The search for another song to release along with "That's All Right" at Sun Records in July 1954 led to "Blue Moon of Kentucky" via Bill Black. Presley's version turned "it from a waltz into a bluesy rocker"
According to Scotty Moore:~ "We knew we need something....and things seemed hopeless for a while. Bill is the one who came up with "Blue Moon of Kentucky."....We're taking a little break and he starts beating on his bass singing "Blue Moon of Kentucky", mocking Bill Monroe, singing in a falsetto voice. Elvis joins in with him, starts playing and singing."
With the encouragement of Sam Phillips, Moore, and Black transformed Monroe's slow waltz, in time, into an upbeat, blues-flavoured tune. After an early rendition of the song, Sam Phillips exclaimed. "BOY, that's fine, that's fine. That's a POP song now"! as with all Presley records released by Sun Records, the artists were listed and stylised as "ELVIS PRESLEY SCOTTY and BILL".
The same night that Dewey Phillips first played the flip side of the first release of Presley's music on WHBQ, "That's All Right", Sleepy Eye John at WHHM loosed "Blue Moon of Kentucky". Bob Neal of WMPS played the record too. The pop jockeys, entranced by something new, began slipping "That's All Right" and "Blue Moon of Kentucky" in among the easy listing pop of Teresa Brewer, Nat King Cole and Tony Bennett!!!!
With Presley's version of Monroe's song rated higher, both sides began to chart across the Southern United States. Billboard has the song listed only in Memphis, as No:6 with "That's All Right" at number No:7 in October 9th in the C&W in the Territorial Best Sellers. In October 23rd, "Blue Moon of Kentucky" was top 10 in Memphis, Nashville and New Orleans, with "That's All Right" absent from the listings.
Fellow Sun Records artist Charlie Feathers has often claimed that he came up with the arrangement used by Presley. While others sources claimed that it was Presley who arranged the song.
Rock and Roll Trivia:~
At first Bill Monroe did not care for Presley's version until royalty cheques (in sizeable amounts) began rolling in for Monroes writing credit!!!!
The Blue Moon Boys
William Patton Black Jr: (September 17th 1926 - October 21st 1965) aged 39.
Elvis Aaron Presley: (January 8th 1935 - August 18th 1977) aged 42.
Winfield Scott Moore: (December 27th 1931 - June 28th 2016) aged 84.
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18 сен 2024
