Rock and Roll

In our final week of Black History Month studies, we will look at rock and roll. Rock music was first heard in the 1950's when musicians took the chords and harmonies from the blues and sped them up. Since then, rock has become one of the most prevalent and influential musical genres in the world. Within rock and roll, we can hear many styles. Some of the styles played by African-American musicians included boogie-woogie, rhythm and blues, soul, funk, and rap.

Chuck Berry (b.1926) - "Johnny B. Goode"



Jimi Hendrix (1942-1970) - "The Wind Cries Mary"




Soul

James Brown (1933 - 2006) - "I Feel Good" 



Aretha Franklin (b.1942) - "Respect"




Rhythm and Blues

The Supremes (Diana Ross, Florence Ballard, Mary Wilson) - "You Keep Me Hangin' On"



The Jackson 5 - "I Want You Back"


The Five Stairsteps - "Ooh Child"


Michael Jackson (1958-2009) - "Beat It"




Funk

Stevie Wonder (b.1950) - "Superstition"




Rap

Sugar Hill Gang - "Rapper's Delight"