by Robert Wilkinson
This is the guitar player who inspired Keith Richards to pick up his axe. Need moore? Scotty was Elvis Presley's original guitarist who played on every major early hit.
From Wikipedia about Scotty Moore (December 27, 1931), "He was ranked twenty-ninth in Rolling Stone magazine's list of 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time in 2011," and he's still going strong at 81! When Sam Phillips put Scotty and Bill Black behind Elvis, pop music was changed forever!
Scotty is one who helped birth the musical form known initially as "rockabilly," later to be known as "rock and roll." Without any more delay, here are a few of his best from when the world was much younger! We start with some of the earliest tunes, all studio versions, with live performances down the line a little.
Here's the song that kicked the doors down and introduced Elvis to the world! It's the studio version set to still photos, but that's still Scotty picking lead. For your enjoyment, "That's All Right Mama."
Another early one from 1955! “Baby Let’s Play House”
Here’s one of his first monster hits! The studio version of “Heartbreak Hotel”
The first double sided #1 in history! “Don’t Be Cruel” ("Hound Dog" was on the flip side).
The studio version of “Shake Rattle and Roll”
Last year I had all 6 appearances on the Dorsey Brothers shows in the mid-50s, but they've all been taken off you tube. But I found these live performances, so enjoy rock and roll in its infancy!
From 1956 on Milton Berle, Scotty plunking away on "Hound Dog." Dig that lead!!
Also from Milton Berle in 1956, Elvis, Scotty, Bill, and DJ doing doing a great live version of "Blue Suede Shoes"
Here’s a bizarre jingoistic offering! From 1956, supposedly featuring Elvis but actually featuring an aircraft carrier, an entire episode of the Milton Berle show
From the Steve Allen show in 1956, Elvis, Scotty, Bill and DJ doing a live performance of "I Want You, I Need You, I Love You" and "Hound Dog."
From Ed Sullivan in 1956, a great live performance of “Ready Teddy”
From Ed Sullivan October 1956, a very short clip of Elvis and Scotty belting out “Hound Dog”
Here's Elvis in 1956 live on the Ed Sullivan Show doing "Love Me." For 1956, those screams were something else!
Here's Elvis in 1957 on the Ed Sullivan Show doing "Too Much" Scotty's definitely playing the guitar behind Elvis and the Jordanaires.
Called “Tupelo Gold Suit,” here’s Elvis and Scotty and the band live in September 1957 doing “Hound Dog”
From the 1957 movie "Jailhouse Rock," here's Elvis and Scotty doing "Treat Me Nice."
Also from "Jailhouse Rock," a color version of Elvis and Scotty doing on of my faves, written by another legend, Mister Jerry Leiber. Here's Elvis and the group doing "Baby You're So Square (Baby I don't care)"
Some newer performances!
Here's a great performance by Scotty with Eric Clapton doing Mystery Train." From the same session the first tune to blows the doors off pop music, "That's All Right Mama," done in the original arrangement with Scotty doing the exact lines!
More roots music with Mark Knopfler and Scotty! First, another of the original 4 songs cut at Sun that created a revolution, the great Blue Moon of Kentucky." For another of the first and best, Mark and Scotty doing an amazing version of "Baby Let's Play House."
From UK TV, A Tribute to Scotty Moore
For the closer, here’s Scotty Moore talks about the Sun Records sessions
Keep playing, keep rocking, and keep rolling, Scotty, and a big Happy 81st! You helped to change the world forever, and that's no small thing. Thanks for the leads that inspired 10,000 guitarists! TieDye sez hi and happy!!
© Copyright 2012 Robert Wilkinson
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