Final answer:
Muddy Waters' early blues hits, such as "Rollin' Stone," were close to the Delta blues style, featuring a rustic sound and bottleneck guitar. The genre later evolved into rock and roll through a cross-pollination of musical influences, with artists like Chuck Berry and Carl Perkins blending various elements from gospel, country, jazz, and R&B.
Step-by-step explanation:
McKinley Morganfield, known by his stage name Muddy Waters, was a pivotal figure in the evolution of the blues. His early hits, like "Rollin' Stone" (1948), possessed a rustic style that closely resembled Delta blues, a genre that originated in the Mississippi Delta. This style is characterized by its raw and emotive quality, often featuring the distinctive whining sound produced by a bottleneck or slide guitar.
The combination of electric instruments with the sounds of gospel, blues, country, jazz, and R&B paved the way for the creation of rock and roll, which quickly gained popularity among American teenagers. Artists like Chuck Berry and Carl Perkins played significant roles in this musical revolution by blending these various genres. Berry, for example, took influence from both black and white musical traditions, including western swing, to create his rock n' roll sound, as evidenced by his hit "Maybellene", which was an adaptation of earlier music.
The cross-cultural exchange and geographical factors in cities like Memphis contributed to the rich musical tapestry that allowed rock and roll to flourish. Chuck Berry's music, along with that of Elvis Presley, Carl Perkins, and other early rock icons, illustrates the complex interplay of influences that shaped this new, dynamic genre of music.