july utc hank williams didn't listen to too many of their records he was a country boy and was influenced by swing music yet he recorded pure rockers country music played as much a vital roll in the formation of rock n roll than black music no matter how some people wish to deny it bill haley the everly brothers buddy holly and many more of the greatest rockers had their roots in country chuck berry was also influenced by it and if he had been white would have probably been seen as country rather than r b elvis is allowed to be called the king just as much as say james brown is allowed to be called the hardest working man in showbiz you don't see people who dislike him throwing everything but the kitchen sink in to try and make out it was a marketing ploy and their favorite artists worked harder