Sure, entertainers are famous. But turns out, they have a lot of the same dreams we do, right down to meeting the president.

From rehearsal to showtime, Rock and Roll Hall of Famer and Drifters member Charlie Thomas shares an evening in his life.

The Bop Chords went from a street corner to Harlem’s legendary Apollo Theater in a matter of weeks. Their career was brief, but they left behind three singles.

“Rhythm and blues had a baby and they called it rock and roll,” Little Richard quipped at the Concert For The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland in 1995. So who were the parents? Here are 13 Fabulous ’40s artists who facilitated that birth.