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Origin of Rhythm and Blues (Part 3)
R&B: 1942 - 1954 (Continued)Band leader and producer, Johnny Otis, discovered and produced many struggling black artists, such as Johnny Ace and Willie Mae "Big Mama" Thornton. Perhaps in addition to providing guidance and a backup band for new artists, Johnny Otis promoted his artists for national recognition. Johnny Otis almost single-handedly brought rhythm and blues into mainstream America.
In 1945, The Harlem Hit Parade chart becomes the Race Records chart. In the late 1940s, six record companies controlled the industry: Columbia, Victor, Decca, Capitol, MGM, and Mercury. These labels were not interested in producing so-called race music, at the time. The white establishment viewed race music as unrespectable. To fill the increasing demand by white teenagers for race music, several visionary businessmen founded independent record companies. Legendary A&R man, Jerry Wexler, with Atlantic records coins the term Rhythm & Blues in 1949. In 1949, The Race Records chart is renamed the Rhythm & Blues chart. We characterize the mainly black, sepia, or race music from 1942 to 1949 as belonging to the genre called Rhythm & Blues. It should be noted that record company founders were motivated to find new talent. These were not benevelent ventures, but rather a means to make money. Without such notable people as Dave Bartholomew, the Chess brothers, Sam Phillips, Jerry Wexler, and Art Rupe, songs from black musicians of this period would not have been played on white radio stations. In New Orleans, recording studio legend Cosimo Matassa brought struggling black artists a chance to cut a demo record for just a few dollars! The more influential R&B record labels during the 1950s and 1960s were: In 1951, DJ Alan Freed began programming rhythm & blues records on his radio program. Alan Freed moved to New York in 1954 where he coined the term "rock & roll." By 1955, the term rock & roll is widely used and accepted to include R&B records, rockabilly records, and many of the popular uptempo recordings at the time. From 1950 through 1954, R&B records were made by blacks, for black audiences (exception: Johnny Ace who had a predominantly white audience.) With the production of portable tape recorders, it was much easier to record and transport recordings of music performances. This, of course, allowed artists to record demo tapes and promote themselves to prospective producers much easier than in the past, when a live performance was often required! A typical R&B band consisted of a vocalist with piano, drums, upright string bass, and electric guitar. During early 1949, Jerry Wexler, legendary producer for Atlantic Records, is credited with coining the term Rhythm and Blues. The term "race music" was replaced by the term rhythm and blues (R&B). People simply wanted to make good music and, with luck, some money. One of the first R&B Atlantic hits by Ray Charles was released in 1952 - (Atlantic 976) Roll With My Baby. Here is a short list of R&B pioneers who recorded part of the Atlantic catalogue!
New Orleans music pioneers:
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