Timeline

In 1877 Thomas Edison invents the phonograph for playing back stored sounds. The first recording he makes is "Mary Had a Little Lamb." In 1915 Chicago Automatic Time Machine creates the jukebox. In 1931 Adolph Rickenbacker invents the electric guitar. Billboard puts out its first record sales chart in 1936. In 1942 Savoy is founded in Newark (NJ) to promote black music. In 1947 Billboard writer Jerry Wexler invents the term "rhythm and blues" for electric blues. In 1948 the magazine Billboard introduces charts for "hillbilly" and "race" records. Then in the Billboard chart for "race" records becomes the chart for "rhythm and blues" records. In 1958 Elvis goes to the army.