Searching For The First Rock And Roll Song on Saturday Night New Orleans Radio

Series produced by Jamie Dell'Apa

Caption: That's me, compliments of Andy Kerr
That's me, compliments of Andy Kerr 

Music from that time when rhythm and blues and rock and roll were emerging but hadn't yet become a predictable formula. A time when musicians were listening to and incorporating these exciting emergences into their own style of music. We focus on music that is difficult to categorize. C&W that sounds like rockabilly and rockabilly that sounds like R&B which sounds an awful lot like rock. That's the sweet spot for the music on the show and, sure enough, that's where the New Orleans sound is centered.

To follow us (and see playlists) on facebook - https://www.facebook.com/pages/Saturday-Night-New-Orleans-Radio/625773220767239

What does music sound like when it is taken out of context?

When John Coltrane quits walking the bar for dance patrons or some English kids leave gentle pop music for the blues of the American south, they're following their muse. Breaking out of the formula. The result can be a disaster or miraculous. Dr. Demento plays the disasters. We play the miraculous.

Music from that time when rhythm and blues and rock and roll were emerging but hadn't yet become a predictable formula. A time when musicians were listening to and incorporating these music's exciting emergence into their own style of music. We focus on music that is difficult to categorize. C&W that sounds like rockabilly and rockabilly that sounds like R&B which sounds an awful lot like rock. That's the sweet spot for the music on the show and, sure enough, that's where the New Orleans sound is centered.

Songs are arranged in sets originating from an overall theme and between songs are short interstitial sound clips that sometimes tell a parallel story or a contrasting story or are simply audio cultural artifacts used that frame the music. Hide full description

What does music sound like when it is taken out of context? When John Coltrane quits walking the bar for dance patrons or some English kids leave gentle pop music for the blues of the American south, they're following their muse. Breaking out of the formula. The result can be a disaster or miraculous. Dr. Demento plays the disasters. We play the miraculous. Music from that time when rhythm and blues and rock and roll were emerging but hadn't yet become a predictable formula. A time when musicians were listening to and incorporating these music's exciting emergence into their own style of music. We focus on music that is difficult to categorize. C&W that sounds like rockabilly and rockabilly that sounds like R&B which sounds an awful lot like rock. That's the sweet spot for... Show full description


637 Pieces

Order by: Newest First | Oldest First
Caption: Frogmen
A piano uses 230 strings while a diddley bow uses one string and between there's all different string counts. Tonight, we start with musicians pl...

Bought by KTAL-LP [Las Cruces Community Radio], KFCF FM, KPRG, Prairie Public, WYAP and more


  • Added: Jul 13, 2022
  • Length: 02:59:00
  • Purchases: 6
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A twist on the "bird bands" names of the 1950s, the first two hours feature bands named after ... fabrics. Tweeds, wool, cotton, velvet, denim, s...

Bought by Delmarva Public Media, Delmarva Public Media, KFCF FM, Prairie Public, KPRG and more


  • Added: Jul 05, 2022
  • Length: 03:00:00
  • Purchases: 8
Caption: Vilas Craig
Ritchie Valens made it as a big success without "passing." That is; without sacrificing his Chicano ethnicity but when he "passed away" the record...

Bought by KCHU, Delmarva Public Media, KPRG, Prairie Public, KFCF FM and more


  • Added: Jun 27, 2022
  • Length: 03:58:00
  • Purchases: 7
Caption: Fletcher Smith
After airing well over 40,000 potential first rock and roll songs over the last 16 years, we find that the first rock and roll song has more to do ...

Bought by KCHU, KFCF FM, KTAL-LP [Las Cruces Community Radio], KPRG, WQCS and more


  • Added: Jun 20, 2022
  • Length: 03:00:00
  • Purchases: 6
Caption: Tracey Dey
The conjoinment of music to dance is assumed but before rock and roll, it was big band swing with musicians like Artie Shaw filling huge arenas wit...

Bought by Delmarva Public Media, KCHU, KTAL-LP [Las Cruces Community Radio], WYAP, KFCF FM and more


  • Added: Jun 09, 2022
  • Length: 04:17:17
  • Purchases: 8
Caption: Monte Easter in Los Angeles 1990
It's always an audio history of the first rock and roll records focusing on the pioneers instead of the tired old "hits." It's perfect for public ...

Bought by KTAL-LP [Las Cruces Community Radio], Prairie Public, KFCF FM, and KPRG


  • Added: Jun 03, 2022
  • Length: 02:57:01
  • Purchases: 4
Caption: Rhythm Rockers
This weeks searches are in vocal group harmony bands, boleros, and girl groups. Not Motown or Phil Spector girl groups because we present "Music y...

Bought by KCHU, KPRG, KTAL-LP [Las Cruces Community Radio], KFCF FM, Prairie Public and more


  • Added: May 24, 2022
  • Length: 04:14:43
  • Purchases: 6
Caption: Eddie Seacrest and the Rollin Rockets
Thoughts on "group harmony" as a category of music (including "doo wop" and the wide range of group vocals with instrumentation). This music was e...

Bought by KPRG, KFCF FM, Prairie Public, KTAL-LP [Las Cruces Community Radio], and WQCS


  • Added: May 19, 2022
  • Length: 04:04:55
  • Purchases: 5
Caption: Boyd Bennett And His Rockets
Theater musicals tell a long story frequently interrupted by songs and dancing. Radio musicals are long series of songs interrupted by my idiotic...

Bought by KCHU, KFCF FM, and KPRG


  • Added: Jun 16, 2022
  • Length: 02:57:00
  • Purchases: 3
Caption: Eddie Dugosh
Tonight we talk to the first time listener to explore their feelings on hearing music they've never heard by musicians they've never heard of yet t...

Bought by KPRG, KFCF FM, KTAL-LP [Las Cruces Community Radio], Prairie Public, and WQCS


  • Added: May 04, 2022
  • Length: 02:56:56
  • Purchases: 5
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The bottomless pit of my music library includes a handful of songs from 1963 Austria that are indistinguishable from the best of American rock and ...

Bought by KFCF FM, KTAL-LP [Las Cruces Community Radio], KPRG, Prairie Public, WQCS and more


  • Added: Apr 25, 2022
  • Length: 02:56:57
  • Purchases: 6
Caption: Chellos
The "teenage angst" song is the standard issue rock and roll song but there is also the "teenage understanding" song that offers lyrics reflecting ...

Bought by KPRG, KFCF FM, KPRG, Prairie Public, KTAL-LP [Las Cruces Community Radio] and more


  • Added: Apr 18, 2022
  • Length: 04:40:39
  • Purchases: 6
Caption: Roddy Jackson Then
Defining the first rock and roll song has been passionately argued because to find "the first rock and roll song" requires ignoring tons of music t...

Bought by KPRG, KCHU, KTAL-LP [Las Cruces Community Radio], KFCF FM, KPRG and more


  • Added: Apr 11, 2022
  • Length: 02:56:28
  • Purchases: 8
Caption: Bobby Page and the Riff Raffs
An inspired, heartfelt show. Based around an essay on radio as art and art as both a personal way of making a better life and civilization's savio...

Bought by KPRG, KTAL-LP [Las Cruces Community Radio], WQCS, KPRG, Prairie Public and more


  • Added: Apr 05, 2022
  • Length: 04:55:05
  • Purchases: 6
Piece image
85 songs you've never heard but could have been titled, "the first rock and roll song" featuring musicians you've never heard of. This show ignore...

Bought by KCHU, KTAL-LP [Las Cruces Community Radio], KFCF FM, WQCS, Prairie Public and more


  • Added: Mar 31, 2022
  • Length: 02:56:57
  • Purchases: 6
Piece image
Where we search for the first rock and roll song, is where autocracies die and "hits" are a distraction. All the music you've never heard by music...

Bought by Prairie Public, KFCF FM, KTAL-LP [Las Cruces Community Radio], KPRG, and WQCS


  • Added: Mar 23, 2022
  • Length: 02:57:07
  • Purchases: 5
Caption: Azzurri the Bachelorette
Hi, I'm Jim Lange and this is the Dating Game for dogs. In the post-WWII world, this music that was later called "Rock and Roll" was simply popula...

Bought by WQCS, Prairie Public, KTAL-LP [Las Cruces Community Radio], KPRG, KFCF FM and more


  • Added: Mar 15, 2022
  • Length: 02:56:45
  • Purchases: 6
Caption: Eddie Seacrest and the Rollin Rockets
There's a half dozen popular myths defining the first rock and roll record but every week we feature 85 songs you've never heard any and all of the...

Bought by KCHU, KFCF FM, KPRG, Prairie Public, WQCS and more


  • Added: Mar 06, 2022
  • Length: 02:57:02
  • Purchases: 7
Caption: Los Crazy Boys
The great rock drummer Sandy Nelson sound like a very traditional swing drummer and Glen Campbell sounds like a primitive surf band as our perspect...

Bought by KCHU, KTAL-LP [Las Cruces Community Radio], KPRG, Prairie Public, KFCF FM and more


  • Added: Feb 27, 2022
  • Length: 02:57:07
  • Purchases: 6