There are several rockabilly artists from the 1950s when rockabilly originally hit the scene that have since become household names. These are artists that pretty much everyone has heard of. Among these names are Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Roy Orbison, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Conway Twitty (who was recording back then as Harold Jenkins). But there are other rockabilly cats who had a huge impact on the world of rock and roll but whose names most people wouldn't recognize, even though they're probably familiar with some of their music from listening to "oldies." Then of course, there are the completely obscure rockabilly artists whose songs never survived to make it onto oldies radio shows and whose names are all but lost to rock and roll history. Yet the music that these musicians made proves the value of their contributions to rock and roll.
It's undoubtedly true in every genre of music that there are thousands of musical acts that never get discovered for every one that does. Of course, rockabilly was no different. Young, eager musicians from all over the US were inspired by Elvis and started writing and playing rockabilly music of their own. While Elvis charted a course with his distinctive sound, these youngsters from across the nation did their best to emulate it. However, they each naturally put their own spin on the music. They brought their own personal influences and divergent talents into the studio with them. They recorded music that, while following in Elvis' general direction, didn't necessarily stick strictly to his exact footprints.
And naturally, musicians weren't the only ones trying to follow Elvis to rockabilly success. Studio owners and record labels too wanted a piece of the rockabilly action. Record labels around the country began to distribute their own rockabilly records. Many smaller independent record labels turned out lots of great rockabilly recordings. While Sun Records developed the original rockabilly sound with Elvis, Carl Perkins, and many others who recorded a Sam Phillips' Memphis Recording Service studios, other small labels such as Jaxon and Starday where releasing great stuff of their own.
Never ones to pass up a lucrative venture, the major labels too wanted their piece of the pie. They turned out some fine rockabilly that was performed by many established country stars who saw a chance to ride the new rockabilly wave and potentially grab a rockabilly hit or two of their own. In fact, rockabilly helped boost a few country careers or even revitalize country stars that were beginning to fade a little bit.
Naturally, studios would obviously do their best to accommodate the musicians that walked through their doors wanting to record the new rockabilly sound. For the most part each of the various record labels tended to use its own specific studio and session musicians to record their artists and before long, these labels thus began to develop their individual rockabilly sound.
All of these rockabilly recordings add to the overall rockabilly signature. They all have common elements of course, but the Sun rockabilly sound is different than the Starday rockabilly sound which is different than Jaxon rockabilly sound which is different than the big-label Columbia rockabilly sound. It's fun to listen for the differences and try to get a handle on each studio's signature sound.
As history would have it, many of these rockabilly artists recorded, played with varying success through the 50s, and then drifted into obscurity. But that in no way diminishes their contribution to rockabilly. And of course, that translates to a valuable contribution to rock and roll as a whole. Sure, those names that became famous get most of the glory, but just as with any pyramid, those stars at the top are supported by a wide base of lesser-known artists who completed the rockabilly picture with some of the rockin'est music ever recorded!
It's undoubtedly true in every genre of music that there are thousands of musical acts that never get discovered for every one that does. Of course, rockabilly was no different. Young, eager musicians from all over the US were inspired by Elvis and started writing and playing rockabilly music of their own. While Elvis charted a course with his distinctive sound, these youngsters from across the nation did their best to emulate it. However, they each naturally put their own spin on the music. They brought their own personal influences and divergent talents into the studio with them. They recorded music that, while following in Elvis' general direction, didn't necessarily stick strictly to his exact footprints.
And naturally, musicians weren't the only ones trying to follow Elvis to rockabilly success. Studio owners and record labels too wanted a piece of the rockabilly action. Record labels around the country began to distribute their own rockabilly records. Many smaller independent record labels turned out lots of great rockabilly recordings. While Sun Records developed the original rockabilly sound with Elvis, Carl Perkins, and many others who recorded a Sam Phillips' Memphis Recording Service studios, other small labels such as Jaxon and Starday where releasing great stuff of their own.
Never ones to pass up a lucrative venture, the major labels too wanted their piece of the pie. They turned out some fine rockabilly that was performed by many established country stars who saw a chance to ride the new rockabilly wave and potentially grab a rockabilly hit or two of their own. In fact, rockabilly helped boost a few country careers or even revitalize country stars that were beginning to fade a little bit.
Naturally, studios would obviously do their best to accommodate the musicians that walked through their doors wanting to record the new rockabilly sound. For the most part each of the various record labels tended to use its own specific studio and session musicians to record their artists and before long, these labels thus began to develop their individual rockabilly sound.
All of these rockabilly recordings add to the overall rockabilly signature. They all have common elements of course, but the Sun rockabilly sound is different than the Starday rockabilly sound which is different than Jaxon rockabilly sound which is different than the big-label Columbia rockabilly sound. It's fun to listen for the differences and try to get a handle on each studio's signature sound.
As history would have it, many of these rockabilly artists recorded, played with varying success through the 50s, and then drifted into obscurity. But that in no way diminishes their contribution to rockabilly. And of course, that translates to a valuable contribution to rock and roll as a whole. Sure, those names that became famous get most of the glory, but just as with any pyramid, those stars at the top are supported by a wide base of lesser-known artists who completed the rockabilly picture with some of the rockin'est music ever recorded!
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