Topic summary
First rock and roll record
Extracted from the Wikipedia article Origins of rock and roll.
Views on the first rock and roll record
The identity of the first rock and roll record is one of the most enduring subjects of debate among rock historians. Various recordings dating back to the 1940s and 1950s have been cited as the first rock and roll record. A number of sources have considered the first to be "Rocket 88", which was recorded in 1951 by Ike Turner's band, but credited to his saxophonist and the song's vocalist Jackie Brenston. Turner led the band but provided no vocals for "Rocket 88". The identity of the writer of the song remains in dispute. Brenston said that "they had simply borrowed from another jump blues about an automobile, Jimmy Liggins’ 'Cadillac Boogie'". Turner continued to maintain that he wrote the music and that he and the band jointly wrote the lyrics. In 1948 Pete Johnson had recorded a song called "Rocket Boogie "88"".