Knowledge

Roll 'Em Pete

Source 📝

218:".."Roll 'Em Pete may well be regarded as the first rock'n'roll record. Although earlier songs contain elements of rock'n'roll, "Roll 'Em Pete" is a full-fledged rocker in all but instrumentation ... Johnson's bass line is a simple Chuck Berry-like chug, and his furious right hand embellishments anticipate Berry's entire guitar style. Some of Turner's verses are the stuff that rock is made of ... But others are too mature for teenage listeners. If anything, Turner's brilliant phrasing and Johnson's breathtaking keyboard technique are too sophisticated for rock'n'roll; the music has yet to be formularized for mass consumption." 29: 207:"Roll 'Em Pete" on December 30, 1938. The song was an up-tempo boogie woogie which had become Johnson's signature tune in the Kansas City clubs. In performance, Turner often included many well-rehearsed blues verses, or improvised lyrics, to extend the performance for an hour or more. 214:, the recording "features spectacular piano playing by Johnson and a forceful vocal by Turner in the style he made famous - half-shouted and with repetitive phrases building up tension at the close." Larry Birnbaum wrote that: 472:"News: The Blues Hall of Fame Welcoes Roebuck 'Pops' Staples, Sam Lay, Mamie Smith, Georgia Tom Dorsey and the Acesas its newest Members on May 9 at the Blues Foundation's 39th Annual Induction Ceremony - Blues Foundation" 170:, who in the early 1930s had developed a partnership with Turner, who was working at the time as a club bartender. The two would regularly perform as a duo at the clubs where Turner worked, with Turner 247:
rhythm. Turner later recorded many other versions, with various combinations of musicians, over the ensuing years, particularly in the 1950s when he became a star of rock and roll.
1095: 915: 883: 287: 566: 226:
in 1938, the original recording of "Roll 'Em Pete" was released in 1941 as part of a four-record compilation album entitled
1018: 228: 1090: 1046: 972: 604:"Roll 'Em Pete - Albert Ammons, Johnson, Pete Johnson, Lewis, Big Joe Turner | Listen, Appearances, Song Review" 551: 456: 435: 415: 693: 876: 735: 694:"Count Basie Swings, Joe Williams Sings - Count Basie,Joe Williams | Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards" 923: 856: 282: 471: 823: 383: 180: 143:. The recording is regarded as one of the most important precursors of what later became known as 1011: 869: 331: 140: 119: 44: 1032: 582: 645: 625:"Roll 'Em Pete - Bill Wyman,Bill Wyman's Rhythm Kings | Listen, Appearances, Song Review" 154:
in 2018, as one of the five new entrants in the "Classic of Blues Recording (Song)" category.
1080: 907: 174:
over Johnson's piano playing. In 1938, the pair were invited by music promoter and producer
167: 757: 1085: 824:"Roll 'Em Pete [Live, 1982] - The Blasters | Listen, Appearances, Song Review" 8: 1075: 803:"Roll 'Em Pete - T-Bone Walker,Jimmy Witherspoon | Listen, Appearances, Song Review" 802: 714: 671: 624: 603: 361: 1039: 736:"Paris Concert: Lionel Hampton - Lionel Hampton | Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards" 151: 944: 547: 452: 431: 411: 307: 196: 520:"Big Joe Turner: inducted in 1987 | The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum" 223: 200: 100: 672:"Roll 'Em Pete - Count Basie,Joe Williams | Listen, Appearances, Song Review" 497: 977: 240: 175: 1053: 892: 519: 384:"The Boss of the Blues - Big Joe Turner | Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards" 312: 136: 115: 40: 36: 846: 1069: 953: 337: 259: 189: 185: 171: 163: 144: 132: 72: 985: 981: 715:"Roll 'Em Pete - Jimmy Witherspoon | Listen, Appearances, Song Review" 403: 342: 326: 243:– well into the 1950s, most, if not all, similar recordings were played in 204: 95: 989: 965: 301: 293: 278: 273: 211: 67: 778: 362:"Roll 'Em Pete - Big Joe Turner | Listen, Appearances, Song Review" 1025: 960: 949: 264: 244: 109: 317: 236: 235:"Roll 'Em Pete" contained one of the earliest recorded examples of a 758:"Black and Blue - Lou Rawls | Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards" 861: 28: 255:
The tune was later recorded by many other artists, including:
428:
A Left Hand Like God : a history of boogie-woogie piano
646:"The Chuck Berry Database Details For Song: Roll 'Em Pete" 135:
song, originally recorded in December 1938 by singer
571:, Rowman & Littlefield, 2013, pp. 111–112 1067: 449:Popular Music in America: And the Beat Goes on 877: 569:Before Elvis: The Prehistory of Rock 'n' Roll 296:released a live version in 1966 on his album 195:While in New York, Turner and Johnson had a 562: 560: 466: 464: 451:(Cengage Learning, 3rd edn., 2008), p. 99. 884: 870: 239:; the song is also notable for its use of 27: 638: 557: 538: 536: 461: 381: 1068: 288:Count Basie Swings, Joe Williams Sings 222:After Vocalion became a subsidiary of 150:"Roll 'Em Pete" was inducted into the 865: 533: 157: 16:1939 song performed by Big Joe Turner 755: 691: 544:The New Grove Gospel, Blues and Jazz 13: 891: 490: 14: 1107: 973:The Trumpet Kings Meet Joe Turner 840: 250: 1096:Songs written by Big Joe Turner 816: 795: 771: 749: 728: 707: 685: 664: 617: 596: 575: 512: 441: 420: 410:, Secker & Warburg, 1991, 408:Unsung Heroes of Rock 'n' Roll 397: 375: 354: 203:record company, recording the 1: 348: 7: 10: 1112: 1047:Lipstick, Powder and Paint 924:The Real Boss of the Blues 498:"Biography by Scott Yanow" 999: 934: 899: 583:"Various – Boogie Woogie" 542:Paul Oliver, "Blues", in 107: 94: 78: 66: 58: 50: 35: 26: 21: 1091:Vocalion Records singles 181:From Spirituals to Swing 304:DLP 3728 and DLP 25728) 1033:Shake, Rattle and Roll 826:. AllMusic. 2002-03-05 805:. AllMusic. 1998-12-28 606:. AllMusic. 1998-06-19 232:(Columbia album C44). 220: 986:Harry "Sweets" Edison 908:The Boss of the Blues 852:(1938; Vocalion/4607) 298:Live At The Riverboat 216: 172:shouting blues rhymes 650:Chuck Berry Database 426:Peter J. Silvester, 285:on their 1956 album 546:, Macmillan, 1980, 1040:Flip, Flop and Fly 447:M. Campbell, ed., 329:on his 1998 album 320:on his 1963 album 267:on his 2004 album 158:Original recording 152:Blues Hall of Fame 1063: 1062: 945:Super Black Blues 916:Singing the Blues 308:Jimmy Witherspoon 269:Just for a Thrill 125: 124: 62:December 30, 1938 1103: 937:multiple artists 935:Albums featuring 886: 879: 872: 863: 862: 853: 835: 834: 832: 831: 820: 814: 813: 811: 810: 799: 793: 792: 790: 789: 775: 769: 768: 766: 765: 753: 747: 746: 744: 743: 732: 726: 725: 723: 722: 711: 705: 704: 702: 701: 689: 683: 682: 680: 679: 668: 662: 661: 659: 657: 642: 636: 635: 633: 632: 621: 615: 614: 612: 611: 600: 594: 593: 591: 590: 579: 573: 567:Larry Birnbaum, 564: 555: 540: 531: 530: 528: 527: 516: 510: 509: 507: 505: 494: 488: 487: 485: 483: 468: 459: 445: 439: 424: 418: 401: 395: 394: 392: 391: 379: 373: 372: 370: 369: 358: 224:Columbia Records 112: 90: 89: 85: 31: 19: 18: 1111: 1110: 1106: 1105: 1104: 1102: 1101: 1100: 1066: 1065: 1064: 1059: 995: 978:Dizzy Gillespie 936: 930: 895: 890: 850:"Roll 'Em Pete" 847: 843: 838: 829: 827: 822: 821: 817: 808: 806: 801: 800: 796: 787: 785: 777: 776: 772: 763: 761: 754: 750: 741: 739: 734: 733: 729: 720: 718: 713: 712: 708: 699: 697: 690: 686: 677: 675: 670: 669: 665: 655: 653: 644: 643: 639: 630: 628: 623: 622: 618: 609: 607: 602: 601: 597: 588: 586: 581: 580: 576: 565: 558: 541: 534: 525: 523: 518: 517: 513: 503: 501: 496: 495: 491: 481: 479: 470: 469: 462: 446: 442: 425: 421: 402: 398: 389: 387: 380: 376: 367: 365: 360: 359: 355: 351: 332:Three of a Kind 253: 241:straight rhythm 160: 108: 87: 83: 82: 22:"Roll 'Em Pete" 17: 12: 11: 5: 1109: 1099: 1098: 1093: 1088: 1083: 1078: 1061: 1060: 1058: 1057: 1054:Teenage Letter 1050: 1043: 1036: 1029: 1022: 1019:Chains of Love 1015: 1003: 1001: 997: 996: 994: 993: 969: 957: 940: 938: 932: 931: 929: 928: 920: 912: 903: 901: 897: 896: 893:Big Joe Turner 889: 888: 881: 874: 866: 860: 859: 848:Video (2:51): 842: 841:External links 839: 837: 836: 815: 794: 770: 748: 727: 706: 684: 663: 637: 616: 595: 574: 556: 532: 522:. Rockhall.com 511: 500:. Allmusic.com 489: 478:. 5 March 2018 460: 440: 419: 396: 374: 352: 350: 347: 346: 345: 340: 335: 324: 322:Black and Blue 315: 313:Lionel Hampton 310: 305: 291: 276: 271: 262: 252: 251:Later versions 249: 162:Johnson was a 159: 156: 137:Big Joe Turner 123: 122: 113: 105: 104: 98: 92: 91: 80: 76: 75: 70: 64: 63: 60: 56: 55: 52: 48: 47: 33: 32: 24: 23: 15: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 1108: 1097: 1094: 1092: 1089: 1087: 1084: 1082: 1079: 1077: 1074: 1073: 1071: 1055: 1051: 1048: 1044: 1041: 1037: 1034: 1030: 1027: 1023: 1020: 1016: 1013: 1009: 1008:Roll 'Em Pete 1005: 1004: 1002: 998: 991: 987: 983: 979: 975: 974: 970: 967: 963: 962: 958: 955: 954:T-Bone Walker 951: 947: 946: 942: 941: 939: 933: 926: 925: 921: 918: 917: 913: 910: 909: 905: 904: 902: 898: 894: 887: 882: 880: 875: 873: 868: 867: 864: 858: 854: 851: 845: 844: 825: 819: 804: 798: 784: 780: 779:"Oldie Blues" 774: 759: 752: 737: 731: 716: 710: 695: 688: 673: 667: 651: 647: 641: 626: 620: 605: 599: 584: 578: 572: 570: 563: 561: 553: 552:0-333-40784-9 549: 545: 539: 537: 521: 515: 499: 493: 477: 473: 467: 465: 458: 457:0-495-50530-7 454: 450: 444: 437: 436:0-306-80359-3 433: 429: 423: 417: 416:0-436-53203-4 413: 409: 405: 400: 385: 382:Scott Yanow. 378: 363: 357: 353: 344: 341: 339: 338:T-Bone Walker 336: 334: 333: 328: 325: 323: 319: 316: 314: 311: 309: 306: 303: 299: 295: 292: 290: 289: 284: 280: 277: 275: 272: 270: 266: 263: 261: 260:Albert Ammons 258: 257: 256: 248: 246: 242: 238: 233: 231: 230: 229:Boogie Woogie 225: 219: 215: 213: 210:According to 208: 206: 202: 198: 193: 191: 190:New York City 187: 186:Carnegie Hall 183: 182: 178:to the first 177: 173: 169: 165: 164:boogie-woogie 155: 153: 148: 146: 145:rock and roll 142: 138: 134: 133:boogie-woogie 130: 129:Roll 'Em Pete 121: 117: 114: 111: 110:Songwriter(s) 106: 102: 99: 97: 93: 81: 77: 74: 73:Boogie-woogie 71: 69: 65: 61: 57: 53: 49: 46: 42: 38: 34: 30: 25: 20: 1081:1938 singles 1012:Pete Johnson 1007: 982:Roy Eldridge 971: 959: 943: 922: 914: 906: 849: 828:. Retrieved 818: 807:. Retrieved 797: 786:. Retrieved 782: 773: 762:. Retrieved 751: 740:. Retrieved 730: 719:. Retrieved 709: 698:. Retrieved 687: 676:. Retrieved 666: 654:. Retrieved 649: 640: 629:. Retrieved 619: 608:. Retrieved 598: 587:. Retrieved 577: 568: 543: 524:. Retrieved 514: 502:. Retrieved 492: 480:. Retrieved 475: 448: 443: 427: 422: 407: 404:Nick Tosches 399: 388:. Retrieved 377: 366:. Retrieved 356: 343:The Blasters 330: 327:Rob Agerbeek 321: 297: 286: 283:Joe Williams 268: 254: 234: 227: 221: 217: 209: 205:12-bar blues 194: 179: 176:John Hammond 161: 149: 141:Pete Johnson 139:and pianist 128: 126: 120:Pete Johnson 45:Pete Johnson 1086:Blues songs 990:Clark Terry 966:Count Basie 900:Solo albums 294:Harry James 279:Count Basie 274:Chuck Berry 212:Paul Oliver 184:concert at 168:Kansas City 166:pianist in 1076:1938 songs 1070:Categories 1026:Honey Hush 961:The Bosses 950:Otis Spann 830:2014-05-21 809:2014-05-21 788:2014-05-21 764:2014-05-21 760:. AllMusic 756:Ron Wynn. 742:2014-05-21 738:. AllMusic 721:2014-05-21 717:. AllMusic 700:2014-05-21 696:. AllMusic 692:Ron Wynn. 678:2014-05-21 674:. AllMusic 631:2014-05-21 627:. AllMusic 610:2014-05-21 589:2015-12-13 526:2014-05-21 390:2014-05-21 386:. AllMusic 368:2014-05-21 364:. AllMusic 349:References 265:Bill Wyman 116:Joe Turner 41:Joe Turner 656:March 30, 585:. Discogs 476:Blues.org 318:Lou Rawls 237:back beat 199:with the 1056:" (1957) 1049:" (1956) 1042:" (1955) 1035:" (1954) 1028:" (1953) 1021:" (1951) 1010:" (with 430:(1989), 201:Vocalion 101:Vocalion 59:Recorded 51:Released 1014:, 1939) 1000:Singles 992:, 1975) 968:, 1973) 956:, 1969) 857:YouTube 783:Wirz.de 504:May 29, 245:shuffle 197:session 131:" is a 976:(with 964:(with 948:(with 927:(1969) 919:(1967) 911:(1956) 652:. 2019 554:, p.91 550:  482:4 June 455:  434:  414:  281:& 79:Length 43:& 37:Single 96:Label 68:Genre 988:and 952:and 658:2019 548:ISBN 506:2009 484:2018 453:ISBN 432:ISBN 412:ISBN 103:4607 54:1939 855:on 302:Dot 188:in 39:by 1072:: 984:, 980:, 781:. 648:. 559:^ 535:^ 474:. 463:^ 406:, 192:. 147:. 118:, 88:50 1052:" 1045:" 1038:" 1031:" 1024:" 1017:" 1006:" 885:e 878:t 871:v 833:. 812:. 791:. 767:. 745:. 724:. 703:. 681:. 660:. 634:. 613:. 592:. 529:. 508:. 486:. 438:. 393:. 371:. 300:( 127:" 86:: 84:2

Index


Single
Joe Turner
Pete Johnson
Genre
Boogie-woogie
Label
Vocalion
Songwriter(s)
Joe Turner
Pete Johnson
boogie-woogie
Big Joe Turner
Pete Johnson
rock and roll
Blues Hall of Fame
boogie-woogie
Kansas City
shouting blues rhymes
John Hammond
From Spirituals to Swing
Carnegie Hall
New York City
session
Vocalion
12-bar blues
Paul Oliver
Columbia Records
Boogie Woogie
back beat

Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.