About Gary Theroux Expertise As the longtime Music & Entertainment Editor of Reader`s Digest and researcher/writer of a lengthy list of books, articles and TV and radio programming dealing with music history, feel free to send me your questions regarding pop, rock, country and R&B hits and hitmakers from the 1890s to today.
Experience More than 30 years experience as a music researcher, reviewer, historian, DJ/programmer and reporter. Writer of numerous books and articles on the subject; spent 20 years as the Music & Entertainment Editor of Reader''s Digest, producing over 300 albums that collectively have sold nearly 29 million copies; previously taught music at UCLA; researcher-writer-producer of such TV and radio specials as "The Golden Years Of Country," "Remembering The ''70s," the 52-hour "History Of Rock ''n'' Roll," etc. Director of Pop Record Research, one of the nation''s largest archives of data and materials on hitmakers past and present.
Question Can you please tell me about the history of pop rock music asap
Answer That's a pretty broad question-- sort of like asking, "can you tell me about science?" Countless books have been written on the history of pop and rock, some of which I've written. How can I condense this? Prior to World War II, folk/country, jazz/R&B and pop music were musical categoies that rarely crossed. The U.S. was made up of many regional music scenes and THEY rarely crossed, either. The introduction of records at the start of the 20th century and radio in the 1920s began to change that regional isolationism but it really took WW2 -- bringing together men from all over the country into collective units -- that caused styles to begin to cross. Rock grew out of that, as it is a combination of white soul (country), black soul (rhythm 'n' blues) and traditional Tin Pan Alley pop. Early postwar rockers included Wynonie Harris, Bill Haley, Chuck Berry, Fats Domino, Little Richard and Elvis Presley. It was Elvis who turned the growing trend into a rock 'n' roll flood in 1956, opening the doors for rock to largely take over the hit parade as the big bands and mellow croooners declined. Rock is still going strong today. although splintered -- due largely to it's ability to absorb so many different cultural influences.
