| In the 1950's, television sets were only affordable for | | | | block-busters at that time, and they were so young! |
| the privileged, so my family could not afford one, and | | | | How could so much talent exist throughout the |
| so we listened to radio. My uncle had a television at | | | | 1960's? The television shows "Shin Dig" and Solid Gold |
| his house, and when us kids first saw a television set | | | | added to the popularity of rock and roll, and spread |
| for the first time, we were afraid of it! Hey, we | | | | the word, as did the Ed Sullivan Show, where many |
| were 10-12 years old, and there were few television | | | | newcomers got their start, including Elvis and the |
| sets anywhere in the country! We wondered, as | | | | Beatles!As kids, we couldn't afford (45rpm records), |
| kids, how they could get all those little human figures | | | | but we had a friend down the street, whose parents |
| in such a little box! (Isn't that crazy?)In the late | | | | bought their daughter records, and we went over |
| 1950's, my father bought a television set, and we | | | | there all the time to boogie to the latest hits! The |
| watched shows like Lucy; the Honeymooners; Leave | | | | dance craze, at the time was called, "Band-standing," |
| It To Beaver; Ozzie and Harriet; 77 Sunset Strip; Life | | | | which was similar to jitter-bugging, and later the |
| of Riley; Flash Gordon; the Millionaire, etc. Television | | | | dance partners dropped apart, and danced on their |
| was new to everyone all across the country. But, | | | | own, and the dance was called the "slop!" In 2006, |
| there was one television show, that was a MUST on | | | | the "slop" is still around, it's just called by a different |
| our to-do list...was American Bandstand! The oldest | | | | name!Throughout the 1960's, I loved to see the |
| American teen-ager, Dick Clark, hosted the show for | | | | American Music Awards, because there were all the |
| many years, when it was broadcast (live) out of | | | | "biggies" who lead the way in rock and roll. |
| Philadelphia EVERYDAY!Because of American | | | | Woodstock? A big orgie of over 500,000 people in |
| Bandstand, it was television and rock and roll that | | | | New York! It was a time of free-love; dope and |
| teamed up, to spread the music of rock and roll | | | | alcohol. And, the 1960's were violent times...not only |
| throughout the country. As kids, we watched all the | | | | because of Viet Nam, but because of the civil rights |
| singers and groups that came out on American | | | | movement; women's lib; equal rights for all. And, the |
| Bandstand to showcase their talents. What was | | | | music of the time reflected the mood of the country! |
| amazing, is the fact, that many of these stars were | | | | It was a time of, "do your own thing," independent |
| only teen-agers or in their early twenties at the | | | | thinking...free and clear from the "establishment!" |
| time...such as Smokey Robinson; Leslie Gore; Carol | | | | Hundreds of protest songs were written during this |
| King; Buddy Holly; Paul Anka; Neal Sedaka; and many | | | | era! And, hundreds of those songs are still popular |
| others. Many of the hits they sang...they wrote | | | | today! (2006)I would say that around 1970, rock and |
| themselves! And, the hits they wrote back then, still | | | | roll began to change. On the one side, was "heavy |
| thrive today! (2006)At the community center down | | | | metal," which I did not listen to! And, going in a |
| the street where we lived, we attended dances, and | | | | different direction was something called, disco! |
| there was only one dance going on at the | | | | Somebody puts these labels on music, and to this |
| time..."Band-standing," which was similar to | | | | day in 2006, I have no idea what "disco" means! The |
| jitter-bugging! Everyone on American Bandstand did it, | | | | only thing I can say about disco, is that me and my |
| so we could learn from them! It was exciting to get | | | | wife saw the movie, "Grease" in the 1970's, and we |
| off from school about three in the afternoon, and | | | | loved the music! The movie itself was a dork...but the |
| race home, so we could see American Bandstand | | | | music was great!It was the beginning of rock and roll |
| everyday about 4:00 in the afternoon. One after | | | | in the mid-1950's, and into the mid-1960's, where |
| another...all the biggies of rock and roll came on the | | | | parents hated for their children to listen to rock and |
| show! Little Richard; Jerry Lee Lewis; Connie Francis; | | | | roll music! In the mid-1990's, I was taking a computer |
| the Platters; the Drifters; Chuck Berry; the Coasters; | | | | course at a local community college, and the Rolling |
| Fats Domino and Elvis-somebody-or-another...and, the | | | | Stones were in town. The community college was |
| list was endless! There were, of course, no oldies at | | | | located near the football stadium, where the Stones |
| that time...these singers, songs and performers were | | | | were to perform. That night, I got out of class about |
| the main ingredients of the beginning of the rock and | | | | 6:30 in the evening, before the Stones show, and, as |
| roll era!But, rock and roll was not liked by everyone | | | | I waited for a traffic light to change, I noticed 40 |
| at the time! As a matter of fact, it was down-right | | | | and 50 years old PARENTS taking their CHILDREN to |
| hated! Parents; schools; the government; churches; | | | | a Stones concert! Can you imagine that? What a |
| and the "establishment," frowned on rock and roll | | | | difference a generation makes! Back in the 1950's |
| right from the beginning! Rock and roll was corrupting | | | | 60's parents hated rock and roll, and now those KIDS |
| our kids...was the cry! Certain songs were banned | | | | are taking their KIDS to a rock and roll |
| from the church, and the "establishment frowned on | | | | concert...unbelievable!In the year 2006, the oldies |
| rock and roll. It was later in the mid-1960's, when the | | | | dominate the music airwaves, and will continue to |
| drug culture came onto the scene, and it was | | | | dominate because the music and lyrics are so great. I |
| then...when rock and roll was more accepted by the | | | | never hear too much about new music much |
| establishment! After all, parents thought it was best | | | | anymore! Oh...well...as the song says...rock and roll is |
| for their kids to be having fun with music...than to get | | | | here to stay...whether the songs be the oldies or the |
| into the hazards of drugs!But, rock and roll was here | | | | new songs coming along! I've always admired |
| to stay! In the early 1960's, Mo-Town came onto the | | | | musicians...those who can sing a song...write a |
| scene, which included Smokey Robinson; Marvin | | | | song...and play an instrument. As for me...the only |
| Gaye; the Supremes and many more! I remember | | | | instrument I can play...it the radio...and, I don't do that |
| Little Stevie Wonder, when he was only ten years | | | | well at all! |
| old singing Fingertips (1&2). Singer/songwriters had | | | | |