The History of Doo-Wop ( Rock 'n Roll )

When the 1950s are mentioned, the first type of music to come to most people's minds is Doo-Wop (rock 'n roll). Developed from a blend of Southern blues and gospel music with an added strong back beat, this type of music was popular with teenagers who were trying to break out of the mainstream, conservative, American middle class mold.  Popular artists such as Bill Haley,  Elvis Presley, and  Jerry Lee Lewis  were promoted on radio by just as popular disc-jockeys (DJ's) like Alan Freed and the Big Bopper.  The deaths of Lubbock singer Buddy Holly , Ritchie Valens and the Big Bopper is still lamented by fans.  The influence of these early rockers has been felt in popular music worldwide.

Buddy Holly on the Arthur Murray Dance Party 12/29/57

Music in the fifties was more than just rock 'n roll.  Crooners like Nat King Cole, Frank Sinatra, Perry Como and Dinah Shore were all popular.  Many of these singers were the idols of the rockers who developed the new sounds.

Doo-wop is a style of vocal-based rhythm and blues  music, which developed in African-American communities in the 1940s It originated from gospel-singing groups in churches during this time, and went on to achieved mainstream popularity in the 1950s and early 1960s. An African-American vocal style known as doo-wop emerged from the streets of northeastern and industrial Midwest cities such as New York, Philadelphia, Chicago, Baltimore, Newark and Pittsburgh.These urban communities contained the settings that enabled these often-young groups, to express their music without instruments. The use of their voices in a cappella form could be rehearsed in any location, on a street corner, in a hallway, or wherever the groups could gather together. These groups also had their professional beginnings in local community center talent shows, churches, school talent shows, and their neighborhood street corners. With its smooth, consonant vocal harmonies, doo-wop was one of the most mainstream, pop-oriented R&B styles of the 1950s and 1960s.

Bill Haley - Rock Around The Clock (1956)

In Chicago, the El Dorados, the Flamingos, and in nearby, Gary, Indiana, Pookie Hudson and the Spaniels of “Goodnite Sweetheart Goodnite” fame began their respective careers.

In New York City groups such as the Cadillacs, the Crows in 1953 with “Gee”, and the Heartbeats and later several other legendary groups such as; the Ravens, the Five Satins, Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers, the Jesters, Dion and the Belmonts, Jive Five began recording the songs that changed the course of music history.

The earliest of Doo-Wop roots can be found in a Baltimore, Maryland group formed in 1946 by Sonny Til and named the Vibranaires. This group later changed their name to the Orioles and topped the charts with “It’s To Soon To Know”. Many music historians consider “It’s To Soon To Know” by the Orioles to be the first Doo-Wop song to be recorded.

Los Angeles lays claim to the Penguins of “Earth Angel” fame, the Platters in 1953, the Coasters, and several other great groups.

Groups such as Lee Andrews & the Hearts formed in 1953 in Southwest Philadelphia of “Long Lonely Nights” fame also put Philadelphia on the Doo-Wop map.


By 1958, the Doo-Wop style of music ruled the rock n’ roll airwaves. the Silhouettes, Dion & the Belmonts, the Chantels with “Maybe”, the Del Vikings with “Come Go With Me”, the Platters, the Coasters and most of the greatest groups to ever record were capturing the hearts of America with their forever-legendary songs.

Elvis Presley "Jail House Rock" video 1957

Doo-wop music features a specific type of background vocals, provided by members of a musical group who are not the lead singers. A type of music characterized by onomatopoeia (that is, sounding like its name), doo-wop can easily be spotted by listeners who will hear the words "doo-wop" literally sung by backup singers. Often the bass singer in a group is tasked with this, though sometimes it fills the entire backup vocals of a song.



The origin of the actual term "doo-wop" and an explanation of who or what group named this genre of music is unknown. A rumor exists that a California radio disc-jockey named Gus Gossert coined the term in the early 1970s, but Gossert himself refutes this claim, noting that the term was around long before his tenure as a DJ.

American Graffiti (1973) Theatrical Trailer "Directed by George Lucas"

Doo-wop music has gone on to inspire movements in the Italian-American community, giving rise to Italian-American doo-wop groups such as The Capris, who sang "A Teenager in Love," and also Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons. Doo-wop's influence can also be seen in many rock and soul groups from the 1960s, including The Miracles and female groups such as The Supremes  and the Chantels. Its influence has also spanned generations, inspiring revivals such as Billy Joel's 1983 hit, "The Longest Time."



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