The spirit of the 60s was best expressed by the lyrics and, especially, the beat of rock 'n' roll. "It was an invitation to dance, and at some fantasy level...it was an invitation to make love." (Gitlin, p.37) This was the revolution that allowed the young people of America to express themselves, that moved them to express their opinions and objections to mainstream society. Rock 'n' roll was unintentionally the initiation of this right-for-freedom rebellion.

Rock music has its origins in blues and gospel. In the 1930s and 1940s blacks began to migrate to the cities and brought their blues style of music with them. They sang songs describing their suffering, and they sang songs about their search for a better way of surviving. This style of music began to find its way onto record labels and earned some airplay on certain radio stations,

The 1960s were better known for their positive aspects, such as the integration of the virtues of peace, love and harmony. It dawned the beginning of desegregation and allowed young America to express themselves. However, there were many negative components released in the 60s as well, such as assassinations, war, and the vast experimentation of drugs. Music was the only way to describe the emotions faced by the youth of America during that time.

There were three major American rock festivals to take place during the 1960s. The first one to be held was The Monterey Pop Festival in Monterey, California from June 16-18, 1967. This festival included performances by Jimi Hendrix and The Who. It also introduced Janis Joplin to a large audience. It was because of this festival that these three artists signed major record deals. The second major festival, and the most recognized, is Woodstock. The Woodstock Music and Art Fair was held on farm property in Bethel New York on August 15-17, 1969. Santana, The Grateful Dead, Jefferson Airplane, and Sly and the Family Stone were only a few of the many bands to perform there. Rain turned this festival into a sea of mud, but somehow the audience, made up of about 400.000 flower children, bonded, possibly because large amounts of marijuana and psychedelics were consumed.

The Beatles and The Rolling Stones were some of the first rock groups to integrate blues and R&B music. Other famous American rock groups of the 60s include: The Beach Boys, The Drifters and Dion. They had songs which included I Get Around, Save the Last Dance For Me, and Runaround Sue. Bob Dylan was another artist to become known in the 1960s. He was the father of folk-rock music. He brought rock back to its roots by listening to country, rock and folk artists such as Hank Williams and Woody Guthrie. Dylan's music was based on emotional sensitivity and was expressed by the soft use of his acoustic guitar and harmonica. Some of the songs that drew attention to Bob Dylan are Mr. Tambourine Man, Lay Lady Lay, and The Times They are A-Changing.

In the late 1960s hard rock was the favorite style among Americans. It focused on loud volume levels and thick layers of sound. The Doors, Frank Zappa and Jimi Hendrix got their start during this time. The legendary Jimi Hendrix is celebrated as the finest rock 'n' roll

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Approximate Word count = 1587
Approximate Pages = 6 (250 words per page double spaced)