Rock N Roll

Blues rock was popular during the late 60’s and throughout the 70’s. The name Blues Rock is a magic fusion between blues music and rock and roll music. In the blues rock sound, the guitars take centre stage and create a fast paced and heavy sound. Long guitar riffs are prominent in blues rock and artists love to show off their guitar playing skills!

The main artist/band that people associate with the sound of blues rock is John Mayall and the Bluesbreakers in the 60’s. John Mayall employed some of the world’s best musicians of the generation: people such as Jack Bruce, Eric Clapton. Mick Taylor and Peter Green to name but a few. People he employed in the Bluesbreakers went on to create some of the best bands in the 1970’s – Free, Fleetwood Mac, Cream and Savoy Brown.

Black musicians also enjoyed a revival in interest during the blues rock era in the 70’s. Artists such as Buddy Guy, Freddie King and Ronnie Earl became famous, international music stars.

It was in the mid 70’s that blues rock started to wane a little and other forms of rock music were to become the new sound – Heavy metal, hard rock and southern rock were to become insanely popular.

Some blues rock tracks are Born in Chicago by Paul Butterfield blues band, Have you ever loved a woman by Eric Clapton and Tell Mama by Savoy Brown.

The 50’s was when rock and roll was really discovered by the masses. Rock and roll in the 50’s is usually divided into two camps – Primal, party music (Big Joe Turner, Wynonie Harris) and Rockabilly music (Elvis Presley).

Rockabilly combined the sounds of blues music found in the south and country music. Elvis Presley made rockabilly popular with his good looks, swaggering style and guitar riffs combined with a lush voice. Rockabilly songs focused on fats cars, gorgeous girls, and love found and lost again.

Rockabilly seemed to wane towards the end of the 1950’s as new music emerged in the 60’s. Rock changed forever in the 60’s with the British invasion of the Beatles and the Rolling Stones. Artists new they had to evolve the sound of rockabilly music to keep the kids and the adults entertained.

Rockabilly did enjoy a comeback in style during the 70’s and the 80’s. Many artists use rockabilly music as the basis of their sound and adapt it to the age they are in. Rockabilly was the rock and roll music that changed a generation – kids love it and parents couldn’t stand it. Rockabilly gave kids a sense of freedom, rebellion and a new found wave of sexuality.

Rockabilly is the foundation of the rock and roll music we love today, and is also the backbone of everything you hear in the charts now.