Rock 'n' Roll lives in Louisiana

Where was rock ’n’ roll born? You could say it came into the world in a cramped studio on Rampart Street in New Orleans. Or you could just say it came out of hole-in-the-wall bars and battered jukeboxes and across the airwaves.

In any case, as famed New Orleans musician Dave Bartholomew said, “The pioneers are here. We built the house. You can redecorate it, but we laid the foundation.”

Check out the trailblazers across Louisiana, and find the roots of one of the most vibrant musical cultures anywhere. Revisit classics like "Good Rockin’ Tonight" – possibly the first rock ’n’ roll record ever made – and the classic “Susie Q,” written by Shreveport guitarist and Elvis Presley sideman James Burton. And don’t forget hidden gems like "I Got Loaded," “I Know (You Don’t Love Me No More)” and “Storm Warning."

The best part is that you can hear this music today around Louisiana. Watch for Classie Ballou, Al “Carnival Time” Johnson and Tami Lynn. Or Herb Hardesty, Warren Storm and Maggie Warwick. The list goes on. From Shreveport to Lake Charles, Lafayette, Baton Rouge and New Orleans and all the towns in between, you can listen to the heroes who built our boisterous rock ’n’ roll house.