On the Underappreciated Achievements of Otis Blackwell
The tragic story of hit songwriter Otis Blackwell’s talent is a cautionary tale, but his legacy of songs lives on today in the Hall of Fame.
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The Lyrical Genius of Chuck Berry
In this Guest OpEd, we explore the plethora of ways Chuck Berry tackled race and societal issues with humor and relatability in his lyrics.
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A Brief-ish History of the Drum Kit
Got 10 minutes to learn about the history of the drum kit as we know it today? We talk about how individual drums, players, and genres helped the kit evolve.
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On July 9, 1955, Rock ‘n’ Roll Went #1 for the First Time Ever
For someone my age, who grew up in the latter half of the 20th century — listening to the Rolling Stones, the Beatles, Nirvana, Led Zeppelin, heck, even the Killers — it’s hard to imagine life without rock ‘n’ roll. Even if that style of music isn’t your personal listening preference, can you even picture […]
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Not Even Aerosmith Can Tell the Difference Between “Cryin’” and “Crazy”!
Last summer, I took a road trip to the Grand Canyon with some friends. After some time passing the aux cable from phone to phone, we ended up on Aerosmith’s 1993 7x platinum, 20-million-selling, mega-hit record, Get a Grip. This was one of the albums that seemed to follow us everywhere we went in the mid-’90s. All […]
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The Day the Music Died, and 4 More Band Tragedies of the 20th Century
+ Welcome to Soundfly! We help curious musicians meet their goals with creative online courses. Whatever you want to learn, whenever you need to learn it. Subscribe now to start learning on the ’Fly. One of the most significant tragedies in the history of rock ‘n’ roll, and certainly one of rock’s very first serious tragedies, happened on February 3rd, 1959. […]
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Album Histories Monthly: Joan Jett – ‘I Love Rock ‘n Roll’
Welcome back to our new series on Flypaper, Album Histories Monthly, which brings you the story of a single album each month, in the month that it was originally released. Last month, we covered the Replacements’ 1984 goofball-punk classic, Let It Be. This month: Joan Jett and the Blackhearts – I Love Rock ‘n Roll Release Date: November 18, 1981 “Looking […]
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Malcolm Young, Who Led AC/DC from the Shadows, Dies at 64
Malcolm Young, co-founder, rhythm guitarist, and soulful driving force behind the legendary rock group AC/DC, passed away on November 18, 2017. He died peacefully at the young age of 64 after an extended battle with dementia, surrounded by family members. AC/DC is one of the greatest rock groups of all time, both culturally and financially. […]
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Fats Domino Was a True King of Rock ‘n’ Roll
Antoine “Fats” Domino, Jr., one of the early pioneers of a musical style that came to be known as rock ‘n’ roll, whose iconic voice and boogie-woogie piano playing helped inspire entire eras of brilliant songwriting, passed away on October 25, 2017. He was 89. With his flat-top haircut, rotund figure, and buoyant personality, Domino […]
