formerly called The Chart A 350-year timeline that traces the roots of Rock 'n' Roll along the three streams of music in America from the days of the Pilgrim Fathers and black plantation slaves

To explore the development of Pop music in America,
start at the bottom of the Chart and scroll up

	. . . . . ..		..		..
Date 1965 1960 1955 1950 1945 1940 1935 1930 1925 1920 1915 1910 1905 1900 1890 1880 1870 1860 1850 1800 1700 1600 .				1965 "Best Pop Vocal" Beatles lose to Anita Kerr Singers in an award system created by Tin Pan Alley to ignore Rock 'n' Roll mid 1960s Blues Revival British groups remind America that the roots of Rock are in the Blues
				EPILOGUE
1965 1960 1955 1950 1945 1940 1935 1930 1925 1920 1915 1910 1905 1900 1890 1880 1870 1860 1850 1800 1700 1600
	. . . . . .	By 1964 R&B becomes so integrated with Pop that Billboard magazine drops its R&B listing	..	. from mid 1960s Rock & Roll Matures The lyrics of Bob Dylan and the music of the Beatles help transform Rock & Roll into Rock – the new folk music of the Americas, and the world . .	..	from mid 1960s Country Rocks Folk-rockers turn to Country's grassroots for inspiration
		. early 1960s Diluted Soul Fusion of Soul and Pop for the white market from 1959 Music Reclaimed Having lost R&B to Pop, blacks reclaim their music with a fusion of Gospel and Blues		1960 – 1965 R&R Seeks Direction Teen Idols / Folk / Surf / Instrumentals / Novelty Songs / R&B / Soul		. early 1960s Country Goes Pop Lush arrangements by Chet Atkins, Owen Bradley, and the Anita Kerr Singers produce a polished Country sound to compete with Pop 1961 Pioneers Honored The Country Music Hall of Fame is established to honour its pioneers
1960 1965 1960 1955 1950 1945 1940 1935 1930 1925 1920 1915 1910 1905 1900 1890 1880 1870 1860 1850 1800 1700 1600
				. . from 1959 Singing in the Rain Tin Pan Alley continues fight by giving non-Rock & Roll songs awards
				. . 1959 Not a Flash in the Pan Tin Pan Alley, the inventor of payola, cries "pay for play" as Rock & Roll starts to dominate hit parade		1958 Responding to the devastating effect Rock & Roll is having on Country, Nashville businessmen, artists and deejays establish a trade association to promote Country music and confer annual awards
	. . . . . .	.	..	. . August 5, 1957 Rock & Roll Cleans Up R&R gets squeaky clean for television market and is accepted into the homes of middle America	..
				1957 – 1959 Rockabilly Softens Major labels climb onboard and dilute Rockabilly with Pop for the white teen market .
		. Rhythm & Blues		.. 1956 – 1957 Hybrid Music Fusion of R&B and Country for adults, released on small, independent labels . . 1956 "I don't sing like nobody" Elvis Presley walks into Sam Phillips' studio to record some Blues and Country. Sam Phillips finds his white singer.		. Country Boogie
1955 1965 1960 1955 1950 1945 1940 1935 1930 1925 1920 1915 1910 1905 1900 1890 1880 1870 1860 1850 1800 1700 1600
	. . . . . .	Rhythm and Blues late '40s – early '60s Gospel Truths Doo Wop introduces the 4-part harmonies of Gospel into Rock & Roll, and a Tin Pan Alley chord structure that will become the basis of Rock & Roll ballads	.	. . early 1950s Memphis studio owner Sam Phillips records R&B groups and sees market potential for a white singer who can sound black . . early 1950s Tin Pan Alley loses ground (and royalties) to roots music as Pop vocalists jump on roots bandwagon and sing R&B and Country hits . . . early 1950s Disc jockey Alan Freed plays Rhythm & Blues to white teen market and calls it "Rock & Roll" .. early 1950s Radio loses its top programs and personalities to television and returns to music programming . .	.	Country Boogie Honky Tonk Western Swing 1952 Rock The Joint Bill Haley's fusion of Jump Blues and Western Swing opens door to Rock & Roll era
		late '40s – early '50s Have You Heard the News? Gospel-inspired R&B singers influence Pop crooners and pave the way for the emotion of the early Rockers		. late '40s – 1956 A new generation of Pop vocalists, plus crossover artists, compete with big band vocalists as singers dominate pop charts		late '40s – early '50s Greener Pastures Eddy Arnold, Tennessee Ernie Ford and others cross over to the greener pastures of Pop
1950 1965 1960 1955 1950 1945 1940 1935 1930 1925 1920 1915 1910 1905 1900 1890 1880 1870 1860 1850 1800 1700 1600
	. . . . . .		.		.	late '40s – early '50s Honky Tonk Hero Hank Williams, under the direction of Tin Pan Alleyman Fred Rose, combines Hillbilly, Blues and Pop to become the biggest influence in Country music since Jimmie Rodgers
		1949 "Rhythm and Blues" Because of the growing popularity of black music, Billboard's "Race" chart is re-named "Rhythm and Blues"		1948 The American Federation of Musicians continues fight against jukeboxes by banning its members from recording. Vocalists are exempt from ban and start staking a claim on the Pop charts. Rhythm and Blues and Country gain large followings		1949 "Country & Western" Because of the growing popularity of Country music, Billboard's "Hillbilly" chart is re-named "Country & Western"
		late '40s – late '50s Good Rockin' Tonight Hard-driving Rhythm & Blues evolves from the shuffle boogie of Jump Blues and sets the stage for Rock & Roll Many black families re-settle in urban areas after war		.End of an Era The big dance bands start disappearing after the war. Bebop marks the end of commercial Jazz on the Pop charts. Tin Pan Alley tunes lack relevance and a beat for an emerging, affluent youth market		late '30s – mid '50s Country Rocks Country music incorporates Boogie Woogie and starts to rock After the war, the sound of Country becomes less "hillbilly" as the steel guitar replaces the fiddle as the signature instrument — particularly in Western Swing and Honky Tonk
				WW II ENDS November 11, 1945
1945 1965 1960 1955 1950 1945 1940 1935 1930 1925 1920 1915 1910 1905 1900 1890 1880 1870 1860 1850 1800 1700 1600
	. . . . . .	late '30s – late '40s Jumping Jive A blend of Urban Blues and Swing will lay the groundwork for Rhythm & Blues	.	1942 – 1952 Jazz gets Real Gone Jazz gets so far out that it's gone, and so is the audience, leaving middle America left in the dust without dance music . . 1940 – 1956 Vocalists Take Spotlight Bands and musicians take back seat as vocalists step forward	.	early '40s – '60s Stringband in Overdrive The classic sound of Bluegrass is refined and defined in the '40s by Bill Monroe and his Blue Grass Boys — and Earl Scruggs' hot banjo
		October, 1942 "Harlem Hit Parade" Billboard magazine publishes "Harlem Hit Parade" in recognition of growing market for "race" music		1942 Frank Sinatra With big bands not recording because of AFM strike, Frank Sinatra goes solo and opens door for other band vocalists to leave bands
		from 1942 The AFM strike against the three major labels opens door for independent black labels		1942 – 1944 The American Federation of Musicians declares war on jukeboxes by banning its members from recording for the major labels (RCA/Columbia/Decca). Record companies respond by using non-union musicians — Blues and Hillbilly artists. Big band vocalists, exempt from the strike, start to flourish on their own		1942 The AFM strike opens the door for Roy Acuff and Tin Pan Alleyman Fred Rose to build Country music publishing empire
		Some jukebox owners start their own labels to ensure a steady supply of records during wartime rationing		Record rationing helps popularize jukeboxes. The AFM loathes jukeboxes because they are putting union musicians out of work. Tin Pan Alley loves jukeboxes because they are increasing profits from record sales and sheet music royalties		King of Country Music The jukebox helps catapult Roy Acuff to legendary status, rivalling even Frank Sinatra with servicemen overseas
				Records Rationed Wartime rationing curtails the use of shellac in record production. Major labels suspend race and hillbilly labels to pursue pop hits
				America Enters WW II January, 1942
		Cab Calloway scores a million seller with Jumpin' Jive				Gene Autry, Bob Wills,and Ernest Tubb score their first million sellers
1940 1965 1960 1955 1950 1945 1940 1935 1930 1925 1920 1915 1910 1905 1900 1890 1880 1870 1860 1850 1800 1700 1600
	. . . . . .	Strictly Jive 1939 WLAC in Nashville becomes the first radio station to program black music — Jazz, Jump Blues and Gospel	.	1939 To offset losses from sheet music sales and record royalties, Tin Pan Alley publishers (ASCAP) double broadcast royalty rates. Radio responds by forming BMI (Broadcast Music Inc) and exploiting roots music As Depression wears on, Tin Pan Alley revenues from records and sheet music plummet as Americans listen to free radio music	.	1939 As a result of the ASCAP/BMI feud, WSN's Barn Dance Show, known locally in Nashville as The Grand Ole Opry, is up-linked to network — Hillbilly music becomes institutionalized in Nashville
				1938 America Boogies Boogie Woogie goes mainstream after being played by black musicians at John Hammond's "From Spirituals to Swing" concert at Carnegie Hall
		1936 Blues at Crossroads Itinerant Mississippi bluesman absorbs many influences, including boogie woogie rhythms, and broadens foundation of Blues
				1935 –1956 The Top 10 Tin Pan Alley promotes its songs on national radio and introduces concept of "Top 10" to increase sheet music sales. The hit parade concept replaces traditional songs with disposable tunes
		1930s – 1940s Gospel quartets inspire secular quartets. The commercial success of the Mills Brothers and the Ink Spots will open the door for the R&B vocal/Doo Wop groups		1935 – mid '40s America Swings Swing goes mainstream when Benny Goodman plays it on network radio August 21, 1935 and is crowned "King of Swing"		1935 – 1950s Country Swings Bob Wills, Spade Cooley and others incorporate Swing into Country music 1930s Professional duos, many brother acts, evolve from stringbands
1935 1965 1960 1955 1950 1945 1940 1935 1930 1925 1920 1915 1910 1905 1900 1890 1880 1870 1860 1850 1800 1700 1600
	. . . . . .	1930s Blues Go to Town The Blues gets tougher and louder with citified euphemisms		The end of Prohibition makes the Depression a bit more palatable and gives rise to an aggressive, earthy style of country music played in urban watering holes		1933 –1950s White Urban Blues Country music goes to town and expresses more contemporary issues – most notably drinkin' and cheatin'
		early 1930s Jazz Scores Clever arrangements by Fletcher Henderson and Jimmie Lunceford make big bands sound spontaneous. By mid '30s Swing will become a white craze	.	PROHIBITION ENDS 1933 from early '30s Talkies Start To Sing The Depression curtails lavish Broadway musicals just as Hollywood movies start to talk. Tin Pan Alley heads west and the Hollywood film becomes the new vehicle for introducing pop songs 1930s Bing Crosby Popular singer opens door for vocalists to join bands 1932 Broadcast Royalies To offset loss of record royalties, ASCAP succeeds in forcing radio stations to pay royalties for air play	.	1930s –1950s The Singing Cowboys Gene Autry, Roy Rogers and Tin Pan Alley clean up the West and popularize cowboy songs 1930s – 1940s Social Conscience Born out of the dustbowl and hard times of the Depression, the songs of Woody Guthrie and others grow to encompass man's inhumanity to man – and through the lyrics of Bob Dylan in the early 1960s will give Rock & Roll its social conscience
		Blacks seeking work during Depression migrate to urban centers		Record sales collapse during the Depression — 6 million in 1932 compared to 104 million in 1927		Whites seeking work during Depression migrate to urban centers
1930 1965 1960 1955 1950 1945 1940 1935 1930 1925 1920 1915 1910 1905 1900 1890 1880 1870 1860 1850 1800 1700 1600
	. . . . . .	1928 "Eight to the bar" Clarence 'Pinetop' Smith's "Pinetop's Boogie Woogie" is the first recording with a Boogie Woogie title, but this "walking bass" technique has been used by black pianists since the turn of the century	.	DEPRESSION BEGINS October 29, 1929 mid 1920s –1935 Polite Music Society orchestras like Paul Whiteman's play ballroom music for ballroom dancing – and for a chance to be heard on network radio 1927 Movie attendance falls as radio audience increases. Film studios scramble to develop "talkies"	.	1927 Country Originals Ralph Peer establishes publishing company as Country artists, starting with Jimmie Rodgers, write original tunes 1927 – 1933 The Father of Country Music Rodgers' Blues-influenced style, Swiss yodel, Hawaiian guitars and cowboy songs lay the foundation of Country music
		from 1925 Men Sing the Blues The Library of Congress sends mobile recording units south to record rural Blues and discovers guitarists Huddie Ledbetter (Leadbelly), Blind Lemon Jefferson, Son House, and McKinley Morganfield (Muddy Waters)		1925 – 1940 The unexpected commercial success of "race" and "hillbilly" music sends mobile recording units south looking for authentic roots musicians 1925 Sensitive carbon microphones replace acoustic microphones and allow more accurate recordings. The sound of guitars can now be captured, and recordings can now be made outside the studio environment		. 1927 White Blues Ralph Peer travels south to record hillbilly musicians for the Victor label and discovers Jimmie Rodgers and the Carter Family to set the stage for "Country" music
		from 1920s Travelling Gospel groups, predominately male quartets, sing black and white gospel songs and sell songbooks				from 1920s Travelling Gospel groups, predominately male quartets, sing black and white gospel songs and sell songbooks
1925 1965 1960 1955 1950 1945 1940 1935 1930 1925 1920 1915 1910 1905 1900 1890 1880 1870 1860 1850 1800 1700 1600
	. . . . . .	Most blacks don't have electricity, much less the ability to afford a radio. Black programming won't happen until the 1940s . from early 1920s "Good News" Just as Blues goes commercial so, too, does black Spirituals, as Thomas A. Dorsey scores the music for quartets and choirs		from 1920 The first commercial radio station airs in 1920. In 1922 there will be 30 stations, and in 1923, 556		from 1924 Most small radio stations have a resident hillbilly group, while medium-sized stations air elaborate "Barn Dance" shows, with the troupe often touring throughout the listening area
		Classic Blues is a commercial hybrid Blues aimed at an urban market. "Low-down" rural Blues, sung by men in the South, is still waiting to be discovered by record labels				1923 Rural musicians like 'Eck' Robertson, Henry Whitter, 'Fiddlin' John Carson, and the Skillet Lickers record and discover a market for their mountain music, which is dubbed "hillbilly" music – a label that will stick until the 1950s
		1920 Classic Blues opens door to 'sepia' market. Black music is dubbed "race" music – a label that will stick until 1948 from 1920 Women sing the Blues Mamie Smith records "Crazy Blues" which starts the Classic Blues era of the 1920s. The first practitioners were vaudeville women, most notably Bessie Smith		1920s Dixieland Swings The counterpoint of Dixieland yields to solo performances, and the saxophone comes into its own as a Chicago-style Dixieland develops. Future Swing greats listen and take notes
				High on Jazz Speakeasies flourish during Prohibition and offer new venues for musicians. Attitudes relax as women now drink publicly at watering holes and dance uninhibitedly to hot music
				PROHIBITION STARTS January 16, 1920
1920 1965 1960 1955 1950 1945 1940 1935 1930 1925 1920 1915 1910 1905 1900 1890 1880 1870 1860 1850 1800 1700 1600
	. . . . . .		.	The Jazz Age Jazz recordings take America by storm. "Jazz" becomes a catchword for all types of music, although it's also spelled Jass and Jaz May 1919 James Reese Europe James Reese Europe is killed by his disgruntled drummer. New York City honors Europe with an official funeral — the first ever granted to a black citizen. It was the largest funeral in NYC history Fusion Music Back home in the spring of 1919, Europe and his ex-army band – the Hell Fighters– record their hot music and tour the USA. Integrated audiences are excited with this Ragtime-Jazz fusion music America Noted James Reese Europe and his black army band of the 15th Regiment impress Europe with their hot American music. After the War, Americans are more patriotic and less dependent on European-influenced music.	.
				WW I ENDS November, 1918
				1918 Jazz in Europe American bandleader James Reese Europe and his black army band of the 15th Regiment introduce Jazz to Europe
				1917 First Jazz Recording A 5-man white band from New Orleans — The Original Dixieland Jazz Band — records "Livery Stable Blues" in New York City and sells an unheard of 250,000 copies
		New Orleans' musicians head north to Chicago's South Side 1917 New Orleans' Storyville district is shut down		1917 New Orleans Jass, played by black and white musicians, becomes known as "Dixieland"
		In the 1890s about 20% of black Americans lived in the North. By 1920 it will be 35%		US ENTERS WW I April 6, 1917
1915 1965 1960 1955 1950 1945 1940 1935 1930 1925 1920 1915 1910 1905 1900 1890 1880 1870 1860 1850 1800 1700 1600
		Black Migration from 1914 The reduction of immigrant workers means job openings in Northern factories. Blacks migrate north		European Immigration 1914 With the outbreak of war in Europe, immigration to America slows to a trickle
	. . . . . .		.	1914 Watching sheet music sales plummet, Tin Pan Alley establishes the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers and introduces concept of "royalties"	.
		1912 W C Handy Up until now, Blues has been an oral tradtion with much irregularity in form. Seeing a market for Blues, WC Handy publishes sheet music of his " Memphis Blues" and standardizes a 12 bar format for the genre		1914 Phonograph discs replace cylinders and record sales soar. Home sing-a-longs and Tin Pan Alley sheet music sales plummet 1911 - 1917 The Cakewalk yields to the ragtime animal dance craze that includes the TurkeyTrot, Bunny Hug and Kangaroo Dip. The Fox Trot survives to become a popular dance in the ballroom dance craze of the 1920s The Ragtime craze continues, with the Cakewalk paving the way for other innovative black dances
1910 1965 1960 1955 1950 1945 1940 1935 1930 1925 1920 1915 1910 1905 1900 1890 1880 1870 1860 1850 1800 1700 1600
	. . . . . .	Black Love Love is fine, but sex is better, and black music abounds with colorful euphemisms expressing the joys of sex	.	Pop Love Tin Pan Alley love songs range from the sublime to the ridiculous while neatly avoiding everyday reality from 1900s Sentimental Journey America loves the sentimental ballad, which becomes the staple of Tin Pan Alley's "pop" music machine from 1900s Airs of Culture European operettas with Tin Pan Alley songs form the basis of Broadway musicals	.	Country Love Country love, with its puritanical roots, must be of the hurtin' or cheatin' kind because a price must be paid for enjoying sex
1905 1965 1960 1955 1950 1945 1940 1935 1930 1925 1920 1915 1910 1905 1900 1890 1880 1870 1860 1850 1800 1700 1600
	. . . . . .	1904 Although a great Ragtime pianist, Jelly Roll Morton starts going beyond Ragtime with early Jazz phrasing Small brass bands flourish in New Orleans Surplus military band instruments flood New Orleans after Spanish American War	.	AFM Ragtime Ban 1901 The American Federation of Musicians bans members from playing Ragtime in favour of classical European music 1900 – 1917 Rags Debased Tin Pan Alley reduces the Rag to its lowest common denominator to sell sheet music to average pianists	.
1900 1965 1960 1955 1950 1945 1940 1935 1930 1925 1920 1915 1910 1905 1900 1890 1880 1870 1860 1850 1800 1700 1600
				Spanish-American War 1898
				1898 The cakewalk becomes an international dance craze after performance by black dancers in New York. White audiences are introduced to accompanying Rag music
		late 1890s Rags Elevated Scott Joplin refines the Rag on paper in an attempt to elevate the form to classic status
		Storyville Opens 1897 New Orleans' red-light district becomes a hotbed for musical ideas
	. . . . . .	mid 1890s Head Music Buddy Bolden and others syncopate and improvise white songs with small brass bands, using instruments from marching bands During the 1890s,when Tin Pan Alley is about to embark on its mission to provide America with its "popular" music, the destiny of black music is about to unfold. The various elements of black music – call and response, hollers, tonebending, blue notes, syncopation, back beats, improvisation – have been worked for decades in the jook joints, dancehalls, and church meetings of black America. These elements are about to coalesce into different styles, with labels such as Ragtime, Jazz, Blues, and Gospel. (The evolved harmonies of black barbershop quartets will be influential in the development of all black music, but most obviously in Gospel and Doo Wop) Decades of black, close-harmony singing result in the heyday of "barbershop quartets" during the decade of the Gay Nineties	.	1890s – 1914 On a Roll Phonograph cylinders using acoustic microphones popularize march tunes, Ragtime, and powerful voices from 1890s Hits or Misses Contemporary, disposable "hits" start replacing traditional "standards" as sheet music sales of original tunes become the cornerstone of Tin Pan Alley's music industry from 1890s Song Pluggers Tin Pan Alleymen give generous gifts to popular singers to plug songs on vaudeville circuit 1890–1910 Dark Side of Ragtime As blacks migrate to urban centers, whites respond with denigrating "coon songs" from 1890s Music Business Tin Pan Alley is born when some of these new Americans – songwriters, salesmen, businessmen – band together to create "Pop"music for the masses. Unlike the old school of music publishers, Tin Pan Alley is aggressive in selling its wares Prior to the turn of the century, America opens its doors to millions of immigrants from Europe, many fleeing anti-semitism. Denied employment in established fields, many turn to the emerging fields of entertainment – vaudeville, movies, and popular music	.	late 1800s? Fiddle music grows into Stringband music with the addition of banjo and guitar, and other acoustic, stringed instruments. The non-use of drums is a pure Country tradition that will persist into Rockabilly
1890 1965 1960 1955 1950 1945 1940 1935 1930 1925 1920 1915 1910 1905 1900 1890 1880 1870 1860 1850 1800 1700 1600
		late 1880s White Music Played Black Syncopated ("ragged," to white ears) banjo and fiddle music develops into 'Rags' – popular European melodies played on the piano with a syncopated rhythm
	. . . . . .	The Hawaiian slide-guitar technique is introduced to black musicians and will evolve into the "bottleneck" style of Blues		1880s – 1930s The variety show, now established in bustling cities, brings the world to Americans – and becomes the new showcase for promoting pop tunes		The Hawaiian slide-guitar technique is introduced to Country musicians and will develop into the steel guitar
				The "gospel songs" sung in these churches will form the bedrock of "Gospel" music in the 1920s
		With their impassioned singing and revival meeting theatrics, sanctified preachers learn how to hold an audience. Their showmanship will endure to influence the pioneers of Rock & Roll	.	New dissident sects break away from the Methodists and Baptists to establish Holiness, Sanctified and Pentecostal churches. Their religious fervor is expressed through ecstatic singing and the use of musical instruments	.	"Catgut Churches" Pejorative term for white meeting houses using musical instruments in their services. (String instruments of the day are strung with dried intestines of animals)
		Now on their own in a hostile environment, blacks must look deep within themselves for their survival – and for their music
		Blacks survive as sharecroppers, a legal form of slavery. Many die by lynchings.
1880 1965 1960 1955 1950 1945 1940 1935 1930 1925 1920 1915 1910 1905 1900 1890 1880 1870 1860 1850 1800 1700 1600
		Reconstruction Ends 1877 Federal troups leave South, resulting in the resurgence of Jim Crow attitudes and the rise of the KKK		from 1871 Touring black university choir harmonizes black spirituals in concert halls across America and abroad. Although they idealize plantation life, as did Stephen Foster, they win respect and appreciation for black music
	. . . . . .	from 1870s Four-part, close-harmony singers are called "barbershop quartets" in black communities as blacks congregate in barber shops to sing with self-made harmonies. Harmonizing white amateurs had glee clubs, Harmonizing black amateurs had barber shops. (Black, four-part singing will lead to Gospel music in the 1920s, and Doo Wop in the late 1940s)	.	from 1870s Although a standard instrument in military bands, the saxophone will play just a minor role in dance bands until it becomes the signature instrument of Jazz in late 1920s	.	White country music in America now has two distinct roots: Range (cowboy) songs and Mountain (hillbilly) music. The two will merge in 1949 and be called Country & Western
1870 1965 1960 1955 1950 1945 1940 1935 1930 1925 1920 1915 1910 1905 1900 1890 1880 1870 1860 1850 1800 1700 1600
	. . . . . .	The cymbals, snare and side drum of the marching band will provide the components for the "drum kit" of the early Jass bands. Because more percussive trappings could be added, the first drum kits were called "traps." (Until the one-man drum kit is fully realized, some early bands will have musicians on each of these percussive instruments) After the Civil War, Creoles are ostracized by whites and must join the ranks of free blacks. The classically-trained music of the Creoles will figure predominantly in the development of instrument-based Ragtime and Jazz	.	from 1865 Marching bands, popular even before the Civil War, flourish as surplus military instruments become available after the War	.	Cowboy songs are based on British ballads, Blues, and Spanish influences The Spanish guitar is introduced to the American southwest
				After the Civil War, troops are sent to the western frontier to prepare for settlement. Much of this land will remain open range to satisfy a growing nation's need for beef		As America expands into the southwest, the cowboy becomes an American icon with his Mexican-style hat, boots, spurs and chaps. About one quarter of the cowboys are non-white
		Reconstruction 1865 Federal troups occupy South to help reshape a post-slavery America
				US Civil War ends 1865
				January 1, 1863 Originally the Civil War was waged to prevent the secession of the southern states but, when Abraham Lincoln signs the Emancipation Proclamation, it's clear that the issue is slavery
				US Civil War starts 1861 1861 Louisianna secedes from Union
1860 1965 1960 1955 1950 1945 1940 1935 1930 1925 1920 1915 1910 1905 1900 1890 1880 1870 1860 1850 1800 1700 1600
				Glee Clubs from late 1850s Close-harmony singing is embraced by amateurs as Glee clubs are formed in many American universities
	. . . . . .		.	1850s America's first great popular songwriter is harshly criticized by elitist peers for the simplicity of his "Ethiopian Songs" popularized in minstrel shows. Many of these songs were written for singing in harmony	.	The banjo, a black invention, is incorporated into Country music after exposure on travelling minstrel shows
		Luca Family Singers from late 1840s Inspired by touring European harmony acts, the Luca Family may be the first professional black singing group to harmonize in four parts		Amercan Harmony from 1840s Touring European singing acts in the 1930s inspired the formation of American close-harmony, concert singing groups in the 1840s, often family units, most notably the white Hutchinson Family Singers anf the black Luca Family Singers
1850 1965 1960 1955 1950 1945 1940 1935 1930 1925 1920 1915 1910 1905 1900 1890 1880 1870 1860 1850 1800 1700 1600
	. . . . . .	While "blackface" humour denigrates blacks, the cakewalk, a plantation slave dance, pokes fun at pompous white manners	.	1840s – 1920s Touring variety shows entertain white America with "blackface" humour, and foreign acts. The minstrel show is a melting pot for white and black musical ideas, and becomes the vehicle for promoting "popular" songs The American "minstrel" show derives its name from touring European acts in the 1830s	.	Yodelling is incorporated into Country music after Swiss entertainers tour with minstrel shows
				European Harmony 1830s Touring Austrian and Swiss singing acts, like the Tyrolean Minstrels, German Minstrels and Alpine Minstrels, sing German part songs and Tyrolese folk songs on American concert stages to inspire the formation of American close-harmony singing groups in the 1840s
		The expansion of cotton production in the south leads to an internal slave trade that splits up families and sends 'coffles' of chained prisoners on long and arduous journeys to new regions		Vast new territories of land open up in the South after the Mexican-American War
				Mexican-American War 1846 - 1848
		The expression "Jim Crow" will come to mean "anti-black" and "segregation" in terms such as Jim Crow legislation and Jim Crow states		1828 White actor Thomas Rice parodies a black man, Jim Crow, and delights white audiences, which leads to the development of 'blackface' minstrel troupes 1800s For The Ladies By the mid 1800s there are hundreds of thousands of pianos in America's parlors – playing waltzes, polkas, schottisches, and new sentimental tunes. In white society, only women play the piano Star Spangled Banner Sept 14, 1814 Written during the War of 1812 against the British, Francis Scott Key penned his lyrics to a British drinking song
				War of 1812 1812 - 1814
				As a result of the Second Awakening, religious songbooks by Americans will be published, based on popular music forms such as odes, anthems, tunes, and gospel hymns
		Frenzied body movements, including rolling on tne floor, invite spiritual possession of congregation members. Blacks relate to this, as spiritual possession had always been a part of African rituals		Whole Lot of Shakin' Sanctification requires spiritual possession to rid the body of the devil		Quakers quake and Shakers shake to rid their bodies of the devil
		Hymns with a Beat Blacks take white hymns and "spiritual songs" and make them their own with flattened tones, syncopation, and counter rhythms		early 1800s Rural whites and blacks attend Camp Meetings lasting several days to become sanctified and sing the praises of the Lord with hymns and "spiritual songs." A loosening of attitudes allows more popular forms of music to be incorporated into religious songs		Emotional High The religious fervor of the camp revival meetings brings a level of emotion hitherto unknown to white music
				The Second Awakening from early 1800s
				As the Church of England becomes the denomination of choice in white society, dissenting sects – Presbyterian, Lutheran, Baptist, Methodist – must travel further afield to preach the Gospel
		1807 The slave trade is officially abolished, but the southern states don't comply, resulting in an increased value on slaves
		America's purchase of vast French territory between Mississippi River and Rockies increases demand for slaves in the southern cottonfields
		New Orleans France sells New Orleans to United States as part of Louisiana Purchase
				Louisiana Purchase 1803
1800 1965 1960 1955 1950 1945 1940 1935 1930 1925 1920 1915 1910 1905 1900 1890 1880 1870 1860 1850 1800 1700 1600
	. . . . . .	Slaves are not allowed to make or use drums as owners feel they may become instruments of insurrection Plantation slaves start improvising European reels and jigs on banjos and fiddles Plantation slaves replicate African "banja" by stretching sheepskin over half a gourd. The banjo will become a key instrument in early Jazz, Dixieland, Hillbilly, Stringband and Bluegrass music	.	1795 The first editions of this collection of sacred songs include works by Americans. In later editions, under pressure from the Good Music movement, the American songs are replaced by "Classical European tunes" America's first professional entertainers are imported, mostly from Europe Indigenous music is discouraged as American society turns to Europe for things cultural. Aspiring composers are taught by European masters	.	Barn Dances Barn dances become popular in rural America, but Puritans denounce "the lascivious dancing and wanton ditties" The fiddle becomes known as "the devil's box" by religious purists because of its association with dancing and drinking The violin, played with a jigging motion, becomes the heart and soul of American country music
		As black slaves are introduced to white secular music they become adept musicians with a style of their own The musical sophistication of the Creoles will figure predominantly in the development of instrument-based Ragtime and Jazz, with such French names as Alphonse Picou, Sidney Bechet, Barney Bigard, Buddy Petit, and Ferdinand Joseph La Menthe (Jelly Roll Morton)		Following the War of Independence, America receives her second influx of immigrants. Unlike the original colonists who sought asylum for their religious beliefs, these settlers are seeking opportunity and wealth. Along with their dreams comes their music. And as white America develops along two distinct lines – urban and rural – so too does the music		from 1780s British reels, jigs and folk songs — with indigenous lyrics and instrumentation — replace hymns and psalms and become entrenched in the isolated mountain regions of the American south-east to form the roots of American country music. (As music in the urban North becomes secular, it is influenced by European classical music.)
		A black caste system develops with the lighter-skinned Creoles of French blood receiving special privileges, including musical instruction in the European classics		France helps America win her independence from England		America's puritanical attitudes are tempered by the wave of new settlers following the War of Independence
				American War of Independence 1775 – 1783
		Sorrow Songs and Jubilees It's probable that black slaves express their spiritual feelings through the music forms they know at the time – hymns and work songs. Sad songs are called "sorrow songs" and happy songs are called "jubilees"		"My Days Have Been So Wondrous Free" 1759 First known secular song by an American		1774 The Shakers arrive from England after being forced out of France. Shaker leader Anne Lee, an advocate of celibacy, describes the consummation of marriage as "a covenant with death and an agreement with hell"
		Religious music gives black slaves the freedom to connect with their spiritual roots. This will become a re-occuring theme in the development of black music in America		Religion becomes a strong common bond between the disenfranchised of the Appalachians and of the Deep South, but will direct their music down two different paths		The "avoidance of sensual pleasure" ethic of the Puritans sets the moral stage for American Country music
		Oppressed blacks relate to hymns such as "That Awful Day will Surely Come" and "Must Jesus Bear the Cross Alone." Christianity offers freedom in the hope of a better tomorrow		late 1730s Progressive religious sects publish hymn books, which weakens puritanical insistence on singing only psalms		Impoverished whites embrace Christianity because they can achieve equality in the eyes of God
				The Great Awakening late 1730s
		After much debate, plantation owners allow black slaves to become Christians as a method of controlling them from 1740s Black slaves in New Orleans keep in touch with their roots with African tribal dances, rhythms and instruments by gathering in designated area on Sundays The Negro Act Colonial legislators respond with laws that outlaw slave mobility, and right of assembly		John Wesley, founder of Methodism and a pro-abolishionist, visits American South and popularizes religion by encouraging folk-inspired expressions of religious feeling, rather than the staid and often unmusical psalms		The inability of "the Country People" to read music leads to the practice of "lining out" whereby the minister sings out one line of a psalm and congregation members sing back what they hear – not unlike the "call and response" of slave music
		Slave Revolt 1739 Slaves revolt in South Carolina and attempt an escape to Spanish Florida New Orleans 1718 Established by France in 1718, New Orleans would soon become the most racially diverse city in the world, with a unique blend of musical influences By 1710 Africans begin to outnumber Europeans in the colonies. Fearing insurrection, slave owners impose more discipline, including cruelty and instruments of torture		"Concert of Music on Sundry instruments" Dec 30, 1731 America's first public concert, performed in Boston		Irregular Singing c 1731 Because many church congregations can't read music ("regular singing"), the singing of psalms distresses some reformers, resulting in the publication of "Introduction to the Singing of Psalm-Tunes," America's first music instruction book
1700 1965 1960 1955 1950 1945 1940 1935 1930 1925 1920 1915 1910 1905 1900 1890 1880 1870 1860 1850 1800 1700 1600
	. . . . . .	Slavery Legalized 1641 – 1663 Slavery is first legalized for the tobacco plantations, and then for the rice, sugar and cotton fields Plantation slaves employ African 'call and response,' an important element of Blues, Jazz, and Gospel Plantation slaves employ African 'tone bending,' an important element of Blues and Jazz Black Slaves African slaves replace indentured Europeans in the American colonies. Slaves are denied all rights and kept in perpetual servitude	. . .		.	1656 Upon arriving in Massachusetts, the Quakers are persecuted by the Puritans and seek refuge in Pennsylvania Bay Psalm Book 1640 The first book published in America is a translation of Hebrew scripture that is difficult to sing Puritan fundamentalists don't sing hymns because they're composed by man. Psalms are inspired by God Puritans sing psalms without instruments, as instruments are considered tools of the devil Pilgrim Fathers The Pilgrim Fathers arrive in America in the early 1600s to escape persecution for their puritanical beliefs
1600 1965 1960 1955 1950 1945 1940 1935 1930 1925 1920 1915 1910 1905 1900 1890 1880 1870 1860 1850 1800 1700 1600
	.