The Rock 'n' Roll era began with a roar – a wop bama luma ba lup bup bup – and ended with a wimper. Five fabulous years of hard driving rock 'n' roll music courtesy of Little Richard, Chuck Berry, Fats Domino, Bill Haley, Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, Johnny Cash, Buddy Holly, Bo Diddley, Gene Vincent, Eddie Cochrane, Connie Francis, Brenda Lee, Wanda Jackson, Ricky Nelson, the Everly Brothers, Duane Eddy plus a thousand and one one-hit-wonders.

By 1960 Buddy Holly, Big Bopper and Ritchie Valens were dead, Elvis was in the army, Chuck Berry was in prison, Little Richard had turned to religion, Fat's Domino had split from his song writing partner, Carl Perkins was in hospital, Jerry Lee was drunk, Johnny Cash was drugged, Eddie Cochrane was about to die, Gene Vincent was past his use-by date... not a good look. The British and Australian rockers enjoyed a few brief years of fame – Cliff Richard, Adam Faith, Johnny O'Keefe, Col Joye, Marty Wilde, Billy Fury... and fortunately we still had the great instrumental bands like Johnny and the Hurricanes, the Champs, the Shadows, the Fireballs, and in Australia, the Atlantics.

1960 arrived and there was a lull. In Britain, skiffle king Lonnie Donegan was the last man standing, and stateside Dion DiMucci – The Wanderer – was left holding the fort. It was the "Bobby" era – Bobby Darin, Bobby Vee, Bobby Rydell, Bobby Vinton, Bobby Day, Bobby... Bobby... Bobby. Bobby Darin turned from twee rockers to ballads while the Ventures and the Shadows concentrated mostly on film scores and evergreens. Eydie Gorme blamed it on the Bossa Nova. In Britain the late fifties evolved into the trad (traditional) jazz era – Ken Colyer, Humphrey Lyttleton, Chris Barber, Acker Bilk, Kenny Ball, Terry Lightfoot plus several others. Chris Barber's banjo player became the first Brit to hit the #1 spot in the USA. Lonnie Donegans's Rock Island Line inspired the likes of Johnny Cash to pick up a guitar! Meanwhile, the Ray Conniff Orchestra hit the big time, as did crooners like Johnny Mathis. It seemed like the end of the road for Rock 'n' Roll.

Swinging 60s!
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