The Evolution of American Music from 1950 to 2013Roots of Music in America;The King of Rock and Roll, Elvis Presley began his illustrious career in the 1950s by performing rock and roll. This was a style of music that many in the United States might have argued was “not music at all.” The era had begun and this “freight train” wasn't slowing down for anyone. How did this thing called "Rock and Roll" begin and who was responsible for casting the die that would evolve to become what we all know today as Rock and Roll? The Influence of Early Black Americans on Rock and Roll; Rock and Roll's early roots are based on musical styles developed primarily by African-Americans: blues, rhythm & blues, jazz and gospel. These styles, in turn, had their own roots, which can be traced back to musical traditions that originated in Africa hundreds of years ago. They were brought to America when the first Africans arrived in 1619, and as these styles took root and evolved, they wandered from the rural plantations of the Mississippi Delta and the melting pot metropolis of Incipient Orleans, along the Mississippi River to urban centers like Memphis and then Chicago. Without these African American influences, rock and roll, as we know it, would never have existed. African Americans contributed greatly to the advent and prosperity of rock and roll music. Little Richard, Fats Domino, Chuck Berry or Bo Didley all played a fundamental role in influencing music in America. One of the first true rock and roll musical compositions mentioned came from ebony blues artists Joe Turner, who sang "Shake, Rattle and Roll". If one carefully aurally perceives this musical composition by Joe Turner, it should be very clear that it is one of the first true r... middle of paper... traditional modes of ascent, experimentation with psychoactive drugs, and different interpretations of the American dream. Nascent cultural forms emerged, including the pop music of the British band the Beatles and the contemporary development of hippie culture, leading to the rapid evolution of a youth subculture that accentuated change and experimentation. In addition to the Beatles, many songwriters, singers, and bands from the Amalgamated Kingdom and the United States have had an impact on the kineticism of the Music Today counterculture in America; (American Idol/reality show) Over the past 50 years, as rock and roll itself has evolved, African-American music has continued to have a major influence. From soul to funk to hip-hop, musical styles developed by African Americans have been incorporated into mainstream rock and roll and have shaped rock's definition of identity.