Walk A Lonely Street: Elvis Presley, Country Music & The True Story of Heartbreak Hotel

by Tony Plews

Heartbreak Hotel was the electrifying record that launched the career of the world’s most popular entertainer, Elvis Presley, and helped establish rock ‘n’ roll as a genuine musical force. Recorded and released in January 1956 as the singer turned twenty-one and was breaking out of the claustrophobic country music scene, the song quickly became a worldwide hit and awakened an entire generation, launching the modern cultural era. For sixty years a legend flourished around Presley’s hit the saga of how and why it was written became the most famous story-behind-the-song in music history. But the fabled scenario of an anonymous suicide victim and his enigmatic note —“I walk a lonely street”— posed more questions than it answered. Walk A Lonely Street is the book that solves the last great mystery of rock ‘n’ roll, and tells the full story of the man whose death inspired Elvis Presley’s first hit record. It is a saga that spans over one hundred years and involves scores of singers and their songs, uncovering the truth, placing events in context and revealing the astonishing depth of Presley’s artistic vision and achievements. There is a tale to be told …

714 pages, Paperback

Published December 13, 2020

Reviews

[Dr. Robin Markowitz · Rating 5 out of 5]

At this time, there is no digital version of the book. The typeface is beautiful and captures the "old-timey" feel of the episodic narrative. I'm not Evelyn Wood, but I'm nearly finished. I tend to jump around non-fiction, but I am trying my best to read it from front to back. That said, I have jumped around quite a bit. It's too tempting to avoid in this case. The narrative is episodic. About 1-3 pages for each tale of the whole tale.

Here's my preliminary review. There are no pertinent spoilers.

One of the most original and superb music and historical studies in decades. This book was 7 years in the making.

And yeah, to disclaim, I am cited in it. But believe me please, it's over several hundred pages of beautifully episodic American history with a beat. It takes half-century-old truisms, myths and legends and through years of intensive research, tosses them in the trashcan. While the reasoning behind the confabulated legend is understandable, it's simply not true. What you're left with are newly discovered truths - truths more exciting than than the clichés that preceeded them. This is a remarkable literary work. And very moving too.

If you love American vernacular music, you need this book. If you are an all-around music aficionado, you'll very much enjoy this book. If you are a music or American history scholar, you MUST get this book. And if you love to read original literary style, you'll adore this book.

So find your favorite chair this singularly cold and lonely winter of 2021, and take a walk down lonely street with the people in this tale that had to be told. If you are here years later, you'll remember this winter as the one when a book made you feel less lonely.

This is the gripping backstory that tosses the "official legend" into the landfill. It is both a riveting and moving tale and necessary to understanding the genesis of perhaps the most epochal song in the history of popular music. You will also learn much about the music industry of the 20th century.

700+ pages and not one word so far is wasted.

[Nate · Rating 5 out of 5]

delightful. long but made up of very short chapters. brilliantly weaves together multiple threads -- music publishing, true crime, struggling small-timers, The King of Rock & Roll, the snowjobs of Col. Tom Parker, the bitterness of Hank Snow. a treat.

[Matt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not just one of the very best Elvis books I’ve ever read, but one of the best music books I’ve ever read.

This book sells itself as the story of Heartbreak Hotel. But it’s so much more than that. It’s nothing less than the story of mid-century America and the birth of rock n roll.

Quite unlike any other non-fiction music book I’ve ever read, this book has the scope and drama of a great American novel. It’s on the epic scale of something like ‘American Tabloid’ by James Ellroy - a long and sweeping thriller with a cast of hundreds whose stories interweave with each other.

Tony Plews put in almost a decade of research to come up with these 700 pages/200,000 words and over 500 separate stories told. For such an epic tale the book is surprisingly accessible. Each story is told on a single page so you can almost dip in and out. It slowly draws you in, as the song emerges and the world is changed forever.

This book helps you understand just how rock ‘n’ roll itself came to be. It tells the stories of country, blues & gospel musicians; of songwriters and music publishers; of producers and record labels. We learn about men like Steve Sholes, Chet Atkins and Sam Phillips; and women like Mother Maybelle Carter, Big Mama Thornton & Mae Axton.

I can’t praise this astonishing book enough. It’s impeccably researched and exceptionally well written. It’s totally engaging and I couldn’t put it down.

[Charles James · Rating 4 out of 5]

A unique book . It includes segments form many different sources and pulls it together with a narrative . I found ti slightly heavy going at the beginning as I got used to the rather unusual style . However once it got into its stride it was a fascinating insight into the genesis of one popular musics most iconic hits .One of those books that you did not want to end . A recommended read ,which will provide new and interesting facets of that period of history even to the most hardened Elvis Fan.

[Brian Rothbart · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can't recommend this book enough. It is fascinating, and Plews writing is exceptional. This is not only a great Elvis book, but a great book on music. Highly recommend.