Rock and roll music grew at such a quick pace that it swallowed up and then incorporated virtually every other genre that might have once been its competition.

By 1958, ‘rock and roll’ included doo wop (“Get a Job”), R&B (“Maybe”), novelty records (“Short Shorts”), country (“Big River”), Tex Mex (“Tequila”) and balladry (“All I Have to Do Is Dream”). If one description fits all, how can you beat it? The major labels – who were used to raking in virtually all of the capital amassed by the recording industry – must have been horrified by now, as almost every record in today’s show had been released by an independent regional label.

Featured tracks include:

Great Balls of Fire – Jerry Lee Lewis

Get a Job – The Silhouettes

Witchcraft – Frank Sinatra

Maybe – The Chantels

Sweet Little Sixteen – Chuck Berry

Short Shorts – The Royal Teens

Good Golly Miss Molly – Little Richard

Big River – Johnny Cash

Tequila – The Champs

He’s Got the Whole World In His Hands – Laurie London

Don’t You Just Know It – Huey Piano Smith and the Clowns

Maybe Baby – The Crickets

All I Have to Do Is Dream – The Everly Brothers