artLIVE – On September 15, the American Center and the U.S. Consulate General in Ho Chi Minh City hosted an event titled ‘American Excellence: Rocking the World with U.S.’ The program explored the origins of rock music in the United States and its journey to becoming one of the nation’s greatest cultural treasures.
‘American Excellence: Rocking the World with U.S.’ – When American Rock Crossed Borders
The event featured Daniel Abussi, Associate Director of Admissions at Berklee College of Music, as guest speaker. He guided the audience back to the roots of rock, beginning with blues and jazz genres born within African American communities during the era of slavery.
Amid hardship, music became both refuge and resistance. Blues carried deep sorrow yet embodied inner strength, while jazz expanded the boundaries of creativity and technique. Together, they gave birth to rock & roll in the 1950s.
From its earliest days, rock was never just commercial entertainment it became a symbol of freedom, rebellion, and self-expression in a rapidly changing society. Its spirit can be summed up in four words: roots, freedom, rebellion, and rhythm. Its lyrics broke taboos, tackling themes of love, desire, defiance, society, alcohol, and drugs.
Its driving beats stirred listeners to movement, creating an energy that could not be contained. On this foundation, pioneers such as Sister Rosetta Tharpe, Muddy Waters, Chuck Berry, Little Richard, and Elvis Presley laid the cornerstones of rock & roll.
In the 1960s, rock was ‘exported’ to the UK. Bands like The Beatles and The Rolling Stones absorbed the rhythms and familiar three-chord progressions, then transformed them into something uniquely British. Soon, the UK became a creative hub with legendary groups like Queen and Pink Floyd, helping rock achieve global phenomenon status. Woodstock in 1969 became a milestone, marked by unforgettable performances from Jimi Hendrix and Santana.
By the 1970s, rock saw a surge in technical innovation. Van Halen introduced the groundbreaking two-handed guitar tapping technique, while Pink Floyd and Deep Purple pushed rock into psychedelic realms. Bands like Aerosmith, The Eagles, and Led Zeppelin elevated rock into a multidimensional artistic experience.
In the 1990s, grunge from Seattle, led by Nirvana, brought a new wave of sound. Drummer Dave Grohl later founded Foo Fighters, proving that rock was still evolving. Whereas audiences in the 1970s enjoyed extended 10–15 minute tracks, modern listeners, living in a faster-paced world, often prefer songs lasting just 2–3 minutes. Like every genre, rock has adapted to survive.
During the discussion, Daniel Abussi posed the question: ‘Is rock music dead or still evolving?’. Some argue it has ‘died’ as it no longer dominates mainstream radio, now led by pop.
Yet Abussi emphasized that rock continues to exist though in new forms across video games, films, and contemporary pop music. The answer, he suggested, depends on perspective. For those nostalgic, rock may seem faded; for the optimistic, it remains alive and inspiring, simply wearing a different face.
Carrying forward rock’s endless journey with Berklee
The story of rock is also intertwined with Berklee College of Music, the prestigious institution in Boston founded in 1945. Originally a jazz school, Berklee has constantly evolved, shaping major figures such as Quincy Jones, John Mayer, and Dream Theater. At Berklee, no genre is considered ‘mainstream’; all are nurtured if they capture the spirit of the times.
In Vietnam, the presence of international music corporations such as Universal, Sony, and Warner over the past decade signals a promising market. Berklee has also organized scholarship auditions in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, offering opportunities for young talents to pursue their passion and keep music vibrant.
Through this event, audiences gained a deeper look at the global journey of American rock, while also understanding how Berklee carries forward that legacy through contemporary education, its faculty, and alumni who have shaped the sound of generations.
Reference: Lecture by Daniel Abussi
Photos: U.S. Consulate General Ho Chi Minh City
