Rockabilly is one of the earliest styles of rock and roll. It was born in the American South in the early 1950s, when young musicians mixed country and hillbilly music with rhythm and blues. The name itself joins "rock" and "hillbilly". The music is fast, raw and danceable, and it is built around a slapped upright bass, twangy electric guitar and an energetic, often hiccuping vocal style.

Origins

In the post-war South, white and Black musical traditions were officially separated by the racial segregation of the time, but on the radio, in jukeboxes and in clubs they constantly met. Rockabilly grew out of that meeting: the rhythm and swing of rhythm and blues and boogie-woogie combined with the instruments, songs and vocal habits of country music.

Memphis, Tennessee, and Sam Phillips' Sun Records label played a key role. In 1954, the young Elvis Presley recorded a fast version of the blues song "That's All Right" for Sun, and that session is often cited as one of the starting points of the genre. Sun soon released records by Carl Perkins, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis and Roy Orbison.

The sound

• Slap bass – the upright double bass is played with a percussive slapping technique that drives the rhythm, often in place of, or alongside, drums.
• Electric guitar – clean, twangy tone, short sharp solos and a lot of echo.
• Slapback echo – a short, single echo on the vocal and guitar, the signature sound of the Sun recordings.
• Vocals – hiccups, stutters, yelps and sudden jumps in pitch.
• Rhythm – fast tempos and a strong, swinging beat made for dancing.
• Line-up – often just a trio: vocal and rhythm guitar, lead guitar and upright bass, with drums added later.

Key artists

• Elvis Presley – the early Sun recordings, such as "That's All Right" and "Mystery Train".
• Carl Perkins – wrote and recorded "Blue Suede Shoes".
• Johnny Cash – his early Sun records sit between country and rockabilly.
• Jerry Lee Lewis – wild piano rock and roll, such as "Great Balls of Fire".
• Gene Vincent – "Be-Bop-A-Lula".
• Eddie Cochran – "Summertime Blues".
• Buddy Holly – started out close to rockabilly before developing his own style.
• Wanda Jackson – often called the "Queen of Rockabilly".

Decline and revivals

By the end of the 1950s, rockabilly had faded from the charts as the music industry moved to smoother pop. The style never disappeared, though. In Britain and continental Europe, it kept a devoted following, and it came back in waves.

The best-known revival came around 1980 with the Stray Cats, an American trio that broke through in the UK. Their success brought rockabilly back to the charts and inspired a new generation of bands. Rockabilly also fed directly into psychobilly, a wilder style that mixes it with punk rock.

Fashion and culture

Rockabilly is more than music for many fans. The scene has its own look, inspired by the 1950s:

• Men – greased quiffs and pompadours, rolled-up jeans, work shirts, leather jackets and creepers or boots.
• Women – victory rolls and bangs, polka-dot and swing dresses, high-waisted trousers and red lipstick.
• Cars – classic American cars and hot rods.
• Dance – jive, swing and boogie-woogie dancing at clubs and festivals.

Rockabilly weekenders and festivals, especially in the UK and Europe, bring bands, DJs, dancers, vintage clothing and classic cars together in one place.

Related styles

• Psychobilly – rockabilly mixed with punk and horror imagery.
• Rock and roll – the broader genre of which rockabilly is an early branch.
• Country and western swing – two of rockabilly's roots.