This article first appeared in PS Audio’s Copper Magazine, with whom PMA has a content trading program.

Introduction

A much-debated topic in popular music is the origin of rock and roll music. Some people credit its beginnings to Bill Haley and the Comets for “Rock Around the Clock.” This is incorrect. “Rock Around the Clock” was the first song described as “rock and roll” to top the popular music charts. It is by no means the genesis of the genre.

An early instance of “rock” and “roll” used together was a 1922 song by singer/actress Trixie Smith, “My Baby Rocks Me With One Steady Roll.” At the time, “rock” and “roll” were slang for sexual intercourse. Later, Sister Rosetta Tharpe and other 1940s rhythm and blues (R&B) artists are viewed to be key contributors to the rock and roll genre. Some of Tharpe’s peers during that decade were Big Joe Turner, Wynonie Harris, and Louis Jordan. Many people consider “Rocket 88,” recorded in 1951 by Jackie Brenston and his Delta Cats, to be the first true rock and roll song. (In actuality, the Delta Cats were Ike Turner and his band, with Brenston singing lead vocals.) Rocket 88 reached Number 1 on the R&B charts. Also in 1951, legendary disc jockey Alan Freed began regularly using the term “rock and roll” for music on his mainstream radio program. This was arguably the beginning of the institutionalization of the genre.

With that history in mind, I began to conceptualize an article about 1940s R&B as the roots of rock and roll. In my capacity as a docent at the Musical Instrument Museum in Phoenix, Arizona, I give tours to a wide variety of people. On one occasion, I spent two hours giving a tour to a well-known recording industry engineer. When I mentioned my idea for this article, she commented that in her view it’s impossible to identify the true roots of any musical genre because whatever you identify surely has roots of its own. With that in mind, I added “sort of” to the title of this article.

Alan Freed said, “Rock and roll is really swing with a modern name. It began on the levees and plantations, took in folk songs, and features blues and rhythm.” Swing with a modern name! Of course, swing was the dominant theme of big band music. It is noteworthy that the recording industry engineer mentioned above credited Benny Goodman, the King of Swing, as being a major contributor to the development of rock and roll music.

This is the first of two articles discussing some of the 1940s and early 1950s R&B artists who impacted the development of rock and roll.

Big Joe Turner

Joseph Vernon Turner Jr., known as Big Joe Turner, was born in 1911 in Kansas City, Missouri. His “Big Joe” nickname was derived from his large stature and commanding voice. He was known as a blues “shouter,” someone capable of singing unamplified with a band. Early on, he sang in church and for tips on street corners. Turner left school at the age of 14 to work in nightclubs and developed a reputation as “the singing barman.” His career began in the late 1920s when he was singing in Kansas City with, among others, the Count Basie Orchestra. A key point in Turner’s career was his discovery by talent scout John Hammond, who brought him to New York City in 1938 to perform at Carnegie Hall.

In 1939, Turner began a long term engagement at New York’s Café Society, sometimes sharing the playbill with the likes of Billie Holiday. A year later, he signed a contract with Decca Records. In 1941, Turner went to Los Angeles to appear in a Duke Ellington-led revue. He developed quite a following on the West Coast and remained there for a number of years. Turner signed with National Records in 1945 and began singing with smaller combos due in part to the beginning of the decline of the big band era. He recorded “My Gal’s a Jockey,” which became his first national R&B hit record. By the late 1940s, most West Coast indie labels were featuring his songs.

Turner’s big break came in 1951 when he was spotted by Atlantic Records executives singing with the Count Basie Orchestra at the Apollo Theater. They signed him to a contract and he began churning out R&B hits. Some of his songs were rather risqué and some radio stations refused to play them. In 1954, he produced his signature record, “Shake, Rattle and Roll,” which reached Number 1 on the R&B charts. It predated Bill Haley’s “Rock Around the Clock” by several months but did not get the acclaim that Haley did. At that time, it was very difficult for a black performer to make the popular music charts. Other Turner hits such as “Flip, Flop and Fly” and “Corrine, Corrina” soon followed. Bill Haley later did a cleaned-up cover of “Shake, Rattle and Roll,” with risqué lyrics omitted. 

By the late 1950s, Atlantic Records was actively trying to develop the emerging adult-oriented album (AOR) market and decided to showcase Turner in small jazz combos. He soon decided to leave Atlantic and continued to perform until his death in 1985. Turner was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame in 1983. His Blues Hall of Fame bio describes him as “a king of the jump blues genre, a boogie-woogie belter, progenitor of rhythm and blues and rock ‘n’ roll, and a respected performer in jazz circles.” Turner died in 1985 and was posthumously inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

The Mills Brothers

The four Mills Brothers, John Jr., Herbert, Harry, and Donald were born between 1910 and 1915 in Piqua, Ohio. They were the first black vocal group to have broad success with white audiences. Their father owned a barbershop and had founded a barbershop quartet. The Mills Brothers began by practicing in the barbershop. 

Still teenagers, a major break came for the Mills Brothers in 1928 when they were signed to a contract to sing on a Cincinnati radio station. Duke Ellington was so impressed when he heard them perform that he facilitated their signing a contract with Okeh Records and moving to New York City. Next came a contract with CBS Radio, and the Mills Brothers became the first black performers to have a network radio show. In 1934, they became the first African-Americans to give a command performance before British royalty, King George V and Queen Mary. They also appeared in several movies during the 1930s and 1940s. 

During these earlier years, the Mills Brothers developed a novelty by imitating various musical instruments with their voices. These included trumpet, saxophone, trombone, and tuba. Accordingly, their records contained the following statement: “No musical instruments or mechanical devices used on this recording other than one guitar.” The Mills Brothers began cranking out hit records almost immediately.  In 1931, “Tiger Rag” reached Number 1 on the popular music charts. The same was true for “Dinah,” which they performed with Bing Crosby. Later in the decade, they recorded with Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong, and other top stars.

Their allure began to subside in the latter part of the 1930s. This all changed during World War II and they were again producing Number 1 hits with “Paper Doll’ and “You Always Hurt the One you Love.” By 1950, the group had over 50 chart hits. Their last Number 1 was “Glow Worm” in 1952.

The Mills Brothers were one of the longest-running and most successful acts in the history of popular music, beginning in the 1920s. John Jr., who also played guitar, passed away in 1936 and was replaced by their father, John Sr., and a guitarist. John Sr. remained with the group until retiring in 1956. The remaining three Mills Brothers continued to perform until Harry’s death in 1982. All told, the career of the Mills Brothers spanned seven decades!

The Mills Brothers with their innovative four-part harmony vocal style are viewed to be important contributors to the development of doo wop and soul music. They  made more than 2,000 recordings that sold more than 50 million copies and amassed three dozen gold records. The Mills Brothers were inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 1998.

Ruth Brown

Ruth Brown (nee Ruth Weston) was born in Portsmouth Virginia in 1928. Her father was a church choir director and she began singing in church at age four. As a teenager, Brown became inspired by artists such as Sarah Vaughan and Dinah Washington and lost interest in church music. She began to surreptitiously perform at clubs in the area. At age 17, she ran away to Washington, DC with trumpeter Jimmy Earle Brown, whom she soon married, thus becoming Ruth Brown. When she found out that her husband already had a wife, the marriage was annulled. After losing an orchestra vocalist job, she was hired by Cab Callaway’s sister, Blanche, to sing at the Washington, DC nightclub that she managed.

Blanche Callaway became Brown’s manager and helped her get a contract with the newly formed Atlantic Records. A very serious car accident delayed her debut, but Brown ultimately recorded “So Long” in 1949. This reached Number 4 on the R&B charts and was followed by “Teardrops From My Eyes,” which held the Number 1 chart position for 12 weeks. Little Richard was a huge fan of Brown’s and it is said that he learned those high-note squeaks in his voice on some of his songs from Brown.

Brown became the best-selling black singer of the 1950s. “5 – 10 – 15 Hours” reached Number 1 on the R&B charts in 1952 as did “(Mama) He Treats Your Daughter Mean” in 1953. Brown was Atlantic Records’ most prolific star in those early years, so much so that Atlantic was sometimes called “the house that Ruth built” (a la Yankee Stadium and Babe Ruth). She experienced crossover pop success in the late 1950s with songs such as “Lucky Lips” and “This Little Girl’s Gone Rockin’.” In the 1950s, Brown had 21 Top 10 R&B hits!

Brown’s Atlantic relationship ended in 1960. She then spent over a decade in anonymity working as a school bus driver and at other low paying jobs. In the mid-1970s, she began a comeback as an actress, first in television situation comedies and then in film and onstage. In 1989, she won the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical for her performance in the play Black and Blue. In 1990, she won a Grammy for Best Jazz Vocal Performance, Female. She also later won a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Ruth Brown continued to tour until 2006 when she passed away at the age of 78.

Sonny Til and the Orioles

Sonny Til (nee Earlington Tilghman) was born in Baltimore, Maryland in 1928. Til and others that he met at Baltimore talent shows formed a group called the Vibronaires in 1947. After singing on street corners, they were invited to sing at a local bar where they met Deborah Chessler, who became their manager. Chessler arranged for them to go to New York to appear on Arthur Godfrey’s Talent Scouts. This led to a contract with Jubilee Records, and they changed their name to the Orioles in honor of Maryland’s state bird.

Originally intended to be the B-side to their debut record, “It’s Too Soon to Know” (written by Chessler) became a smash hit, selling 30,000 copies in its first week. It quickly rose to the top of the R&B charts and the Top 15 on the popular music charts. Ella Fitzgerald, Dinah Washington, and others covered this song. “It’s Too Soon to Know” helped establish a new genre of popular music featuring romantic themes, soulful delivery, and four-part harmony. Many view this to be the true origin of doo wop music. Over the next few years, their songs regularly did well on the R&B charts. Their next Number 1 was “Tell Me So” in 1949. At live performances, the Orioles were a phenomenon, with girls screaming and swooning over Sonny Til.

Tragedy struck in 1950 when a car accident killed one member of the group and seriously injured others. The next couple of years were fairly quiet, partially due to Jubilee Records trying to promote Sonny Til as a solo act. This changed in 1953 when they started cranking out hits again, culminating with their signature song, “Crying in the Chapel.” This was their biggest hit, staying at Number 1 on the R&B charts for five weeks and reaching Number 11 on the pop charts. “Crying in the Chapel” is recognized as one of the earliest songs of the doo wop era. Many of their R&B hits failed to make the pop charts but were covered by white artists who did. For example, Jo Stafford’s version of their song “You Belong to Me” reached the top of the pop charts.

The Orioles disbanded in 1954. Til formed several versions of Orioles groups over the next 25 years and also performed as a solo artist. He passed away in 1981 at the age of 53.

Sonny Til and the Orioles were inducted into the Rock and Roll and Vocal Groups Halls of Fame. Their influence on rock and roll music is undeniable. Their Rock and Roll Hall of Fame biography says, “Their combination of gospel and R&B paved the way for such groups as the Four Tops, the Temptations, the Impressions, et al.”

Joe Liggins and the Honeydrippers

Theodro Elliott was born in Seminole, Oklahoma in 1916. As a child, he took his stepfather’s surname, Liggins. Later he dropped Theodro in favor of Joseph and became known as Joe Liggins. As a teenager, the family moved to California where he later studied music at San Diego State University. After learning to play several brass instruments, he ultimately gravitated to the piano.

Liggins moved to Los Angeles in 1939 and began playing with several bands. In 1945, he was the pianist for Sammy Franklin’s California Rhythm Rascals. He had written a song called “The Honeydripper” and tried to convince Franklin to record it. When Franklin refused, Liggins decided to start his own band, appropriately calling them the Honeydrippers. The group was formed in the basement of the Los Angeles home of saxophonist Little Willie Jackson who continued to perform with Liggins for 43 years until Liggins’ death in 1987. 

“The Honeydripper” was a huge hit, reaching Number 1 on the R&B charts where it stayed for 18 weeks. To this day, it is tied with Louis Jordan’s “Choo Choo Ch’Boogie” for the longest run as the top R&B song. It sold two million records and also crossed over to the pop charts, reaching Number 13. Joe Liggins and the Honeydrippers had 10 hits between 1945 and 1949. In 1946, “I’ve Got a Right to Cry” rose to Number 12 on the pop charts. That same year, Billboard described one of the Honeydrippers’ songs as “right rhythmic rock and roll music.”

The Cavalcade of Jazz was a huge outdoor jazz festival that took place in Los Angeles from 1945 to 1958. It attracted many of the giants of the music industry, including Count Basie, Lionel Hampton, Louis Armstrong, Sarah Vaughan, Dizzy Gillespie, and many R&B artists. Joe Liggins and the Honeydrippers appeared at that festival more often than any other act.

Liggins’ record label went bankrupt and he signed with a new label in 1950. He had immediate success. “Rag Mop” reached Number 4 and “Pink Champagne” Number 1 on the R&B charts. “Pink Champagne” held that position for 13 weeks and was the Number 1 R&B song of 1950. Liggins continued to record for the next three years but failed to adapt to the changing music scene and was dropped by his record label in 1954. The heyday was over. He continued to perform until his death in 1987 at age 71.

Liggins leaves an enduring legacy. Artists who recorded renditions of his songs include Oscar Peterson, Cab Callaway, Lionel Hampton, King Curtis, Fats Domino, and Dr. John.

Sister Rosetta Tharpe

While her birth name (Rosetta Nubin or Rosie Etta Atkins) is unclear, Sister Rosetta Tharpe was born in Cotton Plant, Arkansas in 1915. Her parents worked as cotton pickers and were deeply religious. Tharpe began playing the guitar at the age of four. Little is known about her father but her mother was an accomplished mandolin player and a deaconess in the Church of God in Christ (COGIC). At the age of six, Tharpe began performing with her mother in a traveling evangelist troupe. They ultimately moved to Chicago and continued to perform at their local church and at church conventions throughout the US. Due to her church affiliation, she began to be called “Sister” Rosetta. Tharpe had a powerful soprano voice and was adept at the guitar. She was viewed to be a child prodigy.

At the age of 19, Tharpe married Thomas Tharpe, a COGIC preacher. The marriage only lasted a few years but despite two subsequent marriages and several male and female relationships, Tharpe kept her surname for the rest of her life. As her talent had become more widely recognized, she began dabbling in jazz and blues. This was frowned upon by her mother and many others in the evangelical community. Tharpe moved to New York City and quickly found opportunities to perform at the Cotton Club and Apollo Theater. She was signed by Decca Records and made her first recordings in 1938. These early recordings were gospel songs, with subtle secular nuances.

During World War II, Tharpe was the vocalist with the Lucky Millinder Orchestra, known for playing danceable pop songs. Here she was a stereotypical “girl singer,” with minimal opportunities to showcase her guitar expertise. Upon leaving Millinder’s orchestra in 1943, Tharpe pursued a solo career. While she wanted to return to her gospel roots, her Decca contract said otherwise. It is here that she began to build her legacy as “the godmother of rock and roll.” In 1944, her recording of “Strange Things Happening Every Day,” a combination of gospel and early R&B with rockabilly elements, is viewed by some to be the first true rock and roll song. It was around this time that she transitioned from an acoustic to a Gibson electric guitar. The video below demonstrates her innovative electric guitar expertise.

In 1946, Tharpe developed a relationship with fellow gospel singer Marie Knight and they toured together for several years. In 1949, Knight left to pursue her own solo career. Shortly thereafter, Tharpe married her manager at a spectacular event at Griffith Stadium in Washington, DC attended by 25,000 paying customers. After a brief ceremony, she performed for her audience. In 1952, she recorded a duet with Red Foley, which is thought to be the first interracial duet in US history.

Tharpe’s career began to decline as young white performers began experimenting and finding success with the early rock and roll that she helped forge. Later in the 1950s, she began to tour abroad and became a favorite with European blues and gospel fans, some of whom would become part of the “British Invasion,” led by the Beatles and the Rolling Stones. In 1957 she had told a London newspaper, “All this new stuff they call rock and roll, why I’ve been playing that for years now.” In 1964, Tharpe toured Europe with Muddy Waters and others as part of the Blues and Gospel Caravan. In the audience at her concert in Manchester, England were Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, and Keith Richards.

Tharpe influenced a generation of musicians: Little Richard, Johnny Cash, Elvis, Jerry Lee Lewis, Bonnie Raitt, Aretha Franklin, Tina Turner, Eric Clapton, and many others. Chuck Berry has been quoted as saying, “My whole career has been one long Sister Rosetta Tharpe impersonation.”

Sister Rosetta Tharpe died in poverty in 1973 at the age of 58. She was interred in a grave without a headstone. Tharpe was posthumously inducted into the Rock and Roll and Blues Halls of Fame.

Conclusion

As stated in the introduction, this is the first of two articles discussing some of the 1940s and early 1950s R&B artists who impacted the development of rock and roll music. It should be noted that Billboard did not adopt the term “R&B” for their charts featuring African-American artists until 1949. Prior to that, “Harlem Hit Parade” and “race music” were the terms that were employed. For simplicity’s sake, “R&B” was utilized in all instances in this article.

My next article about early R&B influences on rock and roll music will feature the following artists:

T-Bone Walker
The Ravens
Wynonie Harris
The Ink Spots
Louis Jordan

Header image: Sister Rosetta Tharpe, courtesy of Wikimedia Commons/James J. Kriegsmann/public domain.

Republished by permission. For more articles like this, visit Copper Magazine.