Devil's Music, Holy Rollers and Hillbillies: How America Gave Birth to Rock and Roll

Rock music today is universal and its popular history is well known. Yet few know how and why it really came about. Taking a fresh look at events long overlooked or misunderstood, this book tells how some of the most disenfranchised people in a free and prosperous nation strove to make themselves heard--and changed the world. Describing the genesis of rock and roll, the author covers everything from its deep roots in the Mississippi Delta, key early figures, like deejay "Daddy-O" Dewey Phillips and gospel star Sister Rosetta Tharpe, and the influence of so-called "holy rollers" of the Pentecostal church who became crucial performers--Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis and Little Richard.

Author: James A. Cosby
Publisher: McFarland & Company
Published: 06/06/2016
Pages: 264
Binding Type: Paperback
Weight: 0.80lbs
Size: 9.00h x 5.90w x 0.60d
ISBN: 9781476662299
Audience: Young Adult


Review Citation(s):
Kirkus Reviews 11/01/2016

About the Author
Attorney James A. Cosby is a regular contributor on pop culture matters for PopMatters.com and other outlets. He lives in Philadelphia.