Rockabilly is a musical genre tracing its roots to 50’s music and today having stylistic similarities to the likes of Buddy Holly, Jerry Lee Lewis, and even Elvis. The basis of rockabilly is a mixture of blues, hillbilly, bluegrass, and country, with a rock twist. The origin has a distinct southern flavor, and the acoustic sound carries a characteristic offbeat accent and slapping bass. The original rockabilly movement lasted only a short while in the 1950s from about 1954 to 1956 but the style has left a lasting impression on today’s music. Though similar in sound to the likes of Hank Williams in the late 1940’s, rockabilly is a more stripped-down version of rock. The 1954 Memphis sessions with Elvis Presley for Sam Phillips Sun Records is often looked to as the first rockabilly recordings. During this era, one of the most well known rockabilly artists of all time came out of Lubbock, Texas. Buddy Holly took the sound even farther, blending blues, country, and gospel with overtones of Tex-Mex sounds from south of the border. Buddy Holly became a legend for his innovative music style and is considered an icon for rockabilly lovers. Carl Perkins, with his recording of Blue Suede Shoes, also became a rockabilly icon, with the song being considered somewhat of an anthem. Other artists who, although moving on to other styles eventually, dabbled in rockabilly artistry are Johnny Cash, Charlie Feathers, Gene Vincent, Billy Lee Riley, and Roy Orbison (just to name a few). Though the rockabilly style seemed to have faded quickly, it never disappeared and was revived in a modern movement by The Stray Cats in the 1980’s. In the 1990’s, other bands followed suit, including Reverend Horton Heat and Big Sandy and the Fly Right Boys.
Julie Abnet Photography 