My Music: Rock, Pop, and Doo-Wop on PBS
Contents
My Music is a public television series in the United States. The show presents popular music from the 1950s to the 1960s.
Introduction
The 1960s were a tumultuous time. The country was in the midst of a Cold War with the Soviet Union, the Civil Rights movement was in full swing, and young people were pushing boundaries in every aspect of their lives. It was also a golden age for music, with a wide variety of genres and artists to choose from.
Rock, pop, and doo-wop were some of the most popular genres of the time, and PBS has brought them back to life with a new concert special. “My Music: Rock, Pop, and Doo-Wop” features classic hits from the era performed by some of today’s top artists. The two-hour show will air on PBS on October 28 at 8 pm ET/PT.
The lineup includes iconic groups like The Beach Boys, The Four Seasons, The Miracles, Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell, Dion & The Belmonts, Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons, Smokey Robinson & The Miracles, Martha Reeves & The Vandellas,File:The_Ronettes_in_1964.jpgThe Ronettes,File:Gerry_and_the_Pacemakers_-_Don’t_Let_the_Sun_Catch_You_Crying_(Live).pngGerry & The Pacemakers,File:The Shangri-Las – Give Him A Great Big Kiss (1964).pngThe Shangri-Las,File:The Supremes – Baby Love (1964).pngThe Supremes,File:The Righteous Brothers – You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’ (Live).pngThe Righteous Brothers,File:Buffalo Springfield – For What It’s Worth (1967).pngBuffalo Springfield
Rock
Rock music is a genre of popular music that originated in the United States in the 1950s. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, a style which drew heavily from the genres of blues, rhythm and blues, and from country music. Rock music also drew strongly from a number of other genres such as electric blues and folk. Musically, rock has centered on the electric guitar, usually as part of a rock group with electric bass, drums, and one or more singers. This type of music is also sometimes called simply “rock”. By the late 1960s, a number of distinct rock music subgenres had emerged, including blues rock, folk rock, country rock, garage rock, hard rock, and psychedelic rock.
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band that became arguably the most successful act of the 20th century. They formed in Liverpool in 1960, and by 1962 had become one of the leading British bands with their first hit single, “Love Me Do”. With a line-up comprising John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr, they are commonly regarded as the foremost and most influential music band in history. Rooted in skiffle and 1950s rock and roll, the group later utilised several genres, ranging from pop ballads to psychedelic and hard rock, often incorporating classical and other elements in innovative ways. Their clothes, styles and statements made them trendsetters, while their growing cultural influence saw them questioned by the establishment.
Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley was rock’s first superstar. His energy and spontaneity on stage made him a concert sensation. In the studio, he recorded songs that would shape the course of rock music. His recordings of “That’s All Right,” “Blue Moon of Kentucky,” and “Good Rockin’ Tonight” are considered landmarks in the history of rock music.
The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones are an English rock band formed in 1962. The first stable line-up consisted of Brian Jones (guitar, harmonica), Mick Jagger (lead vocals, harmonica), Keith Richards (guitar, vocals), Bill Wyman (bass), Charlie Watts (drums), and Ian Stewart (piano). Stewart was removed from the official line-up in 1963 but continued to work with the band as ahonorary member until his death in 1985. The band’s primary songwriters, Jagger and Richards, assumed leadership after Andrew Loog Oldham became the group’s manager. Jones left the band less than a month before his death in 1969, having already been replaced by Mick Taylor. After Taylor left the band, Ronnie Wood took his place in 1975 and has been on guitar in tandem with Richards ever since.
Since the 1980s, much-publicised legal wrangling over royalties, songwriting credits and film footage have accompanied the release of archival concert albums, compilations and box sets; Jagger and Richards have both released successful solo albums—as have Watts and Wood.Following Wyman’s departure in 1993, Darryl Jones has served as touring bassist. The Stones retired from touring for most of 1997–99 but undertook a tour of Latin America in 2000 before resuming performing concerts regularly; their most recent world tour ran from 2002 to 2003.
Pop
Pop music is a genre of popular music that originated in its modern form in the United States and United Kingdom during the mid-1950s. The terms “popular music” and “pop music” are often used interchangeably, although the former describes all music that is popular and includes many diverse styles.
Michael Jackson
Michael Jackson was an American singer, songwriter, and dancer. Called the “King of Pop”, his contributions to music, dance and fashion along with his publicized personal life made him a global figure in popular culture for over four decades. The seventh child of the Jackson family, he debuted on the professional music scene at the age of 11 as a member of The Jackson 5.
Madonna
Madonna is one of the most successful pop artists of all time. She has sold over 300 million records and has won multiple Grammy Awards. Madonna is known for her cutting-edge style and her ability to stay relevant in the ever-changing world of pop music.
Whitney Houston
The American singer, actress, producer, and model Whitney Houston was one of the world’s best-selling music artists of all time. She released seven studio albums and two soundtrack albums, all of which have been certified diamond, multi-platinum, platinum, or gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). Her crossover appeal on the popular music charts—as well as her prominence on MTV, starting with her video for “How Will I Know”—influenced several African American women artists who followed in her footsteps.
Doo-Wop
On February 15, 1964, the Beatles made their American television debut on The Ed Sullivan Show. That same night, another group of musicians was performing on a different show. They were called the Ronettes, and they were singing their hit song, “Be My Baby.” The Beatles were a sensation, and the Ronettes were just another girl group. But the Ronettes were different. They were black, they were from New York, and they were singing doo-wop.
The Drifters
The Drifters were one of the most successful African American groups of the 1950s and early 1960s. They had a string of hits that included “Money Honey,” “There Goes My Baby,” “Save the Last Dance for Me,” and “Under the Boardwalk.” The group was originally formed by Clyde McPhatter in 1953. McPhatter left the group in 1955 to pursue a solo career, and was replaced by Ben E. King. The Drifters continued to have hits under King’s leadership, but he left the group in 1960 to pursue a solo career. The Drifters continued to record and perform with a rotating lineup of singers until 1964, when they disbanded. In 1988, the original lineup of the Drifters was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Dion and the Belmonts
Dion and the Belmonts were a leading American vocal group of the late 1950s. The group was formed by Dion DiMucci, Carlo Mastrangelo, and Fred Milano in the Bronx in 1957. They became one of the most successful doo-wop groups with hit singles like “I Wonder Why” (1958), “A Teenager in Love” (1959), and “Where or When” (1960). The Belmonts disbanded in 1962, but Dion continued to have success as a solo artist with songs like “The Wanderer” (1962) and “Abraham, Martin and John” (1968).
Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers
Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers were an American doo-wop group from New York City, NY. The group was composed of five young men: Frankie Lymon (lead singer), Jimmy Merchant (first tenor), Herman Santiago (second tenor), Sherman Garnes (baritone), andJoe Negroni (bass). The members were all between the ages of 13 and 16 when they formed the group in 1955.
The Teenagers’ first single, “Why Do Fools Fall in Love”, was released in 1956 and reached #6 on the Billboard pop charts, making it one of the biggest hits of that year. The follow-up single, “I Want You to Be My Girl”, also did very well, peaking at #11 on the pop charts. After these two hits, however, the group’s popularity began to decline. By the end of 1957, they had broken up.
Frankie Lymon went on to have a moderately successful solo career before his untimely death at the age of 25 in 1968. The Teenagers were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1993.
