"Rock and Roll" and M.H. Orodenker

It is M.H. Orodenker who now appears to be one of the earliest persons to consistently use the phrase "rock and roll" in print with a range of meanings that it encompasses today. This M.H. Orodenker is the author of each of the record reviews in Billboard so far cited as using that phrase as well as a number of other uses, through the early 1940's. I'm not sure you heard it here first, but you may have. The question is where M.H. Orodenker heard it first...

(Right Rhythmic) Rock and Roll Part III

Even earlier appearances of the phrase rock and roll appear in Billboard in the 1940's:

May 30, 1942 and "it's Sister Rosetta Tharpe for her rock and roll spiritual singing"

But Vaughan Monroe's band on June 27, 1942 is playing Coming Out Party "a riff tune in the rock and roll rhythm style"

But  it's Count Basie (who's personal manager Milt Ebbins composed the aforesaid Coming Out Party) and his band on It's Sand, Man "wherein it displays its rock and roll capacities when tackling the righteous rhythms" in the October 3, 1942 issue:

More to come.

Right Rhythmic Rock and Roll Music

Although we think of rock and roll music as an invention of the 50's it is interesting to note that in an issue of Billboard from April 21, 1945 we find the following:

Something was being referred to as "rock and roll music" and it was apparently known to the reader what this described. This warrants further investigation, though it's the last sentence I love: : "the phono fans seeking out the jump incentive in the spin, will shower plenty favor on 'Caldonia'"

That's us. Seeking out the jump incentive in the spin.