Compilation compiled by Dave Henderson (Mojo Magazine). Based on the out of print book What Was The First Rock 'n' Roll Record? By Jim Dawson and Steve Propes, with an editorial cue from The Guardian and a host of online message boards, this intoxicating mix of styles add up to the birth of rock 'n' roll. From the first use of the word "rock", to the hybrid of "rocking and rolling", every track tells a story at the count down to the end of the '50s. The first release on Famous Flames, 'The First Rock And Roll Record' is an extensive collection that traces the very roots of the term rock 'n' roll. It began, we believe, at a religious camp meeting in 1916, before travelling far and wide and stealing from everyone. This set gathers together the music that first mentioned the words "rock" and "roll", alongside the many styles that were infused into the genre's revolutionary sound to create the eventual marriage of everything from hillbilly soul to jazz, blues and RnB which culminated in worldwide hits including 'Heartbreak Hotel' and 'Rock Around The Clock'. Long before Alan Freed uttered those immortal words, its formula was the stuff of much conversation. 'The First Rock And Roll Record' continues that trend. It is not only a hefty collection but also an ongoing debating point, a central theme to a growing online discussion. The three CD set traces the evolution of rock 'n roll music, from blues, jazz, swing, RnB, Gospel, bluegrass barrelhouse boogie woogie and western swing through interlinking and overlapping scenes. The 70 plus tracks display a lineage that was discussed at length in the out of print book What Was The First Rock 'n' Roll Record? by Jim Dawson and Steve Propes and in essays that have appeared over the years in MOJO, The Times and The Guardian as well as in the pages on Wikipedia. Each source threw up new titles and new connections which have been gathered together on this extensive set with on additional set of downloadable tracks which complete the full 50 songs from Dawson and Propes' book's original list alongside more than 50 additions which soundtrack the birth of a musical form. And, this epic tale will run and run. It continues to be the subject of heated discussion, with key tracks suggested by site readers adding to the collection in an ongoing attempt to discover what exactly was the first rock 'n' roll record.