Anyone Here A Teenager or Young Adult In the 1950's?

Question

What are some of your memories of listening to the first rock and roll songs? Did you think, at the time, that the music woud last as long as it has (over 50 years)? Who were some of your favorite singers or groups?

I was a young child in the 50's, so I don't remember much about that decade. However, I love 50's music especially doo wop and r&b, also, Elvis, and Buddy Holly.

Answer 1

Wow, I'm glad you people are here tonight. Usually I'm the elder statesman and I only go back to the 70's! Hopefully the 50's were more fun than what you see in the movies like Grease or Back to the Future

Answer 2

I was born in 1946, so I remember life before rock and roll.

There was always pop music (usually sappy and bad), some prehistoric rock and roll (like Bill Haley and his Comets, and "race music" - black music that came to be called rhythm and blues), and there was jazz (the first record I bought with my own money, circa 1953, was Charlie Parker's "Ornithology" - who would have thought that a seven-year old white kid had such taste?).

But it was the Elvis phenomenon that brought it all together. Elvis on TV was an early indicator of what the Beatles phenomenon would be like. Record companies brought out all kinds of singers that might be the "next Elvis," and the music that had always been there came out of the shadows - rhythm and blues mixed with "rockabilly" WAS rock and roll. The "older generation" hated it all - didn't understand it - and thought that it would go away like a bat from Hell. We kids knew in our bones that it was here to stay.

My personal favorite? Little Richard. Those yellow "Specialty" label 45s - Long Tall Sally, Tutti Frutti, Rip It Up, Lucille, Good Golly Miss Molly - I think I had every one.

Answer 3

My first favorite song of the era was FatsDomino's "Blueberry Hill". I first heard it sitting in the front seat of my folks La Salle one night in our garage. That was in 1956 when I was 17. I developed a great fascination for music, even before then when I began listening to Mom & Dad's 78's. "Crazy Otto" by Johny Maddox, "Mule Train" by Frankie Laine, etc. I suppose R&B caught my fancy at first but I also liked Rock & Roll music. I have an extensive collection of 7,200 different songs up to and including the present. I'm a big fan of Doo Wop and have 1100 of my songs available on Limewire for others to enjoy. I believed right away and in spite of those nay sayers back then, that we were experiencing a revolution in the music world that would change the face of music forever.

Answer 4

I don't think the longevity of the music even occurred to us,we just new it was something we liked,and different.
The 50's early 60's (the true R&R era) was more than just music. Great dresses for the lasses,great suits for the guys, Great hair styles.great motor bikes.
Liked,and still like loads. In no particular order: Jerry Lee.Eddie Cochran,Little Richard,Most of the SUN studio artists.
Instrumentalists like: Johnny & the Hurricanes,Duane Eddy
Records that would always be high in my top 100:
Nothin Shakin' - Eddie Fontaine
You Don't Know What You've Got (until you lose it) Ral Donner
All In Your Mind - Harptones
Dear One - Larry Finnegan

Answer 5

I also was a young child in the 50's my mom loved to listen to Elvis, Roy Orbison, Jerry Lee Lewis, Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens

Answer 6

Wow, My Parent's were in their 20's then (Wasn't born till 65 myself) It's awesome to see Ya'll still rockin it though. Rock On!
My fave song of that Era..."Rumble" by Link Wray