in society. From these arguments emerged a generational conflict between parents and children. The attack of the parents on rock music just built a stronger sense of solidarity among the young. Meaning that the love of rock music, unified teenagers against their parents. These children (who were to become known as baby boomers) were distinct because they were raised in a new era and rock gave them their identity that they needed at this point in their life.
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Rock in the 1960's takes a different turn
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