In perusing the early charts, it is noted that the artists who hit #1, in the weeks right after Bill Haley, were quite the assortment -- Guy Mitchell, Dean Martin, Elvis Presley, Pat Boone, Gogi Grant. In looking at those early charts, I realized that the first African-American act to hit big -- in the so-called rock era -- landed at the top of the charts 13 months after Haley's big splash.
It is time to, once again, tickle your memory glands. Twin-pick is easy and self-scoring. You have choices below. If you get the question correct, you know right on the spot because you will be taken to an original performance by the original artist. If you are wrong, you will get, instead, the Bronx cheer. No losers here, just those who can try and try again.
Question: After the birth of the rock era, the first #1 song by an African-American act topped the charts in August 1956. (Lacking a credible video of the original artist(s) singing that very hit song, we will use another classic video of one of the artists performances). Which, of the choices below, was the first top charting single, by an African-American act, in the rock era?
A. Frankie Lyman and the Teenagers
D. The Platters
E. Ruth Brown
For more "Stories Behind the Music" click on the guitar 
Steven L. Smith
Bellingham WA Home Inspections
Check out "This Day In History" -- music and vintage television from the 1950's through the 1980's. I enjoy writing these articles because they take me back to my days in radio broadcasting. Click on Elvis' gold record, below, to revisit those golden hits of yesteryear.
