How African American Women Pioneered Rock And Roll

Have you ever noticed how rock history tends to be filled with white men? You know, the likes of Elvis Presley aka “The King of Rock n Roll,” The Beatles, the Rolling Stones, and on and on.

But what if we told you this was only half of the story? The truth is, these men drew inspiration from the vocal styles and dance moves of African American women like Big Mama Thornton, The Shirelles, and Tina Turner, among others.

These stories are often written out of the rock n roll history textbooks, leaving out entire generations of hard work from African American women who pioneered the genre. 

This week, we dive into Black Diamond Queens: African American Women in Rock n Roll by Maureen Mahon to gain a better picture of the legendary musicians who laid the groundwork for music as we know it today.

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This is a music commentary podcast based on pre-existing knowledge and sources listed at Name3Songs.com.

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