Who Invented Rock N Roll?
Rock and roll was not “invented” by any one artist. It was a combination o the several people’s influence in the 1950’s. The primary roots of rock and roll can be traced to black rhythm and blues which was popular among black audiences, but white record stores and radio stations that catered to white audiences, would not play or sell the music. Two men, Sam Phillips of Sun Records in Memphis and Chicago DJ Alan Freed are probably most responsible for bringing black rhythm and blues to white audiences. Freed noticed the sales of a ‘sanitized” version of “Shake, Rattle and Roll” by Bill Haley and the Comets. The song was then used in the 1955 movie “Blackboard Jungle”and became a tremendous hit. Freed dubbed the music “rock and roll”, which was “two parts rhythm and blues, one part country and one part pure performance.” Sam Phillips, who was based in Nashville, Tennessee, also noticed the strong attraction black rhythm and blues had on white audiences. He said all he needed was a “white
