Final answer:
Electric blues matured into rock and roll during the 1940s, marked by iconic performances and the adoption of the electric guitar. Memphis played a critical role with artists like Elvis Presley blending diverse musical styles, leading to the genre's widespread appeal among youth.
Step-by-step explanation:
The electric blues genre matured in the 1940s as a fusion of various musical styles, including jazz, country, and rhythm and blues (R&B). Innovations like the solid-body electric guitar played a pivotal role in developing the sound that would pave the way for rock and roll. This musical revolution was energized by the talents of artists such as Sister Rosetta Tharpe and amplified by the cultural shifts occurring in post-war America.
Sister Rosetta Tharpe's performance of "Strange Things Happening Every day" and Jackie Brantson's "Rocket 88" with Ike Turner's Band marked significant milestones in the evolution of rock and roll. The genre gained immense popularity among teenagers, led in part by the promotional efforts of disc jockey Alan Freed. This unification of musical influences under the umbrella of rock and roll represented the convergence of Black and White musical cultures, and via the airwaves, it reached a vast, diverse audience.