Editing Rockabilly (section)

===North of the Mason-Dixon Line===
[[File:BillHaley.JPG|thumb|[[Bill Haley and His Comets]] during a TV appearance.]]
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|description=[[Bill Haley and His Comets]]' "[[Rock Around the Clock]]" (1954) is credited with popularizing rockabilly music.
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In 1951 a [[western swing]] bandleader named [[Bill Haley (musician)|Bill Haley]] recorded a version of "[[Rocket 88]]" with his group, the [[Saddlemen]]. It is considered one of the earliest recognized rockabilly recordings.<ref>''Sh-Boom!: The Explosion of Rock 'n' Roll (1953–1968)''. Clay Cole, David Hinckley. (Bill Haley & the Saddlemen) at the Twin Bar in Gloucester, New Jersey. page 58.</ref> It was followed by versions of "[[Rock the Joint]]" in 1952, and original works such as "Real Rock Drive" and "[[Crazy Man, Crazy]]", the latter of which reached number 12 on the American [[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]] chart in 1953.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://rcs-discography.com/rcs/artists/h/hale6200.htm|title=RCS-Bill Haley's page|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100324085101/http://www.rcs-discography.com/rcs/artists/h/hale6200.htm|archive-date=March 24, 2010}}</ref><ref>Often excluded from lists of rockabilly groups, Comets guitarist [[Franny Beecher]] said, "They wanted to play a more basic style than I was used to, more country really, they called it rockabilly." in Bill Haley: The Daddy of Rock and Roll. John Swenson. 1982. Stein and Day. page 60. {{ISBN|0-8128-2909-3}}</ref> On April 12, 1954, Haley, performing with his band as [[Bill Haley and His Comets]], recorded "[[Rock Around the Clock]]" for [[Decca Records]] of New York City. When first released in May 1954, "Rock Around the Clock" made the charts for one week at number 23, and sold 75,000 copies.<ref>{{cite web|date=September 26, 2007|title=Bill Haley Biography|url=http://www.starpulse.com/Music/Haley,_Bill/Biography/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070926220555/http://www.starpulse.com/Music/Haley,_Bill/Biography/|archive-date=September 26, 2007}}</ref> In 1955, it was featured in the film ''[[Blackboard Jungle]]'', resulting in a resurgence of sales.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Melik|first=James|date=May 2, 2004|title=Rock profits and boogie woogie blues|language=en-GB|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/3622285.stm|access-date=June 27, 2021}}</ref> The song hit No. 1, held that position for eight weeks, and was the number two song on the Billboard Hot 100 chart for 1955.<ref name="billboard1955">{{cite web|title=Billboard year end charts 1955|url=http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/charts/yearend_chart_display.jsp?f=The+Billboard+Hot+100&g=Year-end+Singles&year=1955|access-date=January 8, 2018|website=Billboard.com}}</ref> The recording was, until the late 1990s, recognized by ''[[Guinness World Records]]'' as having the highest sales claim for a pop vinyl recording, with an "unaudited" claim of 25 million copies sold.<ref>{{cite web|title=Rock Around the Clock Tribute|url=http://www.rockabillyhall.com/RockClockTribute.html|access-date=January 8, 2018|website=Rockabillyhall.com|archive-date=April 30, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110430162450/http://www.rockabillyhall.com/RockClockTribute.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Maine native and Connecticut resident [[Bill Flagg]] began using the term rockabilly for his combination of rock 'n' roll and hillbilly music as early as 1953.<ref name="rockabillyhall.com">{{cite web|title=Bill Flag at the Rockabilly Hall of Fame|url=http://www.rockabillyhall.com/BillFlagg1.html|access-date=January 1, 2009|archive-date=October 6, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081006235311/http://www.rockabillyhall.com/BillFlagg1.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> He cut several songs for Tetra Records in 1956 and 1957.<ref>{{cite web|title=RCS - Bill Flag page|url=http://rcs-discography.com/rcs/artists/f/flag1000.htm|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120714195012/http://rcs-discography.com/rcs/artists/f/flag1000.htm|archive-date=July 14, 2012}}</ref> "Go Cat Go" went into the National Billboard charts in 1956, and his "Guitar Rock" is cited as classic rockabilly.<ref name="rockabillyhall.com" />

In 1953, 13-year-old [[Janis Martin]] was performing at the Old Dominion Barn Dance on [[WRVA (AM)|WRVA]] out of Richmond, Virginia.<ref>[http://www.lva.lib.va.us/whoweare/exhibits/radio/wrva.htm] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090103084500/http://www.lva.lib.va.us/whoweare/exhibits/radio/wrva.htm|date=January 3, 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=WRVA Old Dominion Barn Dance|url=http://www.hillbilly-music.com/programs/story/index.php?prog=300|access-date=May 22, 2014|publisher=hillbilly-music.com}}</ref> Martin performed a mix of country songs for the show peppered with [[rhythm and blues]] hits in a style that has been described as "proto-rockabilly".<ref name=":3" /> She later stated, "the audience didn't know what to make of it. They didn't hardly allow electric instruments, and I was doing some songs by black artists."<ref name=":3">{{cite web|title=Janis Martin - Rockabilly Central|url=http://www.rockabilly.net/articles/janis.shtml|access-date=May 22, 2014|publisher=Rockabilly.net}}</ref>