Music Legends

Guitar

The Rise of Rock 'n roll

In the late 1940s and early 1950s Rock 'n roll, as it was commonly known, began to grow in popularity. When Rock 'n roll first entered the scene either the piano or Saxophone were usually the lead instrument, but with the help of the artists we're about to highlight, the Guitar soon rose to the top and gave Rock 'n roll the unique sound that we know it as today.

Photo of Johnny Cash

Johnny Cash

Johnny Cash was born on February 26th 1932 in Arkansas during the Great Depression. He had a deep love for his family, God and truth. He was also very patriotic and joined the U.S. Air Force in 1950 at the age of 18. When he got out of the service he tried to start a singing career by singing gospel music. It wasn't until 1955 that Cash found his unique style of rock 'n roll and finally broke into the music industry by signing with Sun Records in Memphis Tennessee, aka "the birthplace of rock and roll." Cash's popularity quickly grew with such iconic songs such as "I Walk the Line," "Big River" and "Folsom Prison Blues."

Photo of The Beatles

The Beatles

The Beatles were arguably the most popular band of all time. This English band originally comprised of John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr was formed in Liverpool in 1960. They took inspiration from different music styles such as Skiffle and Beat, but were based most heavily in Rock 'n roll. By 1964 The Beatles were international stars and moved to the U.S. where they broke more sales records than any other band to date. As time went on, they developed their sound and incorporated many aspects from different styles. Their music continues to sell millions of copies every year.

Photo of Bob Dylan

Bob Dylan

Bob Dylan was an American singer-songwriter born in 1941. He grew famous for songs such as "Blowin' in the Wind" (released in 1963) and "The Times They Are a-Changin" (1964). Many of his songs took on political, social, and philosophical issues. His style was purposely different from the current "Pop Culture" and attracted many listeners from the Civil Rights and Anti-war movements. Dylan has changed his music style of the years, but he always seems to keep a rural feel to his music. He is still releasing new albums with his most recent being "Rough and Rowdy Ways" which was released in 2020.