Jackie Brenston and his Delta Cats

Jackie Brenston and his Delta Cats were given label credit on the 1951 Sun Records single "Rocket 88", a song claimed by Sun's owner and pioneer rock and roll record producer Sam Phillips as "the first rock and roll song".

The band did not actually exist. The song was written by Ike Turner and recorded by him with his band, the Kings of Rhythm. Brenston (1930-1979) was a saxophonist with Turner and also sang the vocal on "Rocket 88", a hymn of praise to the joys of the Oldsmobile Rocket 88 automobile. Brenston also shared author credit with Turner, but it is now agreed that Brenston's contribution was overstated for obscure, non-musical reasons.

Working from the raw material of jump blues and swing combo music, Turner made it even rawer, starting with a strongly stated backbeat and superimposing Brenston's enthusiastic vocals and tenor saxophone solos by "Raymond" and Brenston. It is the prototype for hundreds of other rock and roll records in which an automobile served as a metaphor for romantic prowess.

The claim that "Rocket 88" was the first rock and roll record is perhaps unjustified, but it was the second-biggest rhythm and blues single of 1951 and much more influential than some other "first" claimants. "Rocket 88" was successfully covered Bill Haley early in his career, leading to his own impact on popular music. Turner's piano introduction was copied note for note by Little Richard on his "Lucille" several years after that.

Brenston left Turner's band after the record's success and released several more singles between 1951 and 1953, but they were slavish copies of the original and had little success. Brenston rejoined Turner's band as a saxophonist in 1957 and continued with him until 1965.