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Copyright © 2002-2004
by James P. Hauser except where otherwise noted.  All rights reserved.

The Blues Connections of

Elvis Presley

When a poor teenaged singer named Elvis Presley started mixing country music with rhythm 'n' blues in Memphis's Sun Recording Studios there was no turning back. No turning back for Elvis. No turning back for rock and roll. No turning back for America. And no turning back for ______ (get yourself a dictionary and start filling in the blank over and over again with about a 100,000 words). To put it plain and simple, Elvis used the blues to change the world.

As pointed out in the book Blues For Dummies, the first five singles released by Elvis were blues songs. They were, in chronological order, "That's All Right Mama", "Good Rockin' Tonight", "Milk Cow Blues Boogie", "Baby, Let's Play House", and "Mystery Train". All of theses ground-breaking records are classics, and you can find them on the album The Complete Sun Sessions. This longplayer contains Elvis's greatest music and the greatest music in all of rock 'n' roll. Other albums showcasing his blues are Reconsider Baby and NBC TV Special. The first one is a compilation of blues tunes recorded during the fifties, sixties, and seventies. The second album is a recording of his 1968 TV special in which he returned to live performing (scared out of his wits after spending years out in Hollywood away from the live stage) by putting on a fantastikkkk! show in which he turned to the blues for much of his inspiration and fire.

Elvis will forever be known as the king of rock and roll, but without the blues there is no Elvis.

More blues and R&B tunes covered by Elvis are listed below. They are arranged alphabetically by the name of the bluesman who originally recorded, popularized and/or composed the song.

Kokomo Arnold: Milk Cow Blues Boogie (a.k.a. Milk Cow Blues)

Roy Brown (also Wynonie Harris): Good Rockin' Tonight (composed and originally recorded by Brown, popularized by Harris)

Arthur "Big Boy" Crudup: That's All Right Mama, My Baby Left Me, So Glad You're Mine, Who's Been Foolin' You?

Arthur Gunter: Baby, Let's Play House

Lonnie Johnson: Tomorrow Night

Smiley Lewis: One Night (With You) (a.k.a. One Night Of Sin)

Percy Mayfield: Stranger In My Own Home Town

Muddy Waters (a.k.a. McKinley Morganfield): Got My Mojo Workin'

Junior Parker: Mystery Train

Jimmy Reed: Ain't That Loving You Baby; Big Boss Man; Baby, What You Want Me To Do?

Big Mama Thornton: Hound Dog

Tommy Tucker: Hi-Heel Sneakers

Big Joe Turner: Shake, Rattle, and Roll; Flip, Flop, and Fly

Chuck Willis: I Feel So Bad

Musicians Index

Click on the link below for a list of over 400 songs that Elvis recorded which were originally recorded by other musicians.  Details are included for each song including the names of the musicians who originally recorded them.  Many of them are blues.  
Link to songs covered by Elvis

The AKA Blues Connection
No Blues, No Elvis