PBA Galleries

Marvin Shnayer, ed.  Rhythm And Blues / Latest Song Hits / Stories And Photos, Vol. 1, No. 4 (Onyx Publishing, Derby, Conn., 1953) Original pictorial wrappers. 9 x 11.5 “ 34pp.

Coined in 1948, the term “rhythm and blues” was commonly used by the early 1950s to refer to a genre of African-American music before the advent of Rock and Roll, including hits in those years by Johnny Otis, Little Richard, Ruth Brown, Dinah Washington and Fats Domino. This magazine issue included features on many long-forgotten performers as well as such stars as the Ink Spots, pianist Art Tatum and a very cute 10 year-old girl named Leslie Uggams.  Based at a small town west of New Haven, Connecticut, Onyx Publications continued to publish this quarterly magazine until 1965, but it was gradually superseded after 1956 by a new periodical, “Rock and Roll Songs”, also edited by “Rockin’ Shanyer, the Hip Skipper”. Only a handful of institutions, including the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland and the Institute of Jazz Studies at Rutgers seem to have copies of the very early issues.