Almost Forgot This One

On this day in 1954, Sun Records released the first single from a young truck driver named Elvis Presley: “That’s All Right”/“Blue Moon of Kentucky.” Many say it’s the moment that signified the beginning of rock and roll.

"Many" would be completely wrong, of course.  Rock and Roll was a pure American hybrid of Country, Blues, and Gospel music that was first captured when Jackie Brenston and the Delta Cats recorded and released "Rocket 88" three years earlier.  "Rocket 88", in turn, was an updated version of the blues classic, "Cadillac Boogie".

By the way, there were no "Delta Cats".  Jackie Brenston was the saxophonist for the real artists, the Riverside Hotel house band from Clarksdale, Mississippi.  There were named the Kings of Rhythm and were under the direction of Ike Turner, who would later marry and divorce a woman named Tina.

Click below to listen, especially to the song's intro, as the steady, rocking rhythm creates the platform for the rest of the song.  That's the "rock" and the "roll", in case you ever wondered.  If you still have doubts, remember that this is a song about a big, V8-powered, highway cruising car.  That just screams "American Music", doesn't it?