Some of my favorite Motown songs may not be yours, but that doesn’t matter because nearly everything Motown Records released was a favorite—one reason they made so much money.
Let’s hit the road with some highway hits and cruising classics. After all, rock ‘n’ roll wouldn’t exist without wheels. Larry and Lori, the rockabilly act who made up The Collins Kids, knew the value of owning your very first set of wheels. I couldn’t wait to get mine, which turned out to be a ’46 Ford V8.
One of my favorite genres in pop music, vocal group harmony, is better known as doo-wop. I appreciate doo-wop because of its simplicity, innocence, romance, novelty, and sound. Performed with or without instrumental accompaniment, it plays a vital part in the formation of rock ‘n’ roll. Its influence is enormous. Had it not been for a group like Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers, Michael Jackson (for one) might not ever have existed.
Soul music: a compelling, distinct, and dynamic kind of music very popular in the 1960s. Originating in the African American community throughout the United States, soul combines elements of rhythm and blues, gospel, and jazz. Ray Charles and Sam Cooke were two well-known pioneers, and another was Solomon Burke, who was central in bridging R&B and soul.