Discussion 1

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Discussion 1

Introduction

People have been taking the support of music for a long time to express their feelings and emotions. Music is a form of synchronized vocals or instrumental sound or both to create a harmonious sound that is soothing to the ears. There are a number of types of music that are being produced in the world today which include Jazz, classical, semi-classical, folk, musical theater, and Rock and Roll.

Rock and roll, also known as rock ‘n' roll, is a very popular genre or type of music that is currently very famous among the young generation of the United States of America. It originated in the country in the late 1940s and evolved during the decade of 1950s forming a number of musical styles like jazz, jump blues, gospel, boogie-woogie and country music (Friedlander). Originally, the roots of the Rock and Roll music lie in the rhythm and blues type of music that was commonly known as “race music” or country music back in the 1940s and 1950s. There were many artists that became famous in the early days of the emergence of the Rock and Roll music and are considered as the pioneers of this genre of music. Some of the most prominent names in this respect are Fats Domino, Little Richard, Carl Perkins, Bill Haley, Buddy Holly, Elvis Presley, and Chuck Berry.

Discussion

Chuck Berry was one of the most influential rock and roll musicians in the history of music. The famous Rock and Roll performer was born on 18 October 1926, in St. Louis, Missouri. He was exposed to music at a very early age in school and church (Gray). He became famous for his hits from 1950 to till 1960. Some of his chart-toppers include "Johnny B. Good" and "Maybellene". His no 1 hit came out in 1972, titles as “My Ding-a-Ling”. The question arises that “How did Chuck Berry write and record his songs expressly for white mainstream audience appeal?”

The answer to this lies in the independent thinking in the persona of the Rock musician. Berry was born in an era in which the United States of America was facing heavy racial discrimination. He was also born in such an area which was under heavy segregation. The area was distinctly separated into two parts, where one part constituted of white residents whereas the other part consisted of black or African residents. It left a great mark at the young mind of Chuck Berry and he decided that he will end this segregation.

The famous Rock and Roll artist met Jonnie Johnson, a famous pianist and joined his band, Sir John’s Trio. He is said to revitalize the band and introduce a new genre of upbeat country music in the band’s current music directory. One of the prominent achievements of the songwriter and singer was performing at the Cosmopolitan. Cosmopolitan was an upscale night club in the suburbs of the East St. Louis. This helped a lot in attracting the attention of the white people and started recognizing the artist.

Another question that arises in mind is that “How did Chuck Berry use the technique of “statement and answer” in his songs?” The answer to this lies in the use of the musical instrument. It has been observed at a large level and his fellow musicians also praised Chuck Berry for the fact that he knew how to use a specific musical instrument at a specific occasion. He had been reportedly seen using any musical instrument according to the appropriateness of the occasion. His fellows were found appreciating him occasionally that a guitar was not only a prop hanging his shoulder but an important weapon for him which he used to influence the audience. The “statement and answer” technique refers to a practice in music where the upcoming music from guitar mimics the just completed lines of the vocals. This technique is mostly used when the genre of jazz is being played and mostly applies to two-bars or four bar tradeoffs related to the music.

Conclusion

In short, it can be concluded that Rock and Roll is a very important genre of the music industry that is used to entertain the audience. This specific type of music was born in the 1940s and evolved and matured in 1950s. It immediately became popular in the youth of the United States of America and many young artists contributed towards its popularity. Chuck Berry was now of such youngsters and gave many hits to the music industry in the form of Rock and Roll music.

Works Cited

Friedlander, Paul. Rock and roll: A social history. Routledge, 2018.

Gray, Michael. "Chuck Berry." The Guardian. www.theguardian/music/2017/mar/19/chuck-berry-obituary-a-perfect-fit-of-street-talk-to-music. Accessed 20 (2017).