Who is the REAL father of Rock?

[Vincent Vega]

Who the actual "father" of Rock is is often debated, and rests among a few candidates who helped found the genre. But who out of them all contributed the most to making Rock what it was or is?

[Guest Len B'stard]

Ike Turner i guess for being the firstest. Robert Johnson is blues and it's a disservice to him more than a compliment to attempt to attach him to rock n roll.

But overall, for the one who had like, the most elements, whether musical or lyrical or stylistic, of the lasting rock template to his shit? Chuck Berry man, flat out.

Edited December 6, 2012 by sugaraylen

[Vincent Vega]

Ike Turner i guess for being the firstest. Robert Johnson is blues and it's a disservice to him more than a compliment to attempt to attach him to rock n roll.

But overall, for the one who had like, the most elements, whether musical or lyrical or stylistic, of the lasting rock template to his shit? Chuck Berry man, flat out.

Johnson was blues but blues is the father of Rock...And I think Johnson just had that SOMETHING. That raw edge which makes him, if not Rock's father, than Rock's "grandfather" if you will. I mean tons and tons of the musicians and whatnot who came up in the 50s, 60s and 70s all loved Robert Johnson.

[James Bond]

Chuck Berry. His licks are still used by bands everywhere today.

[Guest Len B'stard]

Ike Turner i guess for being the firstest. Robert Johnson is blues and it's a disservice to him more than a compliment to attempt to attach him to rock n roll.

But overall, for the one who had like, the most elements, whether musical or lyrical or stylistic, of the lasting rock template to his shit? Chuck Berry man, flat out.

Johnson was blues but blues is the father of Rock...And I think Johnson just had that SOMETHING. That raw edge which makes him, if not Rock's father, than Rock's "grandfather" if you will. I mean tons and tons of the musicians and whatnot who came up in the 50s, 60s and 70s all loved Robert Johnson.

I agree with you but it's like a personal feeling thing. The link is there and everything but...it's kind of a stretch really, to bring him THAT close to rock n roll. I see what you mean and i sort of agree but, like Chuck Berry, all the basic elements, the famous two string thing, the fills, the solo, the whole like...structure of rock songs was basically all there within Chuck Berry and his work so it's gotta go to Chuck for my money.

[Rovim]

Yeah, it's Chuck Berry for me too. It's amazing what he gave to rock and the influence he had on it is humbling.

[username]

Chuck Berry. I really love most of the people listed here.

Robert Johnson is one of the biggest blues legends in history, but has nothing to do with rock.

Elvis is the man, no doubt... but somehow Berry is more the real rock music.

[classicrawker]

I think indirectly it was Robert Johnson as he was a huge influence on every blues artist that followed and as was pointed out by Miser Rock n Roll is rooted in the blues but directly I think it was Chuck Berry as most of the early Rockers stole his licks.............

Edited December 6, 2012 by classicrawker

[dalsh327]

To me, jump blues and western swing were the birth of rock and roll. It was just a matter of when they were going to merge.

Chuck's influences were T-Bone Walker, Carl Hogan, Charlie Christian, & Muddy Waters, there's a "Roots of Chuck Berry" CD you can check out that took some of the songs and artists from his bio.

Robert Johnson was an influence on guitarists in the 1960s. The reissue came out in 1961, and that's when Billy Gibbons, Eric Clapton, Bob Dylan, and others heard it for the first time. It wasn't an influence on rock, if anything, Son House and Muddy Waters should get the credit. Lomax heard the records of course, and I'm sure Pete Seeger did as well.

Edited December 6, 2012 by dalsh327

[izzygirl]

Chuck Berry, but I wonder what Buddy Holly might achieve if he didn't die so young.

[Georgy Zhukov]

Rock could not exist without blues. Robert Johnson was influential not only in guitar but songwriting.

[Kill Devil Hill]

Bill Haley.

[bran]

chuck berry

[Guest Len B'stard]

Rock could not exist without blues. Robert Johnson was influential not only in guitar but songwriting.

Ain't that taking the degrees of detachment thing a bit too far? Couldn't you concievably then say like, the first bluesman ever was the father of rock n roll, how far you gonna go back with this such and such wouldn't've existed without such and such?

I think Hank Williams deserves a mention on a number of levels...the first Hank Williams, the proper Hank Williams, not these no-marks knockin' about nowadays.

Edited December 6, 2012 by sugaraylen

[Zint]

Ike Turner lit the fuse, Bill Haley ran with the bomb and tossed it to Chuck.

Chuck detonated the bomb right fuckin proper.

[Johnny Drama]

Little Richard rocks my ass off everytime I listen to his shit. I think his shit with heavy guitars essentially equals GNR and the like.

[The Real McCoy]

Chuck.

[st0n3r]

Its probably Chuck Berry, but I voted Jerry Lee Lewis because I like him the most.

[moreblack]

Glad to see so many votes for CB.