[78-L] Subject: Re: Birth of Rock 'n' Roll

[Margaret Still]

Louis Jordan's "Caldonia" and the early Sun Records artists, and "Roll 'Em
Pete" and the playing of Albert Ammons and Willie Love, and others mentioned
here are rock'n'roll to my ears. As for Bill Haley, I think his case might
be better made via the Esquire Boys, whose members (correct me if my
research is wrong) included Danny Cedrone and Bob Scaltrito of Bill Haley's
Comets, and whose version of "Guitar Boogie Shuffle" is a skiffle-boogie
woogie that is not only rock'n'roll, but also an early rock'n'roll style
instrumental.

The discussion here veered away from something I thought was very
interesting: the idea that rocking R&B is something different from what
became rock'n'roll. Early hairy-ass rockabilly is just as truly rock'n'roll
as "Rocket 88" but not the same thing.

Best,
Margaret G. Still