A Rockabilly Selection

Rockabilly can be identified by the appearance (or absence) of a number of elements … devotees seem to advocate adding points for the following elements:

• Obvious Presley influence
• Performers with a country music background
• Identifiable country and rhythm and blues inflections
• Blues structures
• Use of echo effect
• Strong rhythm and beat
• Emotion and feeling
• A wild or extreme vocal style
• An energetic blues influenced guitar solo
• Upright bass, especially if played in a slap manner.
• Moderate to fast tempo
• A date of 1954, 1955 or 1956
• Southern origin

Points are often removed for the following reasons:

• Obvious commercial intent
• Condescendingly juvenile lyrics
• Chorus groups, especially female
• Harmony singing
• Bland or uninvolved singing
• Saxophone
• Electric bass
• Piano, unless it is Jerry Lee Lewis
• Weak rhythm
• Black performers
• Slower tempos
• Every year after 1957 (until the revival)
• Northern origins

The following elements score bonus points:

• The performers perceived commitment to rockabilly (double if the performer is Charlie Feathers):  this may be bolstered by hair, clothes, posture, or vintage instruments in accepted rockabilly fashion
• Acoustic guitar and electric guitar and upright bass but no drums
• Obscurity
• Sun label or Memphis origin
• The influence of Eddie Cochran, Gene Vincent or The Rock n Roll Trio ( for revival performers)

From: Go Cat Go!: Rockabilly Music And Its Makers by Craig Morrison (1996)

Tracks: Sixteen Chicks- Joe Clay, Born To Love One Woman- Ric Cartey, Six White Horses - Stan Johnson & The Blue Chips, New Shoes- Lee Denson, Little Boy Blue- Hoyt Johnson, Drugstore Rock 'n' Roll- Janis Martin , Woodpecker Rock - The Braves, Catty Town- Dick Glasser, Honey Bunn - Larry Donn, Baby Sittin' All The Time - Bob Hicks & The Fenders, Honky Tonk Mind- Tommy Blake, Teen Billy Baby – Sprouts, Don't Bug Me Baby- Milton Allen, Now Stop- Martha Carson, Milkcow Blues- Jimmie Rodgers Snow, I'm Hungry For Your Lovin' -Danny Dill, Heart Throb- Ric Cartey, One And Only- David Houston, I've Got A Dollar - Jimmy Dell, Rock Ola Ruby - Sonee West, Sweetest Thing - J. Mikel & The Fenders, Lonesome Baby Blues - David Ray, Sweet Rockin' Baby - Sonee West, Mary Nell- Autry Inman, Juke Box Rock - Dick Seaton & The Mad Lads, All Night Long - Tommy Blake, Rockin' Bones - Elroy Dietzel & The Rhythm Bandits, Just Thought I'd Set You Straight - Ted Harris, Dry Run - Parker Cunningham, Goodbye Train - Jim Floey & The Big Beats