Music Legends—Mr. President, Meet The King

Tomes have been written about the late great "King of Rock n' Roll," Elvis Presley. In fact, Elvis Presley Enterprises (EPE), the mega-successful business entity created by the Estate of Elvis Presley and The Elvis Presley Trust, maintains a most interesting and comprehensive history of "all things Elvis" and related information at Elvis.com, the official Elvis Presley website.

Elvis is the #2 biggest selling music artist of all time (U.S.). He is second only to the Beatles, having sold over 118 million units (albums, singles, tapes, cds) and is now the biggest selling solo artist in U.S. history.

"In all, Elvis Presley has received 97 Gold Records, 55 of which have been certified Platinum, and 25 have gone on to multi-Platinum status. His highest certified album is 'Elvis' Christmas Album' which has been certified for the sale of more than nine million copies.

"He has also received more Gold and Platinum singles than any artist in history with 51 Gold singles, 27 of which have been certified Platinum with seven being certified multi-Platinum." —RIAA.com

There is so much, TOO MUCH, that could be and has already been written about this American music icon, Elvis Presley. So I'm going to write about the cultural impact Elvis had on music and on society at large.

I was discussing the history of rock n' roll with a guitartist friend of mine and the subject of Elvis came up. I mentioned that John Lennon had once purportedly remarked, "Before Elvis, there was nothing."

My friend immediately bristled at the notion. "No way," he replied, "he didn't invent anything...Chuck Berry and Little Richard were playing rock n' roll before Elvis...he got it from them. Chuck Berry kicks Elvis' ass!"

I told my friend I thought he had missed the point. John Lennon and everybody else, including Elvis, knew where the roots of rock n' roll lay -- in African-American music.

Elvis said it himself. "'The colored folks been singing it and playing it just like I’m doing now, man, for more years than I know,' Elvis told reporters in 1956. 'I got it from them. Down in Tupelo, Mississippi, I used to hear old Arthur Crudup bang his box the way I do now, and I said if I ever got to the place where I could feel all old Arthur felt, I’d be a music man like nobody ever saw.'" —Time Magazine

(Some have claimed that Elvis' 1954 cover of bluesman Arthur "Big Boy" Crudup's "That’s All Right" is the definitive first rock and roll recording. While this assertion may be widely accepted by Elvis fans -- and Elvis WAS among the very first to make rock and roll records -- most historians trace the "first" R&R record back to 1951 and a song entitled "Rocket 88," recorded at Sam Phillips' studio in Memphis, where Elvis also later recorded.

"March 1, 1951 -- Sam Phillips records 'Rocket 88' with singer Jackie Brenston and Ike Turner's band for Chess records. This recording is widely considered the first rock and roll record." —Rock and Roll Hall of Fame)

Elvis did not invent rock and roll. But he was an innovator, nonetheless, transfusing the popular music of the fifties (then dominated by white "crooners" such as Frank Sinatra, Pat Boone, Eddie Fisher and others of that ilk) with black music, gospel music...SOUL music.

And that transfusion was an important component of the anti-segregation sentiment that was brewing at the time and that led ultimately to the Civil Rights Movement...and desegregation.

Some have said Elvis "stole" his style from black R&B artists. I, among others, think he mereley propelled a great American sound into the mainstream musical vernacular. (And did us all a world of good!)

"In his scholarly work Race, Rock, and Elvis, Tennessee State University professor Michael T. Bertrand examined the relationship between popular culture and social change in America and these allegations against Presley. Professor Bertrand postulated that Presley's rock and roll music brought an unprecedented access to African American culture that challenged the 1950s segregated generation to reassess ingrained segregationist stereotypes. The American Historical Review wrote that the author 'convincingly argues that the black-and-white character of the sound, as well as Presley's own persona, helped to relax the rigid color line and thereby fed the fires of the civil rights movement.' The U.S. government report stated: 'Presley has been accused of 'stealing' black rhythm and blues, but such accusations indicate little knowledge of his many musical influences...However much Elvis may have 'borrowed' from black blues performers (e.g., 'Big Boy' Crudup, 'Big Mama' Thornton), he borrowed no less from white country stars (e.g., Ernest Tubb, Bill Monroe) and white pop singers (e.g., Mario Lanza, Dean Martin),' and most of his borrowings came from the church; its gospel music was his primary musical influence and foundation.'" —Wikipedia

Elvis may not have invented rock n' roll but he was the "King" because of all the rockers of that formative period, black and white, it was Elvis Presley's personna, personal magnetisim and yes, ABILITY TO ROCK, that broke the color barrier for black musicians...forever fusing black music and white music into AMERICAN MUSIC...and cross-culturally popularizing ROCK & ROLL.

Said Little Richard, "'He was an integrator. Elvis was a blessing. They wouldn't let black music through. He opened the door for black music.'" —Wikipedia

"'I will be here as long as it takes to get the credentials of a Federal Agent,' Elvis wrote [in a note given to a Nixon aide]. 'I have done an in-depth study of drug abuse and Communist brainwashing techniques and I am right in the middle of the whole thing where I can and will do the most good.'

"Nixon agreed to give him the badge — but only after learning that the chief of the narcotics bureau had turned down the same request earlier that day and told him the only person who could overrule his decision was the president.

"A photo of a cloaked and bejeweled Elvis Presley solemnly shaking hands with a grim-faced President Nixon remains the No. 1 requested document from the National Archives, nearly four decades after the secret meeting took place on Dec. 21, 1970." —AP Report at Yahoo News

After Elvis died, then President Jimmy Carter wrote, "Elvis Presley's death deprives our country of a part of itself. He was unique and irreplaceable. More than 20 years ago, he burst upon the scene with an impact that was unprecedented and will probably never be equaled. His music and his personality, fusing the styles of white country and black rhythm and blues, permanently changed the face of American popular culture. His following was immense, and he was a symbol to people the world over of the vitality, rebelliousness, and good humor of his country." —The American Presidency Project

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