'59 was indeed a bad year for Rock and Roll and not only because of Elvis in the army and the tragic loss of Buddy Holly. Little Richard was only playing gospel, Jerry Lee's career had come to a screeching halt from the scandal over marrying his 13 yr old first cousin and the end of the year saw the beginning of Chuck Berry's legal problems that effectively sidelined him for a few years. The new industry-groomed pop idols were pretty dismal and by the early 60's it was being said that Rock and Roll was dead. Of course all that changed with the Beatles, Motown, Folk crossover artists and the emerging California Scene in the mid to late '60's.
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