ABSTRACT
Named for the nonsense syllables that were a central part of their vocal harmony arrangements, du-wop or doo-wop groups of young African American male singers were a constant presence on the R&B charts throughout the 1950s and a major influence on the rise of rock ’n’ roll. Casey Jones had more smarts than many of his contemporaries and quite a few of the performers who came along later, including the Du-Wop singers and everybody else who complained that they were shortchanged in their show business careers. In the 50s, buses slowly replaced streetcars, and the back of the bus was the ideal place for the Du-Wop Group to serenade the passengers. But during the 50s, the dawn of rock ’n’ roll, the Du-Wop Groups and the single arts of that period did not have the benefit of these marketing tools. But, the emergence of the Du-Wop Groups provided a lot of session work for musicians.
