Rock and Roll- The First Generation Quiz

Answer: "Blue Suede Shoes"- Elvis Presley

"Blue Suede Shoes" was released by Elvis in 1956, five years after the earliest rock and roll records were released. Jackie Brenston was an alias used by the great Ike Turner (future husband of Tina Turner) to record "Rocket 88". "Rocket 88" was recorded on March 3 1951, with Sam Phillips as producer. It's my own personal selection as the earliest "pure" rock and roll recording.

Answer: Big Mama Thorton

Big Mama recorded Hound Dog in 1952, four years prior to the Elvis Presley version of the Leiber and Stroller song.

Answer: Sam Phillips

Sun Records remains in business today as Sun Entertainment Corporation, and primarily licenses their back catalog of old hits to oldies collections and rock and roll anthologies.

Answer: Buddy Holly

Buddy Holly never recorded on the Sun label and was initially signed by Decca Records in 1956. After he was dropped by Decca in 1957, Holly recorded for Coral Records and Brunswick Records, both of which were subsidiary labels of Decca.

Answer: Chuck Berry

By all reports the octogenarian rock and roller still performed his trademark duckwalk. Mr. Berry's squatting guitar duck walk is most famously imitated by Rolling Stone guitarist Keith Richards, who has tirelessly heralded Mr. Berry's influence over his own guitar playing style.

Answer: The illegal practice by record labels of giving money and gifts to disk jockeys to play certain records.

Disk Jockey Alan Freed, who pioneered the rock and roll programming format on WJW radio in Cleveland was a prominent figure in the payola scandal. Many observers predicted the end of the rock & roll era as a result of the payola scandal but those critics never anticipated the rise of the Beatles who revived the classic Fifties rock sound with their own signature Merseybeat sound.

Answer: Many of the great songwriters of first generation of rock & roll had offices and worked in the Brill Building.

There is a rock genre called "Brill Building Sound" because so many good songs were written there. The Brill Building songwriters were responsible for composing dozens of Top 40 hits between 1960 and 1964.

Answer: Brian Wilson

Brian Wilson spent most of his time writing music in California during that era and never had an office in the Brill Building. King, Bacharach, and Diamond all launched their respective careers as Brill Building songwriters. Other notable musicians with a Brill Building address were Paul Simon (as Jerry Landis), Laura Nyro, Tony Orlando, Barry Mann, Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart, Doc Pomus, Phil Spector, Bobby Darin, Neil Sedaka, and Gene Pitney.

Answer: The Wall of Sound

The Wall of Sound was Phil Spector's signature production technique.

Answer: Dion

Dion DiMucci, the pride of the Bronx, recorded four well received studio albums in the first decade of the 21st and continued live appearances. Dion was still in his teens when he launched his music career with the Belmonts in the late 1950s. FYI Carl Perkins, Ike Turner, and Del Shannon have all passed away and are in rock & roll heaven jamming with Elvis, John Lennon and Jimi Hendrix.