Jackie Brenston

From HitStory, the pop encyclopedia of School of Rock · Artist

Jackie Brenston was an American singer and saxophonist from Clarksdale, Mississippi. His exact date of birth is uncertain, somewhere between about 1928 and 1930. After his military service in the army he learned to play tenor saxophone. In 1950 he joined the Kings of Rhythm, Ike Turner's band, as a saxophonist and sometimes as a singer. On B.B. King's advice the band ended up with Sam Phillips in Memphis.

Music and breakthrough

In early March 1951 the band recorded Rocket 88 there, a song about a car. Brenston sang and received the writing credit, while Turner led the band and played piano. Brenston later admitted that the song leaned on Cadillac Boogie by Jimmy Liggins, another jump blues song about a car. The label Chess released the record under the name Jackie Brenston and his Delta Cats, and not under Turner's. The record became a number 1 on the R&B chart. The musicians received 20 dollars each, and Brenston sold his rights to Phillips. With the proceeds Phillips started Sun Records a year later.

Influence

The success caused rows in the band, and Brenston went solo. A second hit did not come. He still played in Lowell Fulson's band and later again with Turner, but took to drink and ultimately became a truck driver. He died in 1979. Yet his name remains tied to a record that is often called the first rock 'n' roll record, and which influenced Bill Haley and the Comets.

Listening

In School of Rock

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• Mixtape 1: The Origins of Pop Music^NL Reader