Hi Dave. "Heartbreak Hotel (Axton/Durden/PRESLEY)" and "Paralyzed (Blackwell/PRESLEY)" are just two I can think of straight away. He is listed as co-writer on a few others I think but I'd have to search further to find them.
Of course, that doesn't mean he actually wrote anything in the songs, he just managed to get his name in the credits. A bit like Norman Petty who owned the studio in Texas where Buddy Holly recorded his music. It was part of the recording deal that Petty got credits on a lot of the songs. :dry:
Elvis might have contributed a lyric here and there but he never "wrote" anything. His name is listed as a writer on some songs because his manager was cunning and he saw it as another way to rake in the dough.
Roy Orbison
Narvel Felts
Billy Lee Riley
Charlie Feathers
Jerry Lee Lewis
Johnny Cash
Elvis Presley
Carl Perkins
Barbra Pittman
B.B. King
Warren Smith
Muddy Waters
Ray Harris
Conway Twitty
Charlie Rich
Roy Orbison
Narvel Felts
Billy Lee Riley
Charlie Feathers
Jerry Lee Lewis
Johnny Cash
Elvis Presley
Carl Perkins
Barbra Pittman
B.B. King
Warren Smith
Muddy Waters
Ray Harris
Conway Twitty
Charlie Rich
We have 15 already, I checked my collection I found 110 artist on the Sun Label, So come on punters lets make this thread interesting. NAME YOUR LIST
having spent a fair amount of time with some of the Brill Building writers - eg. Mike Stoller, Carole King, Burt Bacharach and others such as Paul Anka, Del Shannon, Johnny Tillotson, Jerry Allison, Joe B Mauldin, Buddy Knox - the financial rewards from songwriting was certainly inconsistent with the popular misconception.
was the material recorded at Memphis Recording Service actually referred to as 'rockabilly' when it was recorded? Or was this a tag that developed years later?
was the material recorded at Memphis Recording Service actually referred to as 'rockabilly' when it was recorded? Or was this a tag that developed years later?
Found this info on a wikipedia page:
Younger musicians around Memphis, Tennessee were beginning to play a mix a musical styles. Paul Burlison, for one, was playing in nondescript hillbilly bands in the very early 1950s. One of these early groups secured a fifteen minute show on radio station KWEM in West Memphis, Arkansas. The time slot was adjacent to Howlin' Wolf's and the music quickly became a curious blend of blues, country and what would become known as rockabilly music. In 1951 and 1952 the Burnette's and Burlison played around Memphis and established a reputation for wild music. They played with Doc McQueen's Swing Band at the Hideaway Club but hated the type of music played by "chart musicians." Soon they broke away and began playing their energetic brand of rockabilly to small, but appreciative, local audiences. They wrote "Rock Billy Boogie," while working at the Hideaway. Unfortunately for the Burnettes and Burlison, they didn't record the song until 1957.
The Saturday Night Jamboree was a local stage show held every Saturday night at the Goodwyn Institute Auditorium in downtown Memphis, Tennessee in 1953-54. But of more historical significance was something that was going on backstage in the dressing rooms. Every Saturday night in 1953, the dressing roooms backstage were a gathering place where musicians would come together and experiment with new sounds - mixing fast country, gospel, blues and boogie woogie. Guys were bringing in new "licks" that they had developed and were teaching them to other musicians and were learning new "licks" from yet other musicians backstage. Soon these new sounds began to make their way out onto the stage of the Jamboree where they found a very receptive audience.
Within a year these musicians were going into the recording studios around town and recording these sounds. A couple of years later these sounds were given a name: "rockabilly." The Saturday Night Jamboree was probably where the first live rockabilly was performed.
In an interview that can be viewed at the Experience Music Project Barbara Pittman states that, "It was so new and it was so easy. It was a three chord change. Rockabilly was actually an insult to the southern rockers at that time. Over the years it has picked up a little dignity. It was their way of calling us hillbillies."
Althought the term was in common use even before the Burnettes wrote "Rock Billy Boogie", one of the first written uses of the term "rockabilly" was in a June 23, 1956 Billboard review of Ruckus Tyler's "Rock Town Rock".
On 12 April 1954 an overweight "singing cowboy" called Bill Haley went into a studio in New York and recorded a more raucous version of (We're Gonna) Rock Around the Clock than his previous country-flavoured attempt. This was three months before Elvis. Haley had in fact already recorded Rocket 88 in 1951, then "Rock the Joint" in 1952, "Rocking Chair on the Moon", "Real Rock Drive", and Crazy Man, Crazy. "Crazy Man Crazy" had reached #12 on the American Billboard chart in 1953. "Part of the problem is Elvis has a much better public relations machine behind him," said Alex Fraser-Harrison, a writer for the Rockabilly Hall of Fame.
When first released in May of 1954, Rock Around the Clock made the charts for one week at number 23, and sold 75,000 copies. A year later it was featured in the film Blackboard Jungle, and soon afterwards it was topping charts all over the world and opening up a new genre of entertainment.
Cat, thanks for that. Is it correct that what you are saying is the term was implemented after many of these Memphis Recording Service acts had recorded. The Experience Music Project is well worth a visit if you are ever in north west coast. Excellent displays about Jimmie Hendricks and others. When I have met Carl Perkins and others they have all been consistent in saying that 'rockabilly' was not a term common to them when they were making rock-n-roll records.
Rockabilly is one of the earliest styles of rock nÂ’ roll music to emerge during the 1950s. This music was a combining of roots music from different styles and done in a lively, fun, enthusiastic way. The music was dominated by its original exponent, Elvis Presley, and has had an important influence on rock music and popular culture, despite having flourished for only a short time during the 1950s. During the late 1970s and early 1980s, rockabilly enjoyed a major revival of popularity and has remained an important subculture since.
Dave it refers to songs Elvis recored and other Artist done covers of, Thanks JD Elvis did co write a few songs.
Cat you are spot on with this. I know for a fact from others who have actually played with the likes of Scotty Moore that the deal was. "If you want Elvis to record this then put his name on it"
Rockabilly is one of the earliest styles of rock nÂ’ roll music to emerge during the 1950s. This music was a combining of roots music from different styles and done in a lively, fun, enthusiastic way. The music was dominated by its original exponent, Elvis Presley, and has had an important influence on rock music and popular culture, despite having flourished for only a short time during the 1950s. During the late 1970s and early 1980s, rockabilly enjoyed a major revival of popularity and has remained an important subculture since.
Kempy not often I dissagree with you but on this I will.
Carl Perkins / Bill haley / Gene Vincent / Eddie cochrane + many others were before Elvis. Cochrane had the eyes and hips long before Elvis.
So the original exponont was not Elvis. I am not anti Elvis but I think history needs to be told correctly.
So the original exponont was not Elvis. I am not anti Elvis but I think history needs to be told correctly.
Bobkats wrote
Dave check this out Eddie was still in school in 1955 he did'nt realease his first single in 1957
Garl Perkins biggest hit was Blue Sude Shoes even though he wrote it, Elvis realeased it before Carl
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