the great forgotten advance scout for rock and roll

it has to be bill haley (and his comets)...

when i was a kid i remember hearing "rock around the clock" on the title credits of happy days day after day.. i remember my parents knowing who bill haley was... but in the 20-25 years since there is little doubt that bill haley has been almost forgotten... no one talks about him anymore.... people still talk about elvis chuck berry and bo diddley but no one mentions bill haley who came before them all... there is no doubt at all for example that bill haley was the first, and for a while only, white person performing and creating rock and roll... you can trace him back to 1951!!!!! which is a full four years before elvis or even chuck berry...

there is a great essay piece on bill haley in the all music guide..stronlgy recommended... check it here