Ecclesiastes said it well: “What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun.” From Bakersfield to Beale Street traces the origins and evolution of American rock ‘n’ roll between 1940 and 1987 by examining the intersection of styles and regional influences. The blues, traditional country, and gospel music are the progenitors of rock ‘n’ roll; evolving forms are shaped by distinctive influences in the South, the East and West Coasts, and the Midwest.

But while there may be nothing new under the…