What was 1'st Country/Rock Hit ?????

Herbie Meeks · From: Arkansas, USA

First one I remember, was, Rock Around The Clock,inspired by, or, Started with the phrase,most Front Men used when kicking off a gig, Were Gonna Rock This Joint Tonight

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Jeremy Threlfall · From: now in Western Australia

If you're gonna have "Rock Around the Clock", then I'll have "Move it on Over"

Same song - I think

JT

Carter Starter/Blues Deluxe

Jim Peters · From: St. Louis, Missouri, USA, R.I.P.

You ain't goinnowhere-Byrds. JP

Jim Sliff · From: Lawndale California, USA

I agree with Jim, at least as far as "country rock" is usually defined. That one, even though it barely dented the charts, was the groundbreaker. A Dylan tune; done by a big-time rock band; played full-bore country; Signature riffs by Lloyd Green on steel.

Rockabilly is its own genre, on the other hand.

Herbie Meeks · From: Arkansas, USA

"Rock Around the Clock" became the first rock and roll recording to hit the top of the American record charts, a feat it repeated on charts around the world. The song stayed at the top of the American charts for eight weeks. Haley would re-record the song many times over the years, (even scoring a substantial hit with a version recorded for Sonet Records in 1968), but never recaptured the magic. In 1974, the original version of the song returned to the American charts when it was used as the theme for the movie American Graffiti and a re-recorded version by Haley was used as the opening theme for the TV series Happy Days.

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Jeremy Threlfall · From: now in Western Australia

and there's not much pedal steel in it (Rockabilly - Herbie snuck in between).

I'd love to see a flow chart of American Music. How much of it was imported cajun, folk and where did bluegrass come from? and what made up the modern indigenous white fella (country) music, which was uniquely American?

As an Australian, I find this fascinating (like the history of the car industry mergers in Coventry, UK). Most of our Australian 'country' music is either directly from your paeon (is that the right word?) or derived from some Irish song.

Rockabilly speared off with Rock and Roll didn't it - was Carl Perkins the instigator of that one?. And country rock as a genre defined itself not until the late 60's (uninformed guess - at any rate much later). I guess 'Move it on Over' was more likely the first rock and roll song than the first country song to rock.

I still haven't worked out how 'Country and Western' (is that the combination of Hank and swing?) informed Country Rock, as it must've - mustn't it've?

Lots of questions - I'm not asking that they all be answered. Just my thoughts on the matter. The first Country Rock song should have been Willie's Whisky River.

JT, CS/BD

[This message was edited by Jeremy Threlfall on 31 August 2006 at 06:36 AM.]

Herbie Meeks · From: Arkansas, USA

Jeremy, The old Movie, "Grapes Of Wrath" holds many clues to the Country Music Scene, yes we took the old Scot/Irish Tunes, learnt from Old Time Fiddlers in he Midwest USA, Many Cowboy Songs had been written with these tunes, The Old Blue Yodeler, Jimmy Rodgers probably had more influence on the Country Music scene, than anyone else. Then the Boogie Woogie,came along, ( Rock was a spin off, from , The Boogie Woogie, Merle Travis, had a Boogie type Instrumental Hit,as also some of the ,Big Bands
Blue Grass, was a spin off, from the Old Scot/Irish Fiddle Tunes. ( Just MY guess )

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chris ivey · From: california (deceased)

i always felt gram parsons and poco were the two defining landmarks for country rock.

Mark Lind-Hanson · From: Menlo Park, California, USA

I'm going to agree with Jim S and say You Ain't Goin Nowhere by the Byrds. Apres, le deluge.

Mark Metdker · From: North Central Texas, USA

Rock Island Line

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Roger Rettig · From: Naples, FL

Performed by who, Mark?

RR

David Wren · From: Placerville, California, USA

Yeah, I'm thinking Tennesee Ernie Ford, Johnny Cash, Bill Haley, (maybe even Jimmy Rodgers- "Honey Comb")and more country bluesy..... Marvin Rainwater and Marty Robins.

But with PSG, definetly the "Sweethearts of the Rodeo Album". For me, FBB ("Guilded Palace of Sin") and Poco ("Pickin' Up The Pieces")!

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Dave Wren
'96 Carter S12-E9/B6,7X7; NV 112; Fender Twin Custom 15 ('65 reissue); Session 500s; Hilton Pedal; Black Box
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Jim Hankins · From: Yuba City, California, USA

Wasnt that Rock Island Line a hit for Lonnie Donnegan a leader in the Skiffle faz in England which influenced the Beatles?

Jack Francis · From: Queen Creek, Arizona, USA

If memory serves, and it usaully doesn't, back in the early 50's Bill Haley had a country record that sounded EXACTLY like Rock around the Clock but had a steel on it...the same lead guitar riff as Rock around the Clock as well.

Can't recall the name of the song.

Herbie Meeks · From: Arkansas, USA

Jack I remember a couple Haley recorded,One was Titled Rocket 88, before He went out for the new Rock/Genre, The Boogie's were the Craze then, I know you can name a dozen
His first recordings were of the Country/Western Genre, here is a bit I could find on, His doings,

Developing his theme further Bill then formed “Bill Haley and his Saddlemen” in 1949 - this was his path to stardom. In 1952 they recorded “Rock The Joint” and Bill wrote “Rock A Beating' Boogie“, and having hit their stride they unleashed a series of rock ‘n’ roll tunes over the next three years that inspired a generation of artists to respond to this musical call to arms.
With the Saddlemen becoming the Comets, reflecting the impact they were having on the world of music, the most famous group in rock ‘n’ roll history, Bill Haley and his Comets, had arrived.

With the name and the pedigree all that was needed was a classic song and it arrived in the form of “Rock Around The Clock”, recorded in 1955. Not only did it give an amazing apex to Bill Haley’s career, it announced rock ‘n’ roll around the world, it was to eventually sell tens of millions of copies and be covered by more than 200 artists. On the back of this one song, which was only possible after years of hard work, Bill Haley and the Comets became icons, appearing in film and performing on stage around the world. They continued to record and had further successes but nothing could ever match the first worldwide rock ‘n’ roll hit that was “Rock Around The Clock”.

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Chip Fossa · From: Monson, MA, USA (deceased)

Byrds - "You Ain't Goin' Nowhere".

The Youngbloods did a version of an old countryish-tune, "Sugarbabe", when "Banana" was in the group. Banana was the lead guitar player at the time, but gave a stab at steel on "Sugarbabe". It may pre-date "YAGN". Banana was using a Fender, I think. "Sugarbabe", of course, didn't even make the radio, or briefly, if at all. I found it on one of the Youngblood's greatest-hits albums. Banana's steel playing was about on a par with Jerry Garcia's, at this time.

Herbie Meeks · From: Arkansas, USA

Right On, Chip, I ain't no Hippie, I'm Hardcore Country, Someone mentioned the Beatles, But I think they must know, The Beatles, were impressed with , Buddy Holly, and The Crickets, Thus the name, Beatles, also Buddy picked up Waylon Jennings,at Lubbock,Texas, made Him clean up to do some gigs with them,

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chris ivey · From: california (deceased)

let's not forget about the early conway 'lonely blue boy' era!

Alan Brookes · From: Brummy living in Southern California

You folks should buy Bill Haley's biography, which is quite comprehensive and very entertaining. Bill was an established country singer before he ever was dubbed a rock and roll singer. For years he ran a C&W radio station. In the evenings he would play western swing. His standard line-up was guitar, accordion, bass, fiddle and non-pedal steel. There was a steel guitar on virtually everything he did. It wasn't until the 60s that he started using pedal steel.

On his radio show he had a program called "Rock This Joint", and his single of Rock This Joint preceeded Rock Around the Clock by several years.

Ironically, it was Hank Williams who called him to congratulate him on his first country hit, "Icy Heart", and he was booked to play the Grand Old Opry when his agent pointed out that his teenaged material was driving the kids crazy, so they cancelled his Opry performance and put him on the road as a teenaged idol. Somehow they had to cover up his age, so there was a complete block on information about his career before R&R.

Not many people realise that Chuck Berry played the steel guitar, and on one of the tours he was doing with Bill Haley, Bill's steel guitarist went sick, so Chuck played steel in Bill's band for a while.

Bill also saved Chuck's life on one occasion when a local band of rednecks was after him and Bill hid him in his tour bus.

Bill did a lot of work for charity, and via his radio station he put together many country jamborees to raise money for orphans. Being well known in the country world he could talk many of the stars into playing free.

[This message was edited by Alan F. Brookes on 01 September 2006 at 10:14 PM.]

Paul Norman · From: Washington, North Carolina, USA

Carl Perkins had Blue Suede Shoes in
1956. I think that is before Bill Haley.
Elvis later recorded it.

Herbie Meeks · From: Arkansas, USA

Alan, Thanks for geting me off the hook, I got my tail under the rocking chair,with that post, My memory fails me, at my age, but a lot of fond memories do come back as I am reminiscing the old days,

Herbie

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Colby Tipton · From: Crosby, Texas, USA

"Herbie, quote ani't no Hippie".
I love it man, you told em. I think Herbie is a man that is what he wants to be. You got my thumbs up man, you are just like I am. Herbie may be something you are not used to on the Forum, but I think he as a cool dude. I was not cool playing steel guitar for the rodeo trail rides at Houston during the 70's because I rode a Harley and played steel guitar with my long hair and beard. They got over it. Long Live Herbie.

Herbie Meeks · From: Arkansas, USA

Colby. Would have enjoyed meeting you in the 70's, and glad to meet you here, Yep I had long hair,wore Cowboy Hats,Levis,& Boots, ( I'm mixed with Cherokee blood) Rode the Bikes, on the West Coast, Played Steel, and Fiddle, Also played some Rodeos, and The Nevada Circuit back in the early 1960's, Flat Bed Trucks, Honky Tonks, Ball Rooms, anything to make a Buck,I loved it, Sounds like you did what you liked the most, and enjoyed ever bit of it

Herbie

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David L. Donald · From: Koh Samui Island, Thailand

Rocket 88 was written by Ike Turner,
Tina's ex.
He to this day on stage takes credit for inventing the genre this song represents.

As for melding country and rock.
I really can't think of an album before
Sweetheart of the rodeo that did this for me.

[This message was edited by David L. Donald on 01 September 2006 at 06:51 AM.]

Mike Winter · From: Portland, OR

Legal principle: A text without a context is a pretext. If you're talking about a "hit record" and "Country Rock" as a counter-culture genre (late sixties), then "You Ain't Goin' Nowhere" would be it. If you're talking about hillbilly/country with a rock and roll beat, the hit record would probably be "Rocket 88." Remember, in context we're talking about a hit record, not the first country song with a rock beat.

From Wikipedia: "Rocket 88 is a rhythm and blues song that was first recorded in 1951. It is claimed by some, including Sam Phillips — owner of Sun Records, and pioneer rock and roll record producer — to be the "first rock and roll song", however there is dispute as to which recording of the song actually deserves the accolade.

The original version of the record was credited to "Jackie Brenston and his Delta Cats", but the band did not actually exist. The song was written by Ike Turner at the Riverside Hotel in Clarksdale, Mississippi and recorded by him with his band, the Kings of Rhythm. Jackie Brenston (1930-1979) was a saxophonist with Turner who also sang the vocal on "Rocket 88", a hymn of praise to the joys of the Oldsmobile "Rocket 88" automobile (see: Oldsmobile 8 Cool

, which had just been introduced in 1949. An alternate explanation maintains that Branston, an accomplished pianist, wrote the song to showcase his skill, hence the "88" (the number of keys on a standard piano). Brenston was given author credit rather than Turner; it is now agreed that Brenston's contribution was overstated for financial reasons.

Working from the raw material of jump blues and swing combo music, Turner made it even rawer, starting with a strongly stated back beat, and superimposing Brenston's enthusiastic vocals and tenor saxophone solos by "Raymond" and Brenston. The song also features one of the first examples of distorted, or fuzz guitar ever recorded. Reportedly, a speaker was damaged on Highway 61 when the band was driving from Mississippi to Memphis, Tennessee but Phillips liked the sound and used it.

It was the second-biggest rhythm and blues single of 1951 and much more influential than some other "first" claimants.

A second version of "Rocket 88" was recorded by the country music group Bill Haley and the Saddlemen at a recording session on June 14, 1951[1], a few months after Brentson recorded his version. Haley's recording was a regional hit in the northeast United States, and started Haley along the musical road which led to his own impact on popular music with "Rock Around the Clock" in 1954.

Those who subscribe to the definition of rock and roll as the melding of country music with rhythm and blues believe that it is Haley's version of the song, not the Turner/Brenston original, that is the first rock and roll record. No matter which versions deserves the accolade, "Rocket 88" is seen as a prototype rock and roll song in musical style and lineup, not to mention its lyrical theme, in which an automobile serves as a metaphor for romantic prowess.

The song was also featured in the 1984 film The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension. Buckaroo Banzai and his band, the Hong Kong Cavaliers, perform the song in a concert early in the movie although the track was actually recorded by Billy Vera and the Beaters."

For sake of arguement, I still think it's important to nail the semantics. If you're talking Country Rock meaning NRPS, FBB, Byrds, Poco, etc, then you've got to figure the counter culture/hippie element as well. If you're talking about any country/hillbilly/boogie with a rock and roll beat, then that's another genre entirely.

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Mike
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Blue Moon Highway
(Country Music...and then some.)
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