According to Tom Patterson, the band director at Deerpark Middle School in the Round Rock district, World War II was one of the most culturally and socially significant events of the last century. Tom Patterson is a band director in the Round Rock district who enjoys the study of history through the lens of musical forms. Band director Tom Patterson recently explained that the Second World War brought tremendous social upheaval in its wake. One of the cultural responses to this social upheaval, noted the Round Rock band director, was a popular music explosion known as rock ‘n’ roll.

Artists like Bill Haley and Chuck Berry, said band director Tom Patterson, were at the forefront of the rock ‘n’ roll revolution. Tom Patterson told interested Round Rock students that rock ‘n’ roll was built on the musical accomplishments of blues, jazz, and swing. Band director Tom Patterson also noted that the electric lead guitar characterized this musical era. Today, the band director from Round Rock added, any typical rock ‘n’ roll ensemble sports a lead guitarist. Round Rock’s Tom Patterson said this formula arose out of the blues guitar tradition.

Round Rock band director Tom Patterson further explained that the blues guitar established its role as a strong solo instrument with the help of electricity. Electricity made the guitar a truly modern instrument, said Tom Patterson. B.B. King was a seminal figure, continued the Round Rock band director, elevating the electric blues guitar to a revered position in modern blues. Tom Patterson also said that the blues guitar became a premier solo instrument, even competing with the singer for the audience’s attention. Performers and audiences alike, wrote Round Rock band director Tom Patterson, flocked to hear the electric blues guitar sound.

Once the blues went electric, elaborated Tom Patterson, the rock ‘n’ roll revolution was not far behind. The Round Rock band director described droves of American citizens coming home after the Second World War looking for more out of life. Tom Patterson pointed out that new inventions, like radio, TV, and rock ‘n’ roll created a modern cultural environment where Americans could explore and test their boundaries. Band director Tom Patterson concluded that the success of this movement was evident in the classic rock ‘n’ roll of the 50s and 60s, from Elvis to the Beatles and beyond.