Louisiana Rocks!: The True Genesis of Rock and Roll [Hardcover]

Tom Aswell (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 1, 2009

An in-depth history of rock and roll's Louisiana roots. Taking the position that rock and roll started in New Orleans in 1947 when Roy Brown recorded "Good Rockin' Tonight," Aswell provides an expansive history of this beloved American music form. By looking at the Louisianan influences of swamp pop, Cajun, zydeco, R&B, rockabilly, country, and blues music, the author explores the way these musical forms gave birth to rock and roll as we know it today.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Any book about Louisiana and rhythm-heavy pop music has to be a black-history book, no matter how many white folks are in it. There are plenty of whites in Aswell’s cheery biographical compendium of popular music makers who have been associated with the Pelican State any length of time, from a week (Kris Kristofferson) to a long lifetime (Edward Duhon and Luderin Darbone of the Hackberry Ramblers; both cracked the 95-year mark, Darbone expiring only six months after his last gig). Instead of presenting his subjects alphabetically, Aswell presents them in chapters according to function (groundbreakers, the granddaddy likes of Lead Belly, Satchmo, and Jelly Roll; songwriters; recording-session players), location or venue (Baton Rouge; the Louisiana Hayride radio program, which launched Hank Williams and Elvis Presley), and style (R & B, cajun and zydeco, blues, swamp pop). Within each of those chapters, Aswell observes no common order, such as alphabetical or chronological, which may frustrate obsessives but makes this powerhouse of pop reference maximally amiable browsing for fans of all kinds of booty-shakin’ pop. --Ray Olson

From the Inside Flap

"It was a great read all the way to the end. Tom has definitely managed to put Louisiana's music connection into perspective. This should be required reading for anyone studying music and the arts in Louisiana high schools and colleges." -Scott Hodges, retired disc jockey, news anchor and reporter, and public affairs director for KEEL and KBCL in Shreveport, WTIX in New Orleans "Could not put it down once I started reading. His book puts the spotlight back on the great artists who have called Louisiana home. Thanks for a long overdue work." -Bob Robin, retired disc jockey, WTIX in New Orleans, and producer for record labels Stax, Tower, Bell, Warner Bros., Capitol, and ABC-Paramount A showcase of Louisiana's musical heritage, this history of rock and roll music and its Louisiana roots presents an in-depth study of the industry players and musicians who contributed to establishing the Pelican State as the birthplace of rock and roll. Home to a polyphony of musical styles including swamp pop, Cajun, zydeco, R&B, country, blues, and rockabilly, Louisiana provided a unique environment for the evolution of popular music. These musical genres-influences that author Tom Aswell studies with precision and exuberance-would converge to create the new sound of rock and roll. The state's independent recording studios tapped the wealth of local talent, and locally owned radio stations promoted once-obscure artists. Before long, rock and roll became part of Louisiana's centuries-old musical legacy. From Roy Brown's recording of "Good Rockin' Tonight" in New Orleans in 1947 through the musical revolutions of the 1960s and beyond, Louisiana played a major role in the rock and roll explosion that captivated the world. During these pivotal years of popular music history, some of rock and roll's most notable founding fathers-Fats Domino, Jerry Lee Lewis, Little Richard, and Ray Charles, for example-were in Louisiana recording the records and performing the music that would forever change the American music landscape.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 504 pages
• Publisher: Pelican Publishing (December 1, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1589806778
• ISBN-13: 978-1589806771
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.2 x 1.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,129,338 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Passin' a good time, January 19, 2010

By 

S. Couvillion - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Louisiana Rocks!: The True Genesis of Rock and Roll (Hardcover)

Reading this book allowed me to "pass a good time" once again. As a lifelong resident of Louisiana as well as a Cajun, the information and stories were eye-openers. Of most importance, the memories of seeing the Greek Fountains at LSU as well as many Saturday nights dancing to the music of Irma Thomas, Joe Stampley and the Uniques and many others was delightful. The tremendous contribution of Louisiana musical artists to rock 'n roll has finally been put forth for the world to see. May those artists who were so influenced continue to "Let the Good Times Roll!"

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Louisiana Rocks: The True Genesis of Rock & Roll, December 10, 2009

By 

MusicLover "Charley" (Little Rock, Arkansas) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Louisiana Rocks!: The True Genesis of Rock and Roll (Hardcover)

I knew Louisiana was rich in its music traditions just from attending three JazzFests in New Orleans but after reading Louisiana Rocks! I have a new appreciation for the depth of talent affiliated with the state. The author sheds needed light on all the unique musical genres to be found there. The only thing that still puzzles me is how he was able to unearth the wonderful stories contained in this book. Page after page, chapter after chapter, is crammed with information. Who knew that so many hit songs have roots in Louisiana or that so many members of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame have direct ties to the state? You can almost hear the wonderful music as you turn the pages; hundreds of personalities literally leap to life as Mr. Aswell takes the reader back to a time when music was music and radio was entertaining and relevant. Get this book, consume it, savor it, digest its contents, and come away sated from your feast of musical knowledge.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Without Question, This is the most complete & comprehensive Book ever written about Louisiana Music,as it relates to Rock & Roll, August 15, 2010

By 

Gary Covington "Southern Rocker" (Louisiana, U.S.A.) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Louisiana Rocks!: The True Genesis of Rock and Roll (Hardcover)

First I'd like to mention the author, Tom Aswell is an award winning, professional journalist, a music historian, and an expert on Louisiana Music, especially as it relates to Rock & Roll. He graduated from Louisiana Tech University, which I can definitly relate to, because I also graduated from Louisiana Tech. The information in this book was well researched, and is well documented. You get a history of Louisiana Music (as it relates to Rock & Roll), beginning with the "ground breakers", like Louis Armstrong, Gov. Jimmie Davis, Lead Belly, and others. Then it continues all the way up through current Louisiana musicians, related to Rock & Roll, at time of publication in 2010. This is not a "complete" history of all Louisiana Music, that is not it's purpose. It's purpose is to tell the story of Louisiana Music, as it relates to Rock & Roll. So, it does not cover a history or story of Jazz, or other Louisiana Music not directly related or influencial to Rock & Roll. This book not only covers native Louisiana musicians, but also non-native Louisiana musicians, who spent a significant amount of time in Louisiana entertaining, or recording, such as Little Richard, Elvis Presley, Hank Williams, and John Fogerty.

The book covers the significance of Cosimo Matassa's New Orleans Recording Studio, J & M Studio, and how instrumental it was in the "Birth of Rock & Roll". In fact, it was there, that convincingly, the "real first" ever Rock & Roll song was recorded, when Roy Brown was recorded performing "Good Rockin' Tonight", back in 1947. This same song was later covered by both Elvis Presley and Jerry Lee Lewis, and many others. So this beats Bill Haley's "Rock Around the Clock", and Ike Turner's "Rocket 88", in being the "real first" Rock & Roll song ever recorded. Many legendary rock & roll foundation artists recorded at the same legendary, J & M Studio, including Fats Domino, Professor Longhair, Ray Charles, Little Richard, Jerry Lee Lewis and many others. In fact, Jerry Lee Lewis made his first recordings there, back in 1952, when he was only 16 years old. (These recordings are included in the Jerry Lee Box Set "A Half a Century of Hits".) That was long before his recordings with Sun Records. Also, it covers the significance of The Dew Drop Inn, that was down in New Orleans, and how at one time, it was one of the most active African-American entertainment venues, in the entire country.

The book includes a great story of the late/great, John Fred (Gourrier), a native Louisianian who had the big hit "Judy in Disguise (with Glasses)" in 1968. It became a number 1 hit in the U.S.A. and in several other countries. It covers a great history of the band "Louisiana's LeRoux" and member Leon Medica. This band is known for it's 1978 classic hit "New Orleans Ladies". The book covers a dvd that was made by Louisiana's LeRoux & friends, that included John Fred singing Judy in Disguise. It also includes Louisiana Blues Artist, Big Luther Kent. I have this dvd, you can get it from the artist's website.

This book covers Louisiana's great blues artists, such as legends, Buddy Guy, Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown, Tab Benoit, Luther Kent and many others. Plus, it covers contemporary Louisiana Blues artists, such as Marcia Ball, Kenny Wayne Sheppard, and Chris Thomas King. Chris was in the movie "O Brother, Where Art Thou?". The book covers the New Orleans Rock & Roll ground breaking R & B musicians, such as Professor Longhair, Lloyd Price, Fats Domino, Dr.John, The Dixie Cups, Irma Thomas, The Neville Family, including the Neville Brothers & The Meters, and many, many others.

Louisiana native, Allen Toussaint, from New Orleans, was/and still is an R & B, & Rock & Roll, pianist & singer, as well as a song-writer, & recording session player. Allen is an inductee into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. There is a great DVD of Allen performing with London native, Elvis Costello, also an R & R Hall of Famer. It's entitled "Sharp as a Pistol, Keen as a Blade". Plus, Allen & Elvis Costello have recorded a recent CD together, entitled "The River in Reverse".

The book covers Cajun & Zydeco music, and the artists who made these genre's popular & influencial to Rock & Roll, such as Doug Kershaw, Michael Doucet, Clifton Chenier, Wayne Toups, Buckwheat Zydeco, and Rockin'Sidney Simien, who had a "Mega-Hit", in 1984 with "My Toot Toot". "My Toot Toot" went Platinum and won a Grammy. Rockin' Sidney was featured in People Magazine, Rolling Stone, Billboard, & Music City News, and he appeared on TNN (now Spike TV), Hee Haw, You Can Be A Star, & John Fogerty's New Country TV Special. The song was included in the soundtracks to several movies. It received major radio airplay on pop, rock & country radio stations. It was covered by several musicians, including John Fogerty, who went down to Lake Charles, Louisiana and learned to perform the song, directly from Rockin' Sidney, himself. John then recorded the song at a recording studio, in nearby Crowley, Louisiana in 1985. In John Fogerty's recent DVD "Comin' Down The Road", John tells his story about this song, and then performs it Cajun/Zydeco style, with an accordian player, and a fiddler. Also, another artist in this genre is "Slydeco" Guitarist, Sonny Landreth. Sonny has performed on several of Mark Knofler's CDs, & "vice versa" & Sonny is even on Mark's "A Night in London" DVD. Mark was famous for his 70's/80's R&R band "Dire Straits" from Scotland. Sonny is also on Eric Clapton's 2007 & 2010 Crossroads Guitar Festival DVDs. Also, there are several more Cajun/Zydeco artists in the book, who were/are influential to Rock & Roll.

Also, I really loved the author's coverage of the "Louisiana Hayride" Radio Program, and it's location at the historic Shreveport Municipal Auditorium. I've been there and I've taken the tour, it's a museum now. Its has a statue of Elvis Presley and guitarist and native Louisianian, James Burton, in front of the building. Both are inductees into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, and both were regulars on the Louisiana Hayride. James Burton is one of the featured guitarists on Eric Clapton's "2010 Crossroads Guitar Festival DVD". It was the Louisiana Hayride, not just Sun Records, that gave Elvis Presley, his first national exposure. During Elvis' time on the Hayride, it was there, that Elvis became famous, which later lead him to become the "King of Rock & Roll". Also, the Louisiana Hayride was famous for having Hank Williams, as a regular performer.

The book covers "Swamp Pop" and the Louisiana musicians involved, including Multiple, Grammy Award winning, Lucinda Williams (who can also be classified as "folk rock"). "Swamp Pop" also includes Phil Phillips, known for his big hit "Sea of Love". There are also several other "Swamp Pop" musicians covered in the book. Then the book covers all the other musicians from Louisiana, that were not covered elsewhere, like Jerry Lee Lewis, and Hank Williams, Jr. Also, it covers "Session" artists, such as Dave Bartholomew, Allen Toussaint, and James Burton. And it covers Louisiana and related "Song-Writers". The book has a great appendix of Louisiana and related Artists and their "hits". It also has an index, making it easy to look up things.

Also, throughout this book, it includes inductees into the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame. Also, in the book's preface, it covers 18 Native Louisiana musicians who have been inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, many of these, are some of the musicians I mentioned in my review.

The book contains photos of many of the Louisiana musicians covered in this book, and also photos of Statues of Louisiana Musicians, The Dew Drop Inn, Fats Domino's House & Studio (Post Katrina), and the historic Shreveport Municipal Auditorium (Home of the "Louisiana Hayride").

The only short-coming I could find, was there was very little coverage of the New Orleans, contemporary rock band, Cowboy Mouth. He does mention them in the book. However, this is only minor, there is more than enough other information to make up for this.

Overall, this is the best book on Louisiana Music, as it relates to Rock & Roll, that I've ever read, and I highly recommend it. You will not be disappointed in this book for sure. This is essential reading for anyone seriously interested in the history of Rock & Roll. As the author so eloquently states, "Don McLean notwithstanding, the music in Louisiana will never die". Thanks!!!!

P.S. If you want to find out more about the history & story of New Orleans music, then I recommend the DVD: "Make It Funky" (The Music That Took Over The World), by Professor Henry "Longhair" Byrd, and others. This DVD reinforces many things covered in this book, about the New Orleans' contribution to Rock & Roll. It's carried by amazon. Thanks again!!!