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Worksheets

The Birth and Flourishing of Rock and Roll

Total questions: 20

Worksheet time: 20mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

Which of the following was NOT a clearly established style in the 1950s?

a)

Country and Western

b)

Rhythm and Blues

c)

Tin Pan Alley/Pop

d)

All of these styles were established.

2.

Tin Pan Alley was dominated by which THREE industries?

a)

Movies

b)

Television and radio

c)

Major record labels

d)

Publishing

3.

How did older generations view rock and roll?

a)

As a new way to make more money in the music industry

b)

As a threat that encouraged unacceptable moral practices

c)

As music for people of all ages

d)

As less acceptable than other genres, such as country and western.

4.

What are THREE reasons for the rise of youth culture in the 1950s?

a)

They were given less responsibility

b)

They had more leisure time

c)

Focus on family values

d)

They had more money to buy records

5.

Which disk-jockey noticed that rhythm and blues was becoming more popular and started a rhythm and blues radio show?

a)

Fats Domino

b)

Little Richard

c)

Les Paul

d)

Alan Freed

6.

Which of the following is NOT a reason independent record labels and regional radio played such a big role in the development of rock and roll?

a)

National labels were eager to sign rhythm and blues and country and western artists.

b)

Major labels were too conservative to be concerned about rhythm and blues music.

c)

Indie labels had to be creative to stay in the game.

d)

Radio networks were too conservative and left a hole for regional radio to fill.

7.

_____ became known for his "duck walk" during guitar solos.

a)

Fats Domino

b)

Chuck Berry

c)

Little Richard

d)

Elvis Presley

8.

Whose guitar style is the most imitated in all of rock music?

a)

Fats Domino

b)

Chuck Berry

c)

Little Richard

d)

Pat Boone

9.

Which musician was known for his manic singing and screaming?

a)

Fats Domino

b)

Chuck Berry

c)

Little Richard

d)

Pat Boone

10.

Which musician was the first performer to wear makeup?

a)

Chuck Berry

b)

Little Richard

c)

Elvis Presley

d)

Pat Boone

11.

Which musician was among the first to help establish rock and roll as part of the mainstream?

a)

Little Richard

b)

Chuck Berry

c)

Pat Boone

d)

Fats Domino

12.

What are THREE reasons black musicians began to resent white musicians?

a)

Their original recordings were often replicated note for note.

b)

Executives watched rhythm and blues charts to get in on the next big hit.

c)

White musicians were more likely to get signed by an independent label.

d)

Rhythm and blues songs provided material for the pop market.

13.

Elvis started his career as a _____ musician.

a)

Rhythm and blues

b)

Pop

c)

Country and western

d)

Rock and roll

14.

In what way were Elvis's covers different from other covers during this time?

a)

Elvis put his own signature spin on the music.

b)

Elvis reproduced the songs note for note.

c)

Elvis only covered songs by white artists.

d)

Elvis didn't do any cover songs.

15.

Rockabilly music is a combination of what two styles?

a)

Pop and rhythm and blues

b)

Rock and roll and rhythm and blues

c)

Pop and country and western

d)

Rock and roll and country and western

16.

Why was Elvis only filmed for television from the waist up?

a)

His dancing was shockingly inappropriate.

b)

So that the audience could better see his guitar

c)

The audience was not interested in zoomed out images where his face was indistinguishable.

d)

He had a distinctive hairstyle that set a major trend among his youth audience.

17.

The practice of payola involved:

a)

independent labels creating manufacturing plants

b)

white artists covering songs originally performed by black artists

c)

creating business friendships with disc jockeys by offering gifts

d)

selling artist contracts to major record labels

18.

As a song, "Roll Over Beethoven" celebrates:

a)

the beginning of rock and roll in 1955

b)

teenagers listening to rhythm and blues

c)

the demise of the classical music audience

d)

the average day of an American teenager

19.

All of the following events affected the first wave of rock and roll EXCEPT:

a)

Little Richard became an ordained minister

b)

Elvis received his draft notice

c)

Buddy Holly died in a plane crash

d)

Pat Boone had his first rock and roll hit song

20.

What was the focus of the congressional hearings regarding the payola scandal?

a)

the influence of major record labels on the market

b)

the American stereotypes about rhythm and blues music

c)

the radio stations that played rock and roll

d)

the gifts received by disc jockeys