1950's Music of the Decade

http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/ .  Then do a search on the genre or one of the artists - - - better then wikipedia - they did a background check on wikipedia's info!

http://www.pbs.org/jazz/biography/

http://www.thepeoplehistory.com/50smusic.html

http://www.southernmusic.net/1950.htm

http://www.jazzstandards.com/history/history-5.htm

http://50spopmusic.com/50seasypopsingers.html

JAZZ Genre

Important people to Check out:

COOL/FREE JAZZ 

Miles Davis - reactionary to the quick bebop jazz playing, a trumpeteer that stressed improvisation in jazz, but with a much smoother sound. More for listening and enjoying than dancing to.

John Coltrane - one of the leading players of smooth jazz of the era.


Check out these links:

http://xroads.virginia.edu/~ASI/musi212/margaret/martist.html

http://www.outsideshore.com/primer/primer/ms-primer-2-4.html

RHYTHM AND BLUES (R&B)

Nat King Cole - one of the leading players that would lead jazz into the direction of MoTown in the next decade.

Ruth Brown - powerful singer and leader of women into the rock 'n' roll genre.

Other information:

http://www.jazzstandards.com/history/history-5.htm

https://www.bluescentric.com/blues-history/BLUESflash_timeline.swf

https://www.bluescentric.com/blues/styles/

ROCK & ROLL Genre


those from the African-American tradition (because of a lot of segregation):

Ray Charles - His piano playing and singing of jazz moved toward the new genre and added many aspects to the new form of music


Little Richard - also a pianist that had many aspects of boogie woogie in his playing and made him one of the founding fathers of the genre.


Chuck Berry - guitarist and singer that helped form the guitar aspect of rock and roll

 


from the Caucasian tradition:



Jerry Lee Lewis - Wild pianist that played with a flair for drama and sometimes his feet with a new look at rock and roll, pulling his country and blues background.


Bill Haley (and the Comets) - one of the most widely known first singers of rock and roll throughout the world. He introduced the music to all of Europe.


Buddy Holly - noted singer and guitarist that helped to move some aspects of country to the rock and roll genre.


Elvis Presley - known as the "King" of rock and roll, and most widely accepted and known of the early pioneers of the genre.


Check out these resources:
http://www.sbgmusic.com/html/teacher/reference/historical/1950s.html

COUNTRY Genre


Johnny Cash - brought notoriety to country music with his slightly rock n' roll undertones, married June Carter of the the Carter family. 

Patsy Cline - one of Country's biggest and well known female stars began in the 50's and well into the 60's.

Hank Williams - continues to sing many Cowboy songs/country songs of the era.

here's a few more resources:
http://www.southernmusic.net/1950.htm

BROADWAY/PARLOR Genre

The Chordettes - One of the most popular female groups of the 50s, referred to as "Soda Pop", still popular into this time period, a hang-on from the swing-style acappella harmonies of the 40s.

Debbie Reynolds, Gene Kelly - Actors from musicals like the Singin' in the Rain. Big numbers and songs from the musicals would make crossovers to become big singles.