Chitlin' Circuit and the Road to Rock 'N' Roll

Friday, 21 October 2011
The road to Rock 'n' Roll was paved by the numerous African-American musicians and promoters of the 1930s and '40s who were forced to perform in venues that were safe for them during this time of intense segregation. This informal network of juke joints and clubs gave us artists such as Louis Jordan, T-Bone Walker and Wynonie Harris.
Acclaimed journalist Preston Lauterbach discusses his exciting book The Chitlin' Circuit and the Road to Rock 'N' Roll. Because of Lauterbach's documentation of the fascinating stories of these talented yet often forgotten musicians, American musical history is more complete. In recognition of Lauterbach's accomplishment, he is also a featured author at the 2011 Texas Book Festival in Austin, Texas

[@mirandac8712]

It's just absolutely unbelievable. It really is. I have a phd in music, and I am learning about this for the very first time (nothing against classical music, I love it, but still)

[@tonitajones7588]

I liked that you have a lot of information about things that I didn't know about. Good job🤝🤜

[@samdees3886]

Preston is wonderful

[@princepatrick6385]

thanks for writing this book it is informative and entertainer.

[@Natethagr88]

RIP LIL richard

[@kareemsupremet.v.5189]

This is why we seriously need to start telling our own stories.

[@kareemsupremet.v.5189]

@@BananaPuddingNow whuddever

[@raymondfeast9649]

We are very musically incline. Its sad this is not known our taught. So much has been stolen from us.

[@MrRon1124]

I found this video because of my writing on the same subject. I think this is a respectful attempt to tell the story of the evolution and spread of black culture throughout America and the world, but 'you've got to go there to know there'. What that refers to is that you must be born and reared in that culture to know the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. African American nuances in art, literature and music as well as spoken and body language is invisible to the foreign eye and ear. But bless his heart for the attempt.

[@joelake7986]

Fascinating talk on the road to rock. I need to give that book a look.

[@fonzisalgado512]

I had heard of this Circut but a amazing surprise to find that there's a book on it... one note i think the Lorrain Motel in MIAMI, FL had a club in it that was part of the CHITLIN CIRTUIT....i 'm buying the book for sure.... thankyou

[@jimmytwotymes7460]

Thanks for the video!

[@cbwrecords]

Thank You!

[@Pentonaut]

Great video. Thank you so much for sharing.

[@terreciakennedy3633]

My people created Rock and Roll, some just won't except it smh. Elvis's hound dog was a remake from a black woman. Is Elvis blues are rock?

[@mirandac8712]

Forget about reparations. How about a thank-you note? _Thanks for the free labor that made our material civilization possible, and oh, also, our entire culture, almost forgot about that part._

[@mirandac8712]

I don't mean to sound like a millennial twerp. But I don't think enough people know about any of this. And I have this theory -- maybe crackpot, I dunno -- that the American obsession with feminism (metoo, etc) is a displaced, sublimated expression of the _actual_ social injustice (the segregation and exploitation of the African-American population) the scale of which is only now beginning to be appreciated -- I think it started with Richard Pryor (I think American popular identity began with Mark Twain and culminated in Pryor) -- and it's simply too immense to deal with. So America can only deal with it by way of analogy. It's just a theory, but a few weeks ago I walked down through Harlem to meet friends on the upper east side for brunch, and the topic was, of course, feminism. I travel through third-world-level poverty to discuss the horror of frat boys hitting on cute yuppies making seven digits in midtown manhattan. The degree of their fury is unaccountable. (I'm not condoning sexism.) I wasn't born in America, so this is the sense I make of it right now. An important, gifted politician (Franken) was literally forced out of office because he made a joke -- back when he was employed as a professional comedian. The profound irrationality of that, the unbelievable self penalization -- at a moment of utter political crisis, wrought by an open sex offender who received the majority of the white female vote -- is inexplicable without resorting to some sort of guilty conscience, and it has to be staring them in the face every day. America is obsessed with its pop culture, and that pop culture is 100% African-American; yet the social structure isn't really distinct from apartheid. Women have a keener nose for justice, but they also have an intense (maternal) instinct for self preservation.

[@permogensen3964]

Not entirely true - The black community for sure did make rock and roll, but Elvis´ interpretation was from Freddie Bell and His Bell Boys (1955). Willie Mae "Big Mama" Thornton recorded it (recorded in 1952 , released in 1953) by a mistake as it was supposed to be Lil Esther (also a black female), but she did not make in time, and Big Mama was in next door and hense she became the original. Lil recorded a version 2 months later but it aint half as good as Big Mamas original, which is a belter bit time. And much much better than Elvis ever did his rendition of it. By the way, what a gem of history. I enjoyed every second of it. More white people, and perhaps even black, should learn more about the history.

[@thebrazilianatlantis165]

"All this stuff happened in a segregated black world before it ever got into the white world." If you think he's exaggerating, listen to "Rock The Joint" by Jimmy Preston, "Hole In The Wall" by Albennie Jones, and "Rock And Roll" by Wild Bill Moore, all recorded before mid-1949, and then try to find _any_ recordings from before mid-1949 with anyone not black in the band or singing that have backbeat percussion through most of the tune and lyrics about rocking.

[@SenorZorrozzz]

Elvis recorded lots of people song because he wasn’t a songwriter. If you listen to his versions they’re not like the original versions. So don’t make it sound like it’s a copycat thing. And you’re gonna tell me son, that is songwriters were influenced by people before them? Yes they were. And Music there are many influences.

[@BananaPuddingNow]

They didn't have the best intentions..... stay on course.

[@samuelmuiruri4704]

bbc brought me here.