Music history of the United States in the 1960s and symphonic music, is often taken as the key recording in progressive rock, helping the widespread adoption of the genre in the early 1970s among existing blues rock and psychedelic bands, as well as newly formed acts. Chubby Checker during the early 1960s popularizes the enduring dance craze The Twist with his hit cover of Hank Ballard's R&B hit "The Twist". Gerry Goffin and Carole King become a very influential duo in pop music, writing numerous number one hits including the first song to ever reach number one by a girl group, The Shirelles "Will You Love Me Tomorrow" and
The Ballad of the Brown King The Ballad of the Brown King The Ballad of the Brown King is a cantata composed by Margaret Bonds. It may be her most frequently performed work. It was written in honor of the African king, Balthazar, with text written by Langston Hughes for Bonds. The "Ballad" premiered in December 1954 in New York and was performed by the George McClain Choir. This was a shorter version of the piece, which was subsequently expanded by both Hughes and Bonds to include full orchestration. The longer version was performed on December 11, 1960 and televised in a CBS special called "Christmas