Charles Calhoun
Charles Calhoun, born Jesse Albert Stone on November 16, 1901, in Atchison, Kansas, was a pivotal American rhythm and blues musician and songwriter. He is best known for his influential role in the development of rock and roll, particularly through his composition "Shake, Rattle and Roll." Stone's career spanned several decades, during which he also worked as an arranger, record producer, and pianist.
Raised in a family of performers, Stone was immersed in music from a young age, performing in minstrel shows by the age of five. He formed his first group, the Blue Serenaders, in 1926 and recorded "Starvation Blues" in 1927. Throughout the 1930s and 1940s, he worked in Kansas City and New York, collaborating with notable bands and artists such as Chick Webb and Jimmie Lunceford.
In 1945, Stone joined National Records and later Atlantic Records, where he became the only black person on the payroll. His work at Atlantic led to the creation of a distinctive bass line that became a hallmark of rock and roll. Under the pseudonym Charles Calhoun, advised by Ahmet Ertegun to avoid conflicts with ASCAP, Stone wrote numerous hits, including "Money Honey," "Flip, Flop and Fly," and "Your Cash Ain't Nothin' But Trash."
Stone's contributions to music were recognized with his induction into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2010. He passed away on April 1, 1999, in Altamonte Springs, Florida, leaving behind a legacy that significantly shaped the sound of early rock and roll and rhythm and blues.
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