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: Skee Brothers
Searching for the first rock and roll song without regard to "hits" means finding surprises. Some beyond belief such as the competitors to the #1 ...

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


  • Added: Aug 08, 2023
  • Length: 02:57:00
  • Purchases: 7
Caption: Washington Phillips
The mystery of who and what happens in heaven from scolding abstractions to humerous specifics, pop song lyrics have evolved over the last 100 year...

Bought by KFCF FM and Delmarva Public Media


  • Added: Aug 01, 2023
  • Length: 58:00
  • Purchases: 2
Caption: Brothers Stick and Brownie McGhee
Popular songs done by the song's originators and if rock and roll broke up the orthodoxy, then Spike Jones could be considered the original rock an...

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


  • Added: Jul 31, 2023
  • Length: 02:57:00
  • Purchases: 4
Caption: Los Indonesios aka Black Dynamites
Rock and roll guitar instrumentals have always been a mainstay. Paraphrasing Dan Hicks, "All our songs are instrumentals but here's one we added l...

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


  • Added: Jul 24, 2023
  • Length: 02:56:56
  • Purchases: 7
Caption: Sam Mateparae and the Rockin Rockers (New Zealand)
A variety of theme including lyrics about Alaska, Pig Latin, schoolyard chants, and twists on "Smoke, Smoke, Smoke that Cigarette" as we search for...

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


  • Added: Jul 18, 2023
  • Length: 02:57:00
  • Purchases: 7
Piece image
Louisiana music, girl groups, and a cluster of musicians who played cowboys but would have musically fit better on Sugar Hill than the Black Hills....

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


  • Added: Jul 12, 2023
  • Length: 02:56:59
  • Purchases: 6
Caption: Bobby Lee Trammell
An hour of songs who's lyrics that take us from the gleeful invitations to the tearful breakup of every 1961-era teenage sock hop and party. Also...

Bought by Prairie Public and KFCF FM


  • Added: Jun 19, 2023
  • Length: 02:57:00
  • Purchases: 2
Caption: Tameers
Walking With Frankie is an hard blues with a beautiful pop hook making its riffs one of the most common and copied riffs in blues and rock music. ...

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


  • Added: Jun 12, 2023
  • Length: 03:56:00
  • Purchases: 7

  • Added: Jun 05, 2023
  • Length: 02:56:59
  • Purchases: 6
Caption: Teddy "Mr. Bear" McRae
Bands and songs featuring the character of a "night owl." Usually a male who stays out all night every night. She's waiting on him at the front ...

Bought by Delmarva Public Media, KFCF FM, Prairie Public, and WQCS


  • Added: May 23, 2023
  • Length: 04:09:21
  • Purchases: 4
Caption: The Mysterious Montells
It was a music that was shared around the globe. It was based on a univeral feeling. What is the heart and soul of music? Of humanity?

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


  • Added: May 16, 2023
  • Length: 02:57:00
  • Purchases: 7
Piece image
It's not a "hits" or an "oldies" show because was play collector's music - those songs that were meritorious artistic successes but not commercial ...

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


  • Added: May 10, 2023
  • Length: 02:57:00
  • Purchases: 6
Caption: Ernie Vincent and the Top Notes (Dap Walk Guitar)
In theatrical musicals, music breaks out during a storyline. In a "radio musical," a story breaks out during a music show. What if the story is ...

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


  • Added: May 03, 2023
  • Length: 02:57:00
  • Purchases: 6
Caption: Floyd Dakil
Surely Little Richard was a rock and roll founder but who and what influenced him? We track the origin of Little Richard's song "Keep a Knockin" b...

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


  • Added: Apr 26, 2023
  • Length: 02:57:00
  • Purchases: 7
Caption: The Turbans
The joy of music isn't finding the first, It's the search through all the "possibly the firsts." Who could have even imagined there are so many co...

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


  • Added: Apr 18, 2023
  • Length: 02:57:00
  • Purchases: 8
Piece image
It's a show unlike any other rock and roll history show because we capture the feel of the music instead of making it a museum piece. Rock and rol...

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


  • Added: Apr 03, 2023
  • Length: 02:57:00
  • Purchases: 7