Bill Haley

In the early '50s, Bill Haley was one of the prime exponents of what was later called rock & roll. His roots were in country, but years before Elvis, Haley and the Comets were mixing Western swing, pop, and R&B. His "Rock Around the Clock" was a rallying cry for a new generation; had he been more photogenic and hip-looking, he might have worn the crown that Elvis would soon earn as the king of rock & roll.