The Roots of Rock ’n’ Roll, Part One: Buddy Holly, Chuck Berry & Jerry Lee Lewis

Where did rock ’n’ roll come from?

There is no single answer. The music that changed American popular culture grew from an extraordinary mixture of sounds—country and Western swing, blues and rhythm & blues, gospel, boogie-woogie, and more. Musicians borrowed from one another, transformed what they heard, and created something exciting and new.

In this lively, music-filled presentation, historian Barry Bradford explores that fascinating evolution through three of rock ’n’ roll’s greatest pioneers: Buddy Holly, Chuck Berry, and Jerry Lee Lewis. Rather than offering conventional biographies, we’ll ask two intriguing questions: Who influenced them—and whom did they influence?

You’ll discover some remarkable musicians whose names may be less familiar today but whose sounds helped shape rock ’n’ roll. Hear how the irresistible Western swing of Bob Wills helped point the way toward Buddy Holly; how gospel pioneer Sister Rosetta Tharpe, electrifying audiences with her voice, guitar, and showmanship, helped blaze a trail that Chuck Berry would follow; and how the rollicking country and boogie-woogie piano of Moon Mullican helped lay the groundwork for the explosive style of Jerry Lee Lewis.

Then we’ll follow the musical family tree forward as Holly, Berry, and Lewis, in turn, inspired some of the most important performers who followed them.

Filled with rare performances, unforgettable music, surprising connections, and great stories, The Roots of Rock ’n’ Roll demonstrates that rock was not invented in a single moment by a single performer. It was created when many streams of American music came together—and a new sound changed the world.