[1][2] Rock and roll evolved gradually out of boogie woogie, itself a fusion of blues, early ragtime-style jazz, religious and dance music like honky tonk.

For example, it is a song with accelerated blues guitar riffs and a danceable back beat, recognized as foreshadowing Chuck Berry compositions.

[3][4] It is therefore on a short list along with "Pinetop's Boogie Woogie" (which coined the name for the genre) as "the first rock and roll recording".

In 1929, Le Moise "Blind Roosevelt" Graves and his brother Uaroy[1] began recording boogie woogie music, a style that had acquired its name from the Pinetop song a year earlier.

[5] The song is in the "blues in B flat" mode typical of 1950s rock, with Graves on guitar and vocals, session musician William Ezell on piano, Graves' brother playing tambourine, and Baby Jay James playing cornet.