| RELATED INFO |
| * Michael Morrison |
| * Experience Liberal Arts |
October 15, 2007
History professor rocks Pappy's Sweet Shop with music lesson
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - |
Michael Morrison, associate professor of history, will present "Loud, Fast and Out of Control: The Politics of Rock, Race and Rebellion in the 1950s" from 3-4 p.m. at Pappy's, The Original Sweet Shop. The event is free, and the first 50 attendees will receive free milkshakes. The talk is sponsored by the Department of History and is part of Experience Liberal Arts.
"American rock 'n' roll is really its own historical record," Morrison said. "The roots of rock 'n' roll run deep into country, blues, gospel, folk and post-World War II rhythm and blues.
"Rock exploded with Elvis Presley's July 1954 Sun Records recordings, and he was soon followed by other important artists, such as Chuck Berry, Jerry Lee Lewis, Little Richard, Ritchie Valens and Buddy Holly to name a few. By the late 1950s, rock 'n' roll had changed the popular music landscape permanently and signaled the coming of still broader social change. It was the prospect of this change that led to unbridled enthusiasm on the one hand and, on the other, a vicious backlash from parents, community leaders, politicians and major record labels."
Morrison's presentation will feature audio and video clips to describe the emergence of rock music in the 1950s, the challenges it posed to society and the record industry, and the counterattack on the music and its artists late in the decade.
His talk is part of October's Experience Liberal Arts, which will feature a variety of lectures, films, performances, events and exhibits that reflect the college's ongoing coursework and research in the arts, humanities, social and behavioral sciences. Information about the upcoming events is available online at https://www.cla.purdue.edu/experience or by calling (765) 494-7884 to request a program guide.
Writer: Amy Patterson Neubert, (765) 494-9723, apatterson@purdue.edu
Source: Michael Morrison, (765) 494-4140, mmorrison@purdue.edu
Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu
PHOTO CAPTION:
Michael Morrison, a Purdue associate professor of history, will present "Loud, Fast and Out of Control: The Politics of Rock, Race and Rebellion in the 1950s" from 3-4 p.m. Oct. 23 at Pappy's Sweet Shop in the Purdue Memorial Union. The first 50 attendees will receive a free Pappy's milkshake. The talk is one event in October celebrating Experience Liberal Arts, which will feature a variety of lectures, films, performances, events and exhibits that reflect the college's ongoing coursework and research in the arts, humanities, social and behavioral sciences. (Purdue News Service photo/David Umberger)
A publication-quality photo is available at https://www.purdue.edu/uns/images/+2007/morrison-rocknroll.jpg
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