An author and university professor whose books include scholarly works on The Beatles and Bob Dylan, William McKeen here tackles the role of popular music in American culture. Beginning with the emergence of rock in the 1950s, and including the meteoric rise of artists such as Elvis Presley and Chuck Berry, McKeen examines the growth of the recording industry while incorporating the social and intellectual history of the country.
Lecture 1 "Music is God's Voice on Earth"
Lecture 2 Mississippi Ghosts
Lecture 3 The Sound of the City, Part One: New Orleans
Lecture 4 The Sound of the City, Part Two: Chicago
Lecture 5 The Sound of the City, Part Three: Memphis
Lecture 6 Elvis Presley, Part One: Gold Lamé
Lecture 7 Elvis Presley, Part Two: White Jumpsuit
Lecture 8 Chuck Berry: Hail Hail Rock'n'Roll
Lecture 9 After Chuck, The Deluge
Lecture 10 The Sun also Rises
Lecture 11 The Day the Music Died
Lecture 12 The Five Styles of Rock'n'Roll
Lecture 13 Rock'n'Roll, Inc.
Lecture 14 A Change is Gonna Come