Rock and Roll

Carol Kaye and Bill Pitman on guitar at Gold Star; circa 1963.

The Hidden History of a Rock ’n’ Roll Hitmaker

Bassist Carol Kaye blazed her own trail, as the only female studio musician to record some of the greatest songs of the ’60s and ’70s

British musician Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones performs on stage during the band's 'Voodoo Lounge' tour, late 1994.

Five New Books That Will Rock You Like a Hurricane

The '70s music scene is being reexamined in these books by and about the major players of rock 'n' roll

Born in 1940, Levon Helm showed an early gift on the drums. Growing up on a cotton farm, music became his way out of a hard-labor life.

Levon Helm’s Rocking Rambles

The '60s rock great died today. Last July, our writer visited Helm for one of his famous Saturday night music throwdowns

Eddie Van Halen recently donated his custom-made guitar named Frankenstein 2 to the National Museum of American History.

Q and A with Eddie Van Halen

The rock guitarist talks about his custom-made Frankenstein 2 that is now in the collections of the American History museum

After minor chart success, the O'Jays had considered calling it quits before Leon Huff and Kenneth Gamble revived their career with chart-topping hits.

Forty Years of Philadelphia Sound

Songwriters Leon Huff and Kenneth Gamble composed tunes with political messages for chart-toppers like the O’Jays and Billy Paul

Alvino Rey may not be a household name today, but Rey's genre-busting fretwork in electric music's nascent years helped set the stage for modern rock.

Alvino Rey’s Musical Legacy

As the father of the electric guitar and grandfather of two members of Arcade Fire, Rey was a major influence on rock for decades

A throbbing two-block entertainment district is all that is left of old Beale Street, most of which was razed in urban renewal schemes.

The Soul of Memphis

Despite setbacks, the Mississippi River city has held onto its rollicking blues joints, smokin' barbecue and welcoming, can-do spirit

The Beach Boys were arguably the most popular rock group in the country with five separate albums simultaneously on the charts in 1964.

The Rock Concert That Captured an Era

Featuring acts such as the Beach Boys, James Brown and the Rolling Stones, The T.A.M.I. Show defined popular music for a generation

Portrait of country western singer Wanda Jackson from 1971.

Q and A: Wanda Jackson

In the 1950s, Wanda Jackson was one of the first women to record rock 'n' roll.

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