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CHAPTER 3
With black sound being integrated into white music came a unique recognition by the American people that a great amount of preju- dice was running rampant in the country. The early music was banned from the airwaves of white stations all over the country. Even when Elvis arrived, his music was banned, because many stations believed that he was black. The major record companies would never dream of having a black artist playing or singing black music. It took many years for someone like Nat King Cole to be accepted, and he only sang white music. Questions like "What would become of our society if this were to remain?" became dominant throughout the country and the music industry. The giants of the record business were actually convinced that this type of music was a minor trend, and they had no intention of adding this type of music to their libraries. By 1957, the black labels were eagerly searching for more and more white rockabilly sounds and black artists were being squeezed out.
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The first really white rock and roll record is considered to be "Black Denim Trousers and Motorcycle Boots," by the Cheers in 1955. The power of early rock and roll was enormous, as indicated by the resurgence of Golden Oldies sounds on both recordings and in live shows in every decade since the concept was introduced. Every generation would try to enlarge upon the sound, yet the basic, original sound would continue to return and thrive in the music world. The creation of rock and roll was similar, in effect, to the creation of the Frankenstein monster, in that it would continue to survive and endure, all by itself, through the decades ahead.
The independent labels were, of course, eager to expand to this new sound. It was a lot easier for them to do so than it was for the major labels. They had less overhead, fewer employees and less fat. They needed fewer sales to make a profit, and they were more apt to try something new, as they had a closer awareness to the local sounds. The medium would generate more dances than any particular music in history: the duck, the pony, the fly, the Popeye, the Madison, the monkey, the stroll, the twist, the swim, the mashed potato, the Watusi, the limbo, the Hully Gully, the Hitchhiker, the Boogaloo, the Freddie, the Frug, the Jerk, the Chicken and many, many more. The sounds of rock would take many forms in the years ahead, among them the surfer sound, folk music, folk rock, skiffle music, punk rock, heavy metal, rockabilly, rhythm & blues, swing, acid rock, and many more. This was the music of the future, and the future was now.
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| 4 2 What It Was Was Rockabilly By the end of the '50's the small independent companies had just as much chance, and perhaps more, as the major companies to have a hit. The smaller companies, of course, because of their experiences with the music, had a much better sound to their rhythm and blues, and rock and roll records, than did the major ones. |
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| 46 What It Was Was Rockabilly Sam Cornelius Phillips Sam purchased his studio at 706 Union Avenue in Memphis, Tennessee, in 1950 the city's first permanent recording facility. He began to record various artists, and lease the records to other companies, such as: Chess, Modern, Meteor and Trumpet. In addition, he recorded weddings, Rotarian speeches, and anything for which he could charge money. The Sun label was founded in 1952, when Sam joined with his brother Judd, who would provide him with much help and knowledge in the future. Sun's first release was numbered 174 (it was common in those days for the smaller independents to begin with an uncommon number, usually one that had a personal meaning, and it also tended to fool distributors into thinking the company had been around for a long time). The label just about ceased producing anything meaningful by the early 60's. In 1951 Sam Phillips was the owner of a shoe string operation that cut records by young black blues singers in Memphis, Tennessee. A few years later he would shape the careers of such founding rockers as Elvis Presley, Carl Perkins, Roy Orbison, and Jerry Lee Lewis; today, he counts his money. But at least one writer has stepped forward to call him "America's Real Uncle Sam", a title he might like. [Stambler & Landon, 1983, P. 16] Sam Phillips main source of income was in recording local talent and charging them for it. Occasionally, he would sell or lease various |
The Primary Set 47 recordings to other labels, in other parts of the country; labels such as Chess in Chicago, and Modern in Los Angeles, that were capable of supporting such artists. Eventually, his Sun record label would be released as well, and he developed a strong regional following. Many of the artists which he recorded would only reach local or minute stardom: Jackie Boy and Little Walter, Johnny London, Walter Bradford and the Big City Four, Handy Jackson, Joe Hill Louis, Jimmy and Walter, among others. Some of the artist would reach a higher degree of stardom, not necessarily at the time, but in later years. including Rufus Thomas, Jr.; Little Milton; Billy (The Kid) Emerson; James Cotton; Charlie Feathers; Warren Smith; Billy Riley; Edwin Bruce; Jack Clement; Dickey Lee; Ray Smith; David Houston; Bobby Bland; Sleepy John Estes; Howlin' Wolf; and B. B. King. Although Sun originally started as a blues record company, Sam was constantly looking for a certain sound a mixture of the religious zeal of gospel and the soul searching emotion of rhythm and blues. He began to seek this sound in the white youths of the south, and rather then create it, he tended to guide it to perfection. We can see his guiding hand in the likes of Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins, Roy Orbison, Jerry Lee Lewis, and the many other known and unknown artists who made up the roster of talent in this great company. "My Kind of Carryin' On" by Doug Poindexter and The Starlight Wranglers... It fluttered, shook like a creature flirting with madness. Sam must have slept well that night. [Tosches, 1985, p. 44] Unfortunately, this was to be the only release by Poindexter on Sun, for in 1955 he retired from the music business after the breakup of his band. His lead guitarist, Scotty Moore, and his bass player, Bill Black, had joined with a new young singer by the name of Elvis Presley. On July 5, 1954 this young singer recorded "That's All Right, Mama" which would have a profound effect on the music industry, and on Sun Records. The style was raw, new, and exciting, and would, in a year or so he called rockabilly. The fact that Elvis used only two backup artists, and later three would inspire many later singers to copy his lead. Among these would be Buddy Holly, Buddy Knox, and Johnny Cash. |
48 What It Was Was Rockabilly Elvis Aaron Presley After high school he took a job as a truck driver for the Crown Electric Company, where he would remain for several years. He would make extra money by selling his blood, by ushering in the local theaters, or in any way he could. He spent it both to help support his parents and to fulfill his desire for flashy clothes. Like many parents with no possible future, Elvis's lived only for their son, so they pampered and spoiled him, and desired the best for him, so that he would fulfill their dreams. On Sundays they would attend their church, the Assembly of God and hear the minister proclaim the evils of the earth, in the great southern way. Elvis's desire for a special birthday present for his mother would lead him to his destiny at Sun Records, where he would record a few songs for his mother. There were four people there, when it happened; Scotty Moore, the great lead guitarist; Sam Phillips, in the background, just waiting for something to happen; Bill Black, playing his slap bass, and eating up every minute of it, and the young, wild kid, slapping his guitar, and |
The Primary Set 49 making like he was the only one in the whole world. Then it finally happened, as Sam knew it would. They recorded a song called "That's All Right, Mama" which made everyone happy, Sam had to wonder who in the world would dare to play this "nigger" music sound. The whites wouldn't play it because it was black music, and the blacks wouldn't play it because it sounded like hillbilly music.
No one would have the same impact on the world, as Elvis did, until 1964 when the Beatles came to America, and began a new phase of rock and roll. His sincerity, his movements, and his honesty would carry him to the hearts of America and the world. He recorded for Sun for only one year, but during that year Sun released ten songs, some from the blues genre and some just plain country. The amount of material that Elvis recorded in this period was unheard of in the industry. "Baby Let's Play House" was his first record to reach the national charts, and it hit number 10 on the country and western charts in July 1955. In October of that year, a 19-year-old artist named Buddy Holly was the opening act for Elvis in Lubbock, Texas. It was now time for every rockabilly artist in the world to come out of the swamps, the farms, and the factories, in order to let the world know that they were around. Elvis also had enough impact on the music world to cause many artists who would have been pure country and western musicians to turn to this new sound. By 1960, this sound would eventually be swallowed up by the flourishing rock format, and many of these artist would take a turn either toward country, or toward pure rock and pop music. In 1955 Elvis met Colonel Tom Parker, who had originally been a carnival pitch man, and who had previously managed Eddy Arnold, and his world changed. Parker negotiated a contract with RCA, making it one of the first major labels of the day to jump on the bandwagon of the new rock sound. For approximately $40,000.00 RCA purchased the rights to Elvis Presley and his |
50 What It Was Was Rockabilly recordings, a relatively cheap price to pay for the enormous sums that would be made in the future. Soon Elvis would be on the lips of everyone in the world. His actions would cause havoc in the industry, and his success would be nothing less than phenomenal. No other single artist would ever achieve his success. RCA was Elvis's biggest pusher, and promoted him with enthusiasm. They began by booking him on "The Tommy And Jimmy Dorsey Show" on national television, for six Saturday night appearances. The reactions were enormous, and so were the ratings. This reaction caused Ed Sullivan, who had previously called him "unfit" for his family audience, to offer Elvis $50,000 for three performances, rather than the normal scale paid to most of the artists who appeared on his show. Shortly afterward, RCA released "Heartbreak Hotel" backed with "I Was The One," the first of over 50 records to sell one million copies, or more. The record immediately went to the top of the charts, and two million copies were sold. This first release on RCA was pure rockabilly, with echoes, heavy on guitars, and ridiculous loving lyrics a song destined to go immediately to the top of the charts. RCA also re-released all of the Sun Records cuts at about the same time. Never before had anyone dominated the charts more than Elvis, and no one would ever touch him, although the Beatles came close. He was called everything from a "no talent bum" to a "sexabitionist," but nothing could stop him in his rise to the top. Elvis had a rapport with his audience that very few entertainers ever acquire. He was hated, with jealousy by the males, and loved with uncontrollable desire by the females -- yet everyone learned to respect his ability, his sincerity, and his charms of innocence. His singing was crude and unrestrained, as were his movements on stage, but he projected the hurt and emotions that every teenager has experienced at some time, thus making direct contact with his audience. He was the personification of pure sexual lust, and his audience loved it. By 1961, he had sold $76 million worth of records. Of all the rockabilly singers who sprouted up after Elvis, few could compete with their own studio sound. The echo chambers; background singers; and the loud, yet stylish, guitar chords created in the studios were much too difficult to duplicate on the road. Elvis created his own action and his own motivation and projected his own image, exactly the way the records sounded. Since other early rockabilly and rock and roll stars found it difficult |
| The Primary Set 51 to recreate the sound of the studio, they began to lip-synch the lyrics to a recording to create the exact sound of the recording. Many good artists, however, continued to sing their own sound, in front of the audience. It was the Colonel's desire to graduate Elvis from the low, sensual sounds of poor trash to the more sophisticated sounds of large orchestras, complete with chorus. With each new recording session, Elvis grew further and further away from the pure rockabilly sounds of his beginnings. By 1958, when he entered the army, his rockabilly days were over, and the polished sounds were beginning to develop. His world, however, was changing. He could go nowhere without being recognized, and hounded. He soon developed his own world at Graceland Mansion, he made the rest of the world stay out. He continued to record hit after hit, even while he was in Germany, serving in the U. S. Army. From 1956, and 1962, he had 18 number one songs on the charts. In 1956, he signed a movie contract with Hal Wallis, and made his film debut in the 20th Century-Fox movie Love Me Tender. The movie made its entire investment back within three days of its release an unprecedented and unheard of act in film history. One movie after another followed: Flaming Star; G. I. Blues; Wild in the Country; Blue Hawaii; Follow That Dream; Kid Galahad; King Creole; Girls, In 1968, all this would change. It would start quietly with the release of Jerry Reed's "Guitar Man," and by 1970 would result in a complete comeback -- the result of strategic planning by Elvis and the Colonel. Elvis's first national show, at The International Hotel in Las Vegas, was a great performance, and he agreed to return. NBC TV released his first TV special. He staged performances at special locations across the country. All of them were successful. Regardless of how much money or fame came his way, Elvis always managed to retain the image of the lovable country boy. Elvis Presley died on August 16,1977, as a result of obesity and the use of drugs. To this day his hundreds of thousands of followers still remember and cherish him. His death not only startled his fans, but created questions concerning the actual cause of his death. His doctor claimed he died of a heart attack, but later his death was |
52 What It Was Was Rockabilly investigated because of the abnormally high amount of prescription drugs that were issued to Elvis. Traces of 13 types of drugs were found in his system. RCA Records was swamped for years after Elvis's death, with requests for material, songs, records, pictures, and anything pertaining to Elvis. The world was flooded with memorabilia, and books. Elvis was the epitome of the fairy tale story of the poor pauper who comes into wealth and fame. His records continue to be released on a yearly basis.
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(1954), he became the first white artist to be popular on the
rhythm and blues charts. 
In
1956, he added another million seller to his repertoire with the
release of "See You Later, Alligator," which
became a synonym for goodbye among teenagers throughout the
country for years. 
Memphis,
Tennessee. Bill Haley died of a heart attack in Harlingen, Texas,
on February 9, 1981. 
January 5, 1923. Afterquitting high school in 1941, he worked as a radio announcer, while studying engineering, podiatry, and embalming (obviously trying to be a success at something) at night. He kept on the move: in 1942 he became a deejay at WLAY, in Muscle Shoals, Alabama. In 1943 he went to WHSL in Decator, Georgia; in 1945 he joined WLAC in Nashville; 1946-1949 he was with WREC in Memphis, and began to promote shows on the side. 
Elvis Presley was born in Tupelo, Mississippi, on January 8, 1935, to a relatively poor lower class family. In September 1948, the family moved to Memphis, Tennessee, where they lived in a low-cost government sponsored housing complex while he attended Humes High School. In high school he developed the desire to become a singer, but had no idea how to accomplish such a feat. He would listen to the songs of the Carter Family, Jimmie Rodgers, Roy Acuff, Ernest Tubb, Bob Wills, Hank Williams, as well as to the many white gospel and black blues singers in the south. He imitated many of the popular singers of the day, but he was warned against singing the black blues, as it was "sinful" music. 
This led to a special meeting, and recording session with the label. It's been said that when Elvis was asked, over the phone, how soon he could get to the studio, he was there before Sam could hang up the phone. 
Elvis would be destined to play the circuit for years the car dealerships, carnivals, political rallies, and so forth throughout the south constantly improving his sound, and learning how to react to his audience (which consisted mainly of adoring teenage girls). 
Among these future stars were; Conway Twitty, Carl Perkins, Roy Orbison, Johnny Cash, Dorsey and Johnny Burnette, George Hamilton IV, Marty Robbins, the Everly Brothers, and Buddy Holly. Because of Elvis, there would soon be a tremendous void in the area of country and western music for many years to come. 
Girls, Girls, and many more. Elvis continued to turn out movie after movie and record after record, but it was different. He was no longer the hottest thing in the world. 