Yeah, I know.it’s the obvious thing to say on January 8 and happy birthdays are splashed all over Facebook and the rest of the web on that day. But as we commemorate the day of Elvis’ birth, I invite you to think about what the man did for a moment. If you’re like me, calling Elvis great has become almost a clich over the years. But really; step back and think about it for a moment. He was just a teenaged kid when he almost single handedly changed the world. Not just the world of music, but the world world. Nothing was the same after 1954. Nothing. Elvis’ influence crept–or more accurately exploded–into everything. Music, movies, fashion.everything.
Thanks to the dollar-signs-where-his-eyes-should-be management of “Colonel” Tom Parker, Elvis quickly devolved into a money-generating joke. The horrible movies that he made might seem almost acceptable to me now in a quaint sort of way. But just imagine the movies that could have been created around Elvis if Parker and Hollywood hadn’t have been trying to play it “safe” with the King and make him acceptable to the parents so that they would shell out the few bucks for their kids to go see these films. Even still, the power of Elvis’ presence held his adoring young fans right through the sellout. That’s how powerful the man was.
I marvel when I listen to the command in Elvis’ voice even on his earliest rockabilly recordings. Not just the command that he had over his voice (though he obviously had that in spades), but also the command in his voice. The command over a hapless audience of teenagers. The command that demanded the girls all love him and the boys all want to be like him.
And look back at some of the pictures of Elvis early in his career. The on-stage pictures of course captured him in his element where he completely owned anyone watching. We all know how confident the man was on stage. But look also at some of the back-stage photos and more candid shots. This was a man.just a boy, really.who exuded confidence. Maybe it wasn’t really as strong as it looked, but man, it sure looked like indomitable confidence It’s part of what made the crowds love him. It was an aura of complete confidence and control of the situation.
A couple nights ago my daughter was sitting with me when I was writing a blog post about Junior Thompson with The Meteors. As I played the YouTube video that I included in that post, she asked, “Daddy, why do they all sound like Elvis?” Man, doesn’t that question really about sum it all up
They did all sound like Elvis, because they all wanted to be Elvis. At least, they want to be like him. No; Elvis didn’t invent rockabilly. Not in my opinion anyway. I know that’s the never-ending debate. But there were just too many cooks in that particular kitchen to say that just one guy invented it. It was born many years before and was nurtured by countless unknown musicians and it grew and it formed and it matured.
And then one day Elvis grabbed hold of the microphone. And Scotty Moore tuned up his guitar. And Bill Black slapped his big bass fiddle. They didn’t invent the stuff, but they sure as anything put it on the map
And then they hit the road with this new music they were playing. All through Texas they played any flatbed-truck-stage they could climb onto and by 1955 there was an undeniable movement afoot. And those Texans started their own bands. Holly, Orbison, and the rest. They all wanted a piece of what Elvis was dishing out. And the music grew because of them.
The music spread throughout the South and then north and then everywhere throughout the US. And great musicians found their voices. Voices which sounded an awful lot like one Elvis Presley. They all wanted to be signed to Sun Records just like Elvis. Some of them made it onto Sun and some didn’t. Some who did made it big and others didn’t. Some who didn’t make it on Sun made it big with other labels. And, again, others didn’t. For every one that did find success, there were maybe 100 that didn’t. But they all made music and many, many of them made records.
And those records are great. Almost each and every one of them. Well, maybe I exaggerate, but there are scores of fantastic rockabilly records that never saw the light of day. And in one way or another, they all sound like Elvis.
“Daddy, why do they all sound like Elvis?” Why? Well baby, they all sound like Elvis because Elvis started all the fuss. He was the one that ignited the rock and roll flame. He made rock and roll a force. He was the one they all wanted to be like. He inspired not just thousands of musicians, but millions of fans. Fans who often have come to take for granted that he’s the King while perhaps losing a little perspective on why he’s the King. Why was he granted the crown? Because he cast that crown out of his own sweat and tears. He cast it, forged it, formed it, and polished it. The one thing he never did with that crown was to relinquish it. Never.
That’s why they all sound like Elvis, honey. That’s why.
So, just like everyone else on January 8, I say, “Happy birthday, Elvis”
Buster Fayte is an author and rockabilly musician. Click the link to his Rockabilly Romp blog at http://rockabillyromp.com and join the discussion about the passion we share for rockabilly and oldies music. Join the Rockabilly Romp mailing list and download free rockabilly computer background artwork as Buster's way of welcoming you to the blog
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