Presented by Dr. Allen Cohen, this talk will look at the background of rock, its early audience and critics, the explosion of its influence during the 1960s. and how it has come to dominate not only pop culture but culture itself around the world.
Rock ’n’ roll originated in the 1950s as a hybrid of jazz, blues, country & western, and gospel music. It was a radically different type of music from the popular music of the time in terms of its origins, subject matter and lyrics, musical style, and the background and training of its writers and performers. Originally aimed at (and created by) teenagers and underprivileged people, and laughed at by established critics, writers, and performers, within a generation, it had become the most popular type of music ever heard anywhere in the world. There is virtually no other music that has not been influenced by rock, and there is virtually no culture in the world in which some version of it is not the style of music that most people listen to and perform.
Registration is required.
The Hillsdale Library offers free programs to the community, funded by the Hillsdale Free Public Library Foundation, Friends of the Library, and other generous donors.
Never miss a program! Subscribe to the Hillsdale Library’s email alerts here.
