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Throughout the early years of the music's development, whether at independent labels or among performers themselves, Rock and Roll culture was a meeting place of various racial and ethnic groups. Different from the world of American business and the emerging corporate environment, the world of Rock and Roll held possibilities for immigrants and non-whites who wanted to improve upon their situations. If the popular version of the American Dream held that anyone could make his way to the Presidency, just as Abe Lincoln did in the near mythological tale of his journey from a log cabin to the White House, the lives of many Americans proved that this Dream did not hold. But in the music business, things — if not perfect — were different. In a time when an important businessman like Henry Ford could openly and aggressively promote his anti-Semitic views, Jewish Americans often faced hostility and persecution as they navigated the working world, just as African Americans faced the sometimes brutal facts of segregation. Similarly, Italian Americans also came up against the machinery of prejudice when arriving on American soil. But in music, many among these populations found a different logic governing the institutions through which music got made and got circulated.
If the Rock and Roll story would be entirely different if one removed the profound influence of African Americans, so, too, would things change if the contributions of Italian Americans were somehow pulled from the music and its history. But Italians were often hidden in plain view, at least to the degree that they could be. In this chapter, many of the story's characters go under names other than those they were given. Robert Ridorelli becomes Bobby Rydell. Walen Cassatto becomes Bobby Darin. Frederick Picariello becomes Freddy Cannon. And so forth. It's a history that is too seldom told. But the music of the Italians, from Frank Sinatra and Tony Bennett forward, brought much to Rock and Roll. In the lessons that will be introduced to this chapter in phase two of this project, the Italians will take center stage.
lesson:
Italian-American Vocalists Before Rock and Roll
How did the careers of Italian American vocalists in the first half of the 20th century reflect the experiences of Italian American immigrants and attitudes toward them in the wider American culture?
Video
video:
The Wanderer
<p>Throughout the early years of the music's development, whether at independent labels or among performers themselves, Rock and Roll culture was a meeting place of various racial and ethnic groups. Different from the world of American business and the emerging corporate environment, the world of Rock and Roll held possibilities for immigrants and non-whites who wanted to improve upon their situations. If the popular version of the American Dream held that anyone could make his way to the Presidency, just as Abe Lincoln did in the near mythological tale of his journey from a log cabin to the White House, the lives of many Americans proved that this Dream did not hold. But in the music business, things -- if not perfect -- were different. In a time when an important businessman like Henry Ford could openly and aggressively promote his anti-Semitic views, Jewish Americans often faced hostility and persecution as they navigated the working world, just as African Americans faced the sometimes brutal facts of segregation. Similarly, Italian Americans also came up against the machinery of prejudice when arriving on American soil. But in music, many among these populations found a different logic governing the institutions through which music got made and got circulated.</p> <p>If the Rock and Roll story would be entirely different if one removed the profound influence of African Americans, so, too, would things change if the contributions of Italian Americans were somehow pulled from the music and its history. But Italians were often hidden in plain view, at least to the degree that they could be. In this chapter, many of the story's characters go under names other than those they were given. Robert Ridorelli becomes Bobby Rydell. Walen Cassatto becomes Bobby Darin. Frederick Picariello becomes Freddy Cannon. And so forth. It's a history that is too seldom told. But the music of the Italians, from Frank Sinatra and Tony Bennett forward, brought much to Rock and Roll. In the lessons that will be introduced to this chapter in phase two of this project, the Italians will take center stage.</p>
video:
Little Blue Wren
<p>Throughout the early years of the music's development, whether at independent labels or among performers themselves, Rock and Roll culture was a meeting place of various racial and ethnic groups. Different from the world of American business and the emerging corporate environment, the world of Rock and Roll held possibilities for immigrants and non-whites who wanted to improve upon their situations. If the popular version of the American Dream held that anyone could make his way to the Presidency, just as Abe Lincoln did in the near mythological tale of his journey from a log cabin to the White House, the lives of many Americans proved that this Dream did not hold. But in the music business, things -- if not perfect -- were different. In a time when an important businessman like Henry Ford could openly and aggressively promote his anti-Semitic views, Jewish Americans often faced hostility and persecution as they navigated the working world, just as African Americans faced the sometimes brutal facts of segregation. Similarly, Italian Americans also came up against the machinery of prejudice when arriving on American soil. But in music, many among these populations found a different logic governing the institutions through which music got made and got circulated.</p> <p>If the Rock and Roll story would be entirely different if one removed the profound influence of African Americans, so, too, would things change if the contributions of Italian Americans were somehow pulled from the music and its history. But Italians were often hidden in plain view, at least to the degree that they could be. In this chapter, many of the story's characters go under names other than those they were given. Robert Ridorelli becomes Bobby Rydell. Walen Cassatto becomes Bobby Darin. Frederick Picariello becomes Freddy Cannon. And so forth. It's a history that is too seldom told. But the music of the Italians, from Frank Sinatra and Tony Bennett forward, brought much to Rock and Roll. In the lessons that will be introduced to this chapter in phase two of this project, the Italians will take center stage.</p>
video:
The Towers
<p>Throughout the early years of the music's development, whether at independent labels or among performers themselves, Rock and Roll culture was a meeting place of various racial and ethnic groups. Different from the world of American business and the emerging corporate environment, the world of Rock and Roll held possibilities for immigrants and non-whites who wanted to improve upon their situations. If the popular version of the American Dream held that anyone could make his way to the Presidency, just as Abe Lincoln did in the near mythological tale of his journey from a log cabin to the White House, the lives of many Americans proved that this Dream did not hold. But in the music business, things -- if not perfect -- were different. In a time when an important businessman like Henry Ford could openly and aggressively promote his anti-Semitic views, Jewish Americans often faced hostility and persecution as they navigated the working world, just as African Americans faced the sometimes brutal facts of segregation. Similarly, Italian Americans also came up against the machinery of prejudice when arriving on American soil. But in music, many among these populations found a different logic governing the institutions through which music got made and got circulated.</p> <p>If the Rock and Roll story would be entirely different if one removed the profound influence of African Americans, so, too, would things change if the contributions of Italian Americans were somehow pulled from the music and its history. But Italians were often hidden in plain view, at least to the degree that they could be. In this chapter, many of the story's characters go under names other than those they were given. Robert Ridorelli becomes Bobby Rydell. Walen Cassatto becomes Bobby Darin. Frederick Picariello becomes Freddy Cannon. And so forth. It's a history that is too seldom told. But the music of the Italians, from Frank Sinatra and Tony Bennett forward, brought much to Rock and Roll. In the lessons that will be introduced to this chapter in phase two of this project, the Italians will take center stage.</p>
Print Journalism
article:
The Four Seasons: Ten Years And Still Hanging On
IN AUGUST LAST YEAR Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons celebrated ten years as one of the most successful recording groups America has ever produced. Their total world record sales now stand somewhere between 80 and 90 millions. Well below the Beatles, but higher than many more consistent artists like The Rolling Stones, The Beach Boys and Creedence Clearwater. But in the rush to document everybody who trod a recording studio floor from 1950 onwards the Four Seasons seemed noticeable by their lack of attention. Maybe as Nik Cohn points out in his definitive book Wopbopaloobop alopbamboom (Paladin) they were such a...
article:
Dion: The King of the Noo Yawk Streets Comes Home
WHEN DION DiMucci made his major comeback at New York's Radio City Music Hall two years ago, he was joined onstage by an all-star quartet of backing singers: Bruce Springsteen, Lou Reed, Paul Simon, and Billy Joel. It said a lot for the 48-year-old singer that he could bring together four such different examples of the New York street troubadour, each of them in their own way having come under the spell of the man who sang those swaggering classics of the early '60s 'The Wanderer' and 'Runaround Sue'. "When we were rehearsing that show," says Dion two years later, "I...