Rhythm and blues, or R&B, is a{{U}}
(26) {{/U}}of music that came out of the jazz, blues and gospel music
that was being{{U}} (27) {{/U}}by African Americans{{U}} (28)
{{/U}}the 1930s and 1940s. Over the years, the term has commonly been used
to describe{{U}} (29) {{/U}}popular music this community was played at
the time. This more upbeat, exciting type of music caught on{{U}} (30)
{{/U}}a big way, and for the first time, African Americans{{U}} (31)
{{/U}}their own style of commercial music. In the late
1930s, many big bands broke up{{U}} (32) {{/U}}smaller units and formed
"jump blues" bands{{U}} (33) {{/U}}played loud music with a strong dance
beat, quickly{{U}} (34) {{/U}}popular in the dance halls at the
time. Early R＆B{{U}} (35) {{/U}}were those of Count
Basie, Louis Jordan and Lionel Hampton. Basic had a hit in 1937 with One O'clock
Jump,{{U}} (36) {{/U}}Jordan had a string of hits from the late 1930s
through the 1940s. By the mid 1940s, R.M. Blues by Roy Milton and The Honey
dripper by Joe Liggin each{{U}} (37) {{/U}}one million copies.
The new music style{{U}} (38) {{/U}}to evolve and was gaining{{U}}
(39) {{/U}}rapidly. In Annapolis, more than 50,000 people{{U}}
(40) {{/U}}up to a concert with seating for 8,000. There was a
traffic{{U}} (41) {{/U}}for seven hours. Rhythm and
blues has come a long way{{U}} (42) {{/U}}American African musicians of
the mid 20th century developed their own style of{{U}} (43) {{/U}}music
based on some more conservative styles at the time. R&B had huge success in
the 1950s and 1960s before making an even{{U}} (44) {{/U}}comeback as
contemporary R&B{{U}} (45) {{/U}}the 1980s
on.