Early rock and roll performers, including Little Richard and Elvis, were influenced by the sounds and tropes of Pentecostal worship services.
From the time it hit the national consciousness in the mid-1950s, rock and roll was a target for Christian preachers who viewed it as sinful. But, as historian Randall J. Stephens writes, the music was deeply influenced by Christian worship—specifically, energetic, music-filled Pentecostal services.
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