That Rock & Roll Music-The Sixties

Introduction by Toastmaster

As a Baby Boomer, Louise Wolfe grew up with Rock & Roll. She was a grade school Square when Rock was born. In 1960, the music matured, and Louise graduated to a high school Nerd. She missed Woodstock and the Moon Landing in 1969 because she was teaching in the Peace Corps.

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(Enter carrying flowers and playing "That Rock & Roll Music by Beach Boys. Give Peace Sign while saying "Groovy", "Peace", "Far-Out")

Introduction

Rock and Roll was born in 1954. But in the 60s, Rock & Roll grew up and exploded into several musical genres--Do-Wop, Surf Music, Motown, Soul, Folk Rock, and Acid Rock. This rich musical variety made the Sixties the Golden Age of Rock & Roll.

Teen Idols/Do Wop/Producers

In the early 60s, the Fifties Rock & Roll Rebels were replaced by clean-cut "Teen Idols" and Acapello Do Wop Groups. The music was more "Pop" than "Rock", and those idols and groups were fairly interchangeable! Producers were the major musical influence of that time.

Surf Music/Beach Boys

On the West Coast, guitar instrumentals such as "Wipeout" imitated the sound of the surf. Brian Wilson decided to add words to this musical style, and the Beach Boys have been synonymous with Surf Music ever since.

Soul/Motown/Civil Rights

In Detroit, in 1960, Berry Gordy formed Motown Records and developed a stable of carefully groomed and choreographed stars. Motown's Super Stars? The Supremes! Between 1964 & 67 they had 12 #1 hits, a record bested only by the Beatles & Elvis!

Rhythm & Blues had developed into "soul music", and James Brown was dubbed the "godfather of soul".

Both Motown and soul music reflected the strengthening Civil Rights movement. 1963's "March on Washington" and Martin Luther King's famous "I Have a Dream" speech led to the passage of the Civil Rights Act in 1964.

British Invasion/Beatles

In 1963, the country was stunned by President Kennedy's assassination. We were still in mourning a few months later when a historical event of a very different nature occurred.

February 1964-the British invaded-the Beatles arrived in the US and Rock & Roll would never be the same! Over 35 years later, VH1 still rates the Beatles appearance on Ed Sullivan as the greatest R&R television event of all times!

Folk Rock/Bob Dylan/VietNam Protests

Americans were gaining an increasing awareness of a civil war in Viet Nam, and my generation didn't like our involvement. Folk music has a rich history of making political statements through song. Bob Dylan, who first performed in 1961, was soon dubbed "spokesman for a generation" At the 1965 Newport Folk Festival, Dylan traded his acoustic guitar for an electric guitar and was booed off the stage. Luckily, Dylan persisted, became a legend, and folk rock was born.

Acid Rock/West Coast Sound/Hippies & Drugs

In 1965 the term "hippie" was coined. LSD was still legal. Psychedelic Music or Acid Rock was evolving, and San Francisco was the place to be! 1967 became the "Summer of Love". The first "Be-In" was held in Golden Gate Park, and the rock stars from around the world performed at the Monterey Pop Festival.

San Francisco may have been the "head" quarters, but the Hippie Counter Culture was a worldwide movement. In 1967 the Beatles released two albums-"Magical Mystery Tour" & an album considered the most influential rock album ever--Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band.

In 1968, two more shocking assassinations-Bobby Kennedy and Martin Luther King! After the King assassination, one man was called "Ambassador of Peace" in recognition of his work to calm the public and prevent rioting. That man? James Brown.

1969 brought Woodstock and the moon landing, but 1970 brought the end of an era. Five student protesters at Kent State were killed, Joplin & Hendrix died of drug overdoses, and the Beatles broke up.

Conclusion

Never has popular music been more influential & inextricably linked to the political and cultural trends than in the Sixties:

Soul/Motown-Civil Rights & Black Pride
Folk Rock-Vietnamese Protest/Peace Movement
Acid Rock-Hippies/Drug Counter-Culture

The Sixties were truly Rock & Roll's Golden Age-Long live "Sex, Drugs, and Rock & Roll!"
(Exit playing rock & roll music)

copyright ©2001 Louise Wolfe, CH@Home Toastmasters

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