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Known as 'The Untouchable Sound', chart success saw them receive Billboard's 'Most Played Instrumental Group' award no less than three times in those years. Yours truly Bill Black. [7] Neither musician was overly impressed with Presley, but they agreed a studio session would be useful to explore his potential. He could hit the bass like nobody in the world." Bill's contribution to Elvis' success went beyond the bass playing. This done them nothing but good and they went on to become one of the most popular instrumental groups in the States during that final year of the '50s and the early '60s. Bill was trying to come to grips with his first Fender electric bass. Sidenote: I never realised Starlight Wranglers lead-singer Doug Poindexter had quit the music business as early as 1954. Scotty confirmed that, If it hadnt been for Bill, we would have bombed many times in the early days.. [6] Black slap played the double bass with Moore on lead guitar, while Presley played rhythm guitar and sang lead. Bruce Thomas (born August 14, 1948) is a rock bassist from England who is best known for his work with the Attractions, a band that performed and recorded alongside Elvis Costello in 1977. The Holifield's owned record stores and also booked concerts by artists such as Johnny Cash and Elvis. Groundbreaking Sun sessions and such tracks as 'That's All Right', Just Because', Blue Moon Of Kentucky'.2. [citation needed]. String of hit singles and popular LP releases. Later outfits, like the Mar-Keys and Booker T. and The MG's, would owe much to the music made by the Combo in its heyday. He wanted it made clear who the star was. From August 18 through December 8, "Blue Moon of Kentucky" was consistently higher on the charts, and then both sides began to chart across the South. Legend has it that Bill just couldn't get the bass line right on the smaller instrument, and the bass track was everything to the number. The 79-year-olds late wife Linda McCartney bought him the bass as a present during the 1970s. He very much wanted to be a part of whatever it was. It includes.. "Elvis is fun to have around, always got some jazz going, likes to keep up chatter and joking,' says Bill. Elvis sense of rhythm was uncanny. Bill Black looked for a future elsewhere, he went after his dream, and a more permanent career within music. He also looked a little 'chubby'. "[3] Fontana called Black the mainstay of the band in the early days. In 1961, the group even ventured onto the silver screen, appearing in the film 'Teen-Age Millionaire'. You hear a competent unit before a largely unresponsive audience of older gamblers. They didn't like the Hollywood scene when they got there. Never before have we seen an Elvis Presley concert from the 1950's with sound. This is a truly impressive new publication that anyone interested in Elvis' early years and rock 'n' roll history needs to have in their library. These three, later four, men, stood together while the world at large often condemned their every move and all they stood for. and Jerry 'Satch' Arnold on drums. Elvis would chat with him, tell him about his father, Bill. "[12], The next day, the group recorded four more songs, including Blue Moon of Kentucky," by the bluegrass musician Bill Monroe, which he had written and recorded as a slow waltz. Elvis Don't Be Cruel is featured along with The Bill Black combo version of the same song. After Elvis had left, Scotty asked Bill what he thought. Bill kept his bass at the Moore house since by then the Black's already had two children and little room for the huge instrument. Perhaps a good indication of how things stood can be seen in the often-told tale of the recording session which produced '(You're So Square) Baby I Don't Care', on Wednesday, 8th May 1957. Visually, a glimpse of Bill's act behind Elvis was caught during the 'Milton Berle Show', on the deck of the U.S.S. An example of off-stage fooling around was described by D.J. On Saturday, 16th October 1954, Elvis, Scotty and Bill appeared on the 'Lucky Strike Guest Time' segment for new artists on the very popular 'Louisiana Hayride' show on KWKH out of Shreveport. was strong enough to last through the money problems and the influence of the Colonel. Elvis grew up in a segregated version of America, spending time at black music clubs, reportedly inspired by blues, gospel and rhythm and blues. Between the 23rd April and 6th May 1956, Elvis, Scotty, Bill and D.J. was mainly due to the others in the group being wiry and angular. Bill, like others involved with Elvis, thought little of the Colonel and had no time for him. He was chatting to Linda and said, That old bass is just sitting in the barn. [3] At the age of sixteen, Black was performing "honky-tonk" music on acoustic guitar in local bars. D.J. In 2022, Adam Dunn portrayed Black in the movie Elvis, starring Austin Butler. It was during one of these hectic tours, during 1954, that Bill is credited with totaling Elvis' 1951 Lincoln Continental. Tillman Franks, bassist and Johnny Hortons manager, praised Bill in making Elvis a success: Bill Black, the way he hit his bass fiddle, he sounded like a band all by himself. While Young was in the army, his position was filled by Hank Hankins, Chips Moman and Tommy Cogbill. Reggie reunited the group at Scotty's suggestion, just for the one track. The former David Jones first live set was recorded in the summer of 1974 and features a fascinating, futuristic, and funky blend of glam, soul, theater, and daring design. Scotty had in fact moved home to be closer to Bill and Evelyn on Belz Blvd. [15] Moore and Black left the Starlite Wranglers after the success of "That's All Right," jealousy within the group forcing them to split. And if that isn't a great recommendation for an Elvis book, then what is? Around the mid-SO's, Elvis' family moved opposite Ruby Black. Combo winning Billboard instrumental award three times.3. The line was being drawn. Bell's version, meanwhile, came out on a single in 1955 (TEEN 101), backed by 'Move Me Baby'. Its a remake of Bob Dylans folk tune Too Late, performed in reggae style. The afternoon show footage is wonderful and electrifying : Here is Elvis in his prime rocking and rolling in front of 11.000 people. In that year it featured on 'Baby's Request', the closing number on the Wings album 'Back To The Egg'. It is easy to forget that, in the beginning, Elvis was only one part of a trio put together by Sam Phillips, which included Bill Black on bass and Scotty Moore on lead guitar. We never rehearse outside of record sessions. Fontana. In 1983, he formed the Ben Vaughn Combo. I, for one, was more than a little amazed at the number of places I had to look to collect this information, which I hoped to put together in a form which would help in some way towards righting a wrong, and giving a somewhat clearer picture of just how important Bill was in the Elvis Presley story and beyond it. During 1955, for a short time, the boys went under the united name of the 'Blue Moon Boys'. Having gone on to form the Bill Black Combo, the bassist became ill in the early 1960s. [18][19], Black played on early Presley recordings including "Good Rockin' Tonight", "Heartbreak Hotel", "Baby Let's Play House", "Mystery Train", "That's All Right", and "Hound Dog", and eventually became one of the first bass players to use the Fender Precision Bass (bass guitar) in popular music, on "Jailhouse Rock", in the late 1950s. Thanks to Bill Black'sdaughter Nancy Black Shockley andgranddaughter Carriefor correcting the names of Bill's wife and children. If Axl handled his ego with the same passion and intelligence that his solo acts performed, they would have had the careers of the Stones and Slash, Duff, Gilby, and Izzy. Knowing that you are a man of your word and faithfully devoted to us your complete silence has me worried. String of hit singles and popular LP releases.2. For Bill Black though, the decision had been made. They had auditioned for the Grand Ole Opry in October 1954, but they failed to impress the people in charge, or the audience, and were not invited back. why did paul richardson leave gold rush: white water; purdue hockey arena; crater festival 1975 lineup; njac all academic team; tier 1 reading programs; advantages and disadvantages of expected utility theory; activar puerto hdmi placa base gigabyte. That material being recorded at American Sound Studios. At the start of the 'Hayride' contract, Elvis got 18 dollars and Scotty and Bill 12 each. His favourite class was wood shop. (August 1117, 2007). Black continued his onstage "clown" persona and developed comedy routines with Presley. Bill Black especially seemed to get more fed up during the making of the movie. Nine years older than Elvis, Bill did appear to be further down life's highway, with his He also looked a little 'chubby'. William Patton Black Jr. was born on September 17, 1926, in Memphis, Tennessee, to a motorman for the Memphis Street Railway Co. 6. When Elvis Presley first shot to fame in 1956 he had a trio called The Blue Moon Boys with guitarist Scotty Moore and bassist Bill Black. The bass can be seen in the video clip to McCartney's song "Baby's Request". Included we see a live performance of the elusive Long Tall Sally seen here for the first time ever. They tried a few songs, but nothing clicked. Bill was with the group for almost three years before Elvis came on the scene. One reason is that they were not being paid enough. The Starlight Wranglers were a Sam Phillips group. Home of the Daily and Sunday Express. The fact is, I may sell them out there all night long!'. The Bill Black Combo was formed soon after the parting with Elvis. Scotty Moore, Elvis Presley and Bill Black - 1954. This was around 1954-55. Another comment from Scotty Moore tells how well Bill got on with everyone; 'He never met a stranger'. Interview with guitarist Reggie Young(Member Bill Black Combo) Bass links rock and roll royalty Interview with D.J. Elvis Presley, Bill Black, Scotty Moore and Sam Phillips - Sun Records 1954. [14], Black and Moore became Presley's backup group and were paid 25% of his earnings. [1] Bill was with him. EIN Website content Copyright the Elvis Information Network. According to Black's son Louis, Moore said, "Elvis used to just stand up there and not move, and Bill would jump around on the bass. He ran it under a truck while playing a date in Arkansas. While I knew of the success of the 45rpm single 'Smokie, Part 2' - an R&B number 1 and Billboard #17 - it is a surprise to learn just how successful his Bill Black Combo instrumental Albums were at the time and interesting to see other future players from Elvis' legacy featuring in The Bill Black Combo such as Reggie Young, Bobby Emmons and Chips Moman. There is some film footage from the period too. Even Sam Phillips has been quoted as saying that', Bill was one of the worst bass players in the world, technically, but man, could he slap that thing!'. He was a member of Elvis band, the Blue Moon Boys, from 1954 to 1958. With the move to RCA, their contribution was not diminished. Elvis Presley was a completely different person in private says ex, Paul McCartney with Bill Black's bass today, (Image: MARY MCCARTNEY/MPL COMMUNICATION), Elvis' love for his drummer Ronnie Tutt shared in tributes by Priscilla and Linda, Elvis Presleys three non-negotiable rules for new girlfriends WATCH, Elvis ex Mindi Miller's first date with The King: Remarkable energy, Lisa Marie felt weight of Elvis' legacy recording cathartic album, Elvis: Linda Thompson's story of The Kings lavish generosity. A born joker in both image and nature. Johnny Black, Bill's brother and also upright bass player, who knew Elvis at Lauderdale Courts before Bill, recalls visiting Bill at the studio and reported that Bill would be totally absorbed mixing and playing back tracks. 'Blackie' was buried in Forest Hill Cemetary, Memphis. Some of his vocal horsing around can be heard at the start of a 'Hayride' version of 'That's All Right', which is widely available these days. When Elvis was at Humes High School, he was on the boxing team. With all the touring, it almost seemed that the large bass had a permanent bunk on the roof of the car back then. The commentary on Bill Black's importance and style of his bass playing even made me go back to re-visit some Elvis fifties classics once again, helping me discover something new. Actor Blake Gibbons portrayed Black in the short-lived 1990 TV series Elvis, starring Michael St. Gerard. Again this was over money. For Scotty and Bill, the first show on departing from Elvis in '58 was back in Memphis. Review by Piers Beagley. This was mainly due to the others in the group being wiry and angular. 17 U.S. pop hit, and made number one on the "black" music charts. rob stafford daughter chicago fire. Elvis joins in with him, starts playing and singing along with him "[3] They ended up with a fast version of the song in 4/4 time. Her singer/songwriter/actor son, Hoyt, would compose another track known to Elvis fans', Never Been To Spain', covered in the '70s. Prior to the link up with the Wranglers, Scotty Moore and Bill Black once backed up local boy Dorsey Burnette at a club. Apart from Bill, there were younger brothers Johnny', Jack' (who would also become a musician), and Kenny, and sister Mary-Ann. Moore said, "Bill is the one who came up with "Blue Moon of Kentucky." With all that was building and happening behind the scenes, it's really no surprise that Scotty and Bill did eventually leave Elvis, around the middle of September '57. See today's front and back pages, download the newspaper, order back issues and use the historic Daily Express newspaper archive. The beginning of the session was not unlike the previous one. [26] The studio recorded many Bill Black Combo albums (with billings such as "The Best Honky Tonk Band in America" and "The band who opened for the Beatles")[citation needed] and produced number-one country hits for Charly McClain, T.G. But less than 10 years later and Bill was dead.. The Colonel also had a habit of complaining to the other musicians about one thing or another, which had or hadn't been done for his 'boy'. Author Paul Belard has tracked down so many interviews and news articles, with it all combining to make an enthralling look into the life of bass-man Bill Black.