We’re celebrating Black History Month all February long. Each week we’ll be exploring a different chapter in the history of music by Black artists. This week, the focus is on Rhythm, R&B, and early Rock n’ Roll.

Rock and roll was strongly influenced by R&B. Fats Domino, one of the biggest stars of rock and roll in the early 1950s, claimed the genres to be synonymous, connecting rock and roll to the rhythm and blues played in New Orleans. LaVern Baker was another big name in the rock and roll surge of the fifties, fusing blues, jazz and R&B. Little Richard built his ground-breaking sound of the same era with an uptempo blend of boogie-woogie, New Orleans rhythm and blues, and the soul of gospel music. A distinct use of electric guitar distortion also helped define the genre. Blues guitarists such as Joe Hill Louis, Guitar Slim, Willie Johnson of Howlin' Wolf's band, and Pat Hare helped popularize the technique. In 1955, Bo Diddley introduced the "Bo Diddley beat" and a unique electric guitar style, influenced by African and Afro-Cuban music and in turn influencing many later artists.

Rhythm and Blues and early rock n roll is rich with history of black musicians that influenced the genre as we know it today. For today’s 9:30 Coffee Break, what songs do you want to hear from the early pioneers of rock n’ roll?

Respond with your song ideas in the comments below.

Have an idea for a Coffee Break topic? Submit your idea for a future theme and browse past Coffee Breaks in our archive.

Songs Played:
Bo Diddley – Bo Diddley
Big Mama Thornton – Hound Dog
Little Richard – Good Golly, Miss Molly
The Drifters – Under the Boardwalk
Sister Rosetta Tharpe – That’s All
Chuck Berry – Memphis
Fats Domino – I’m Gonna Be A Wheel Someday