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