What is doo-wop?
Q: What is doo-wop?
A: Doo-wop is a genre of music that was developed in African-American communities in The USA. It started in the 1940s and achieved mainstream popularity in the 1950s and early 1960s. It features vocal group harmony, nonsense syllables, a simple beat, sometimes little or no instrumentation, and simple music and lyrics.
Q: Who is Bill Kenny?
A: Bill Kenny (1914–1978) is often called the "Godfather of Doo-wop". He introduced the "top and bottom" format which featured a high tenor singing the lead and a bass singer reciting the lyrics in the middle of the song.
Q: When did doo-wop first appear in print?
A: The term "doo-wop" first appeared in print in 1961.
Q: What other musical styles influenced doo-wop?
A: Doo-wop was an evolution of jazz and blues, which also influenced many of the major Rock and Roll groups that defined later decades of the 20th century.
Q: How did doo-wop keep time?
A: Doo-wop is iconic for it’s swing-like beats and using the offbeat to keep time.
Q: What artist has recently revived this genre?
A: Meghan Trainor usually makes songs with within this genre, reviving it recently.
