American rhythm and blues (R&B) arose during the post-World War II years to provide an important link between jump blues and rock and roll--and by the late 1950s, soul. Welding the raunch of jump blues legend Amos Milburn onto a threadbare chassis of shuffling rhythms and concise songs, the biggest R&B stars of the '50s made records that came from the blues but aimed for the dance floor. The hits came in droves as Big Maybelle's "Ring Dang Dilly," oft-overlooked Little Willie John's "Let Them Talk," "5-10-15 Hours" by Ruth Brown, and R&B kingpin Ray Charles' "I Got a Woman" have remained signature R&B tunes to this day. Underscoring the heavy influence R&B wielded on the nascent rock and roll of the mid-'50s, Big Maybelle and Little Willie John recorded arguably definitive versions of, respectively, "Whole Lot of Shakin' Goin' On" and "Fever" well before the better-known rock and roll versions were set to wax. As the end of the '50s drew near, R&B became increasingly smooth and made its move onto the pop charts, but its original grit-and-holler approach would become the driving force behind the soul music that would sweep the nation in the '60s.

Notable Artists: Ray Charles; Ruth Brown; Brook Benton; Big Maybelle