At its inception, Rock ’n’ Roll was called “the devil’s music” among many derogatory names by its detractors. Some cities banned it altogether. Rooted in Black R&B and Blues, its infectious beat led young people in the South to leap over the rope that segregated Whites from Blacks in the audience. The 1957, Chuck Berry lyric, “Hail, hail Rock’n’Roll, deliver me from the days of old,” in his hit song School Days, celebrated the music as a turning point in race relations. Daryl brings that history forward into his own story, using music as a common denominator and proving that musical and racial harmony go hand-in-hand.
What audiences learn:
-How musical inspiration differs from musical appropriation.
-The Elvis conundrum: How he was crowned King of a genre he didn’t create.
-How Country and Blues are the same music, and why society separates them.
-How a Black musical genre improved race relations and elected a Black president.
-Why music is a cultural necessity and not a luxury.