Race, Rock, and Elvis

Ch. 1

Why did older generations historically have such anxiety about youth and music?

Why was post-WWII youth culture different than earlier youth cultures?

What key common factors did many of the rock artists from the south share according to Bertrand?

According to the author, why do scholars largely dismiss or repudiate Elvis?

Why is the issue of race and Elvis more complex?

Why the author’s long discussion of class and race history of the South since the colonial era?

Ch. 2

Why the author’s discussion of diversity of white feelings about race and African Americans in the South?

If rock didn’t itself fully transform race relations, Bertrand concludes, what or how did it have an impact?

Ch. 3

What were the key commonalities shared by R&B and country music?

What important factors shaped early development of R&B and rock in postwar era?

What were some of the initial objections to R&B in the early pre-Elvis years?

According to Bertrand, why did recording industry accept and participate in censoring R&B?

Why was the increase “covering” R&B music not so successful?

How exactly was RCA’s signing of Elvis a strategy to confront the increasing attraction and threat R&B posed to major labels?

Why did the author spend the time and effort to discuss the developing course of rock and roll industry from the early to late 50s?