When Elvis Presley first showed up at Sam Phillips's Memphis-based
Sun Records studio, he was a shy teenager in search of a sound.
Phillips invited a local guitarist named Scotty Moore to stand in.
Scotty listened carefully to the young singer and immediately realized
that Elvis had something special. Along with bass player Bill Black, the
trio recorded an old blues number called “That's All Right, Mama.” It
turned out to be Elvis's first single and the defining record of his
early style, with a trilling guitar hook that swirled country and blues
together and minted a sound with unforgettable appeal. Its success
launched a whirlwind of touring, radio appearances, and Elvis's first
break into movies. Scotty was there every step of the way as both
guitarist and manager, until Elvis's new manager, Colonel Tom Parker,
pushed him out. Scotty and Elvis would not perform together again until
the classic 1968 “comeback” television special. Scotty never saw Elvis
after that.
With both Bill Black and Elvis gone, Scotty Moore is
the only one left to tell the story of how Elvis and Scotty transformed
popular music and how Scotty created the sound that became a prototype
for so many rock guitarists to follow. Thoroughly updated, this edition
delivers guitarist Scotty Moore's story as never before.