in the 50s black and white residents were living in close proximity in larger numbers than ever before, and as a result heard each other's music and even began to emulate each other's fashions. this "cultural collision" of african-american music such as jazz, rhythm and blues, boogie woogie, gospel and "white music" such as country and pop is the mixture that gave birth to rock n' roll in all of its derivative forms.

• reference artists:

carl lee perkins, jerry lee lewis, chuck berry, elvis presley, johnny burnette.