Extremely popular from 1956-1961, the Coasters were a black vocal group with Jewish songwriters. Their music, which was a mixture of rhythm & blues, comedy and rock & roll, dominated the music scene of that time.

Originally from Cincinnati, The Isley Brothers had their breakthrough hit in 1962 with "Shout". Over the years, the group consisted of various family members and in 1969 won a Grammy for "It's Your Thing". They remain one of the most...

One of the most recognizable Motown groups of all time, the Four Tops performed together for over four decades. Here you can read about the musicians, their music and songs. They were 1990 inductees into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

The Temptations typified what Motown was all about in the 1960s. Read the history behind this Grammy winning group that at one time ruled the Top Forty and were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1989.

Learn about the famous rhythm & blues singer, "King of Rock and Soul" Solomon Burke, who was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2001.

This lengthy obituary discusses the life and death of rock and roll legend Elvis Presley.

Provides biographical details on soul musicians, Ike and Tina Turner, 1991 inductees into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Includes a timeline of key events and essential songs list.

Offers biographical details on successful Top 40 group, The Yardbirds, 1992 inductees into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Includes a timeline of key events and essential songs list.

Best known for one of the greatest dance crazes of all time, 'The Twist', which he first recorded in 1960. Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1990, Ballard "helped define the sound of rock and roll".

A great songwriter and performer of folk, country, and rock and roll music, Neil Young has had a successful career both with groups such as "Buffalo Springfield", "Crosby, Stills and Nash", and "Crazy Horse" and also as a solo artist....

Provides very brief biographical details on influential musician T-Bone Walker, a 1987 inductee into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Offers interesting biographical details on jazz musician, Louis Armstrong, a 1990 inductee into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Includes a timeline of key events and essential songs list.

Offers interesting biographical details on "Mother of the Blues", Ma Rainey, a 1990 inductee into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Includes a timeline of key events and essential songs list.

The most popular female group of the sixties, The Supremes was headed by a singer named Diana Ross. Use this site to learn about their career, their hit songs, even the break-up of the group. Also included in this site is a timeline just...

I-Feel-Like-I'm-Fixin'-To-Die-Rag' by Country Joe McDonald has been played with great success in classrooms for over twenty years. While it conveys literary elements such as theme, point of view, and irony, it also functions as an...

Read up on the controversial rock band of the 1960s who hit #1 in 1967 with "Light My Fire". The Doors were inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1993.

As educators, the goal of developing students into discerning, critical viewers may enable them to negotiate with more confidence through the treacherous waters of today's multimedia. Studying the various viewpoints as expressed in...

This activity uses music from three different areas of the world and three different time periods in the 20th century to address the issue of civil rights for black populations.

As part of a general music class for 6th and 7th graders, various instruments are introduced. This activity exposes young scholars to the various timbres produced by the saxophone using popular, contemporary music.

Rock music can serve as a way to increase student interest in the curriculum, and a way to help students make sense of who they are and what their place is in the world, so asking students to bring in their own music to teach each other...

Explore the in-depth "rich and storied" history of one of the premier rock bands that spanned the decades between 1960-1990. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1998.

One of the more difficult literary concepts to teach is irony, especially ironic point of view. Not only do students often miss the subtle linguistic clues, they become distracted by the issue of author's intent. Whether it's the classic...

Using an artistically integrated approach in teaching literary themes helps students to explore more fully the universality of those themes. Rock music is a form of cultural expression which, because of its mass appeal, can become a...

This lesson is designed to help students recognize how lyrics by the rock-poet Jim Morrison connect with themes from diverse and respected traditional works. While William Blake's influence on Morrison is often noted, this lesson focuses...