Pioneers of rock and roll - Harry Sumrall

The seminal artists of rock and roll are the subject of this initial volume of a Billboard series on the hitmakers and other significant artists of popular music. Beginning in the late '40s and early '50s and moving through the '70s, this book focuses on the singers, the players, and the bands who have mattered most in the evolution of rock's many styles.;Arranged alphabetically, the entries cover the rockabilly of Elvis Presley, the supercharged sounds of Little Richard, the boogie-woogie of Jerry Lee Lewis, the rock and roll of Bill Haley and His Comets, the good-time sound of Buddy Holly, the British sounds of the Beatles, the guitar genius of Jimi Hendrix, the sophisticated songs of Paul Simon, the innovative music of Frank Zappa, the punk rock of the Sex Pistols -- over 200 artists in all.;Using chart-topping song hits as a starting point, each profile highlights the artist's accomplishments, traces his career path, and measures his impact. Supplemented with dozens of photos, here is the authoritative information -- with a unique Billboard slant -- on some of the most popular musicians of all time.