Before Elvis: The African American Musicians Who Made the King

by Preston Lauterbach

A thought-provoking exploration of the Black musicians who inspired Elvis Presley’s music, primarily through the lens of four overlooked   Little Junior Parker, Big Mama Thornton, Arthur “Big Boy” Crudup, and Calvin Newborn

After Baz Luhrmann’s movie, Elvis, hit theaters in the summer of 2022, audiences and critics alike couldn't help but question the Black origins of Elvis Presley’s music and style, reigniting a debate that has been circling for decades. In Before Elvis: The African American Musicians Who Made the King​, author Preston Lauterbach answers these questions definitively, based on new research and extensive, previously unpublished interviews with the artists who blazed the way and the people who knew them.

Within these pages, Lauterbach examines the lives, music, legacies, and interactions with Elvis Presley of the four innovative Black artists who created a style that would come to be known as Rock ’n’ Roll: Little Junior Parker, Big Mama Thornton, Arthur “Big Boy” Crudup, and most revealingly, the mostly-unknown eccentric Beale Street guitarist Calvin Newborn, whose portrayal will be a revelation to even the most seasoned Elvis Presley and rock devotees. Lauterbach makes a convincing case that Newborn is the key to understanding where Presley’s music and performance style came from. And Lauterbach has the receipts, the dates, the interviews, and the confirmation of Presley’s presence and key club engagements, and the recording sessions. Along the way, he delves into the injustices of copyright theft and media segregation that resulted in Black artists living in poverty as white performers, managers, and producers reaped the lucrative rewards.

In the wake of continuing conversations about American music and appropriation, Before Elvis is indispensable.

Genres: Music, History, Nonfiction, Biography, Audiobook

320 pages, Hardcover

First published January 7, 2025

About the author

Preston Lauterbach is author of The Chitlin' Circuit (2011), Beale Street Dynasty (2015), and Bluff City (2019) and is co-author of Brother Robert (2020) and Timekeeper (2021).

Reviews

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Black were fundamental to Elvis Presley. He wore their fashion, performed their music, and mimicked their moves."

A solid history of the real Kings and Queens of Rock 'n' Roll. Some of them I had heard of but I found so many new artists I had never heard of.

"The colored folks been singing it and playing it just like I'm doin' now, man for more years than I know "

- Elvis Presley 1956

As I read this I just got so mad at the way these talented Black people were taken advantage of by the music industry.

Was Elvis a thief?

The author says no but I disagree. Even if he never meant to "steal " he did take the work of these Black artist and he didn't help them with their careers at all.

I really did enjoy this book, for nothing else than for the new music I found.

I highly recommend it to my fellow music lovers.

[Steph · Rating 3 out of 5]

This had some great information about many of the Black artists whose music inspired the style and career of Elvis. I loved that some of the singers were lessor known, but also that even the more well known ones had a lot of new to me information. That being said, at times it went a bit too dry and in the weeds for me, making it a little tedious to read. I think it’s one that will work best for people who read a lot of non fiction and are interested in music history.

[Frank Murtaugh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such an important book. African Americans have profoundly influenced what we've come to call pop culture, and it didn't start with Chuck Berry and Aretha Franklin. Lauterbach provides a concise but thorough history of the Black artists who fueled the meteoric launch of Elvis Presley. Arthur Crudup. Big Mama Thornton. Junior Parker. Calvin Newborn. Under-recognized even in their primes, they get proper tribute in these pages. And their collective influence on Elvis adds layers to the King's legend.

[Brian Rothbart · Rating 4 out of 5]

Preston Lauterbach’s new book, “Before Elvis: The African Musicians Who Made the King” is an important, welcomed, and needed book. There have been a few books that have explored these topics, and even some of these artists but it is nice to put the focus on some of the artists that inspired Elvis and what their life/careers were before Elvis and what happened to them after Elvis rose to superstardom. This is no hatched job when it comes to Elvis.
Lauterbach does a decent job of explaining the realities of what life in the US was prior to Elvis and the explosion of Rock and Roll and how that history must be addressed and understood when discussing Elvis and his place history. “It is not he (Elvis) who has stolen the music, but rather a media and public that have otherwise failed to notice it.” As Elvis stated in an interview, “A lot of people seem to think I started this business. But rock ‘n’ roll was here a long time before I came along. Nobody can sing that kind of music like colored people. Let’s face it: I can’t sing like Fats Domino can. I know that.” Elvis helped kick down the racial barriers at a time that the country was starting to desegregate. We must not forget that the Brown vs. Board of Education decision happened in May of 1954 just two months before Elvis released “That’s All Right Mama.” We are still a fairly segregated society. The last school to finally desegregate was Cleveland High School in Cleveland, Mississippi in 2016.

Lauterbach points out that Black gospel and spirituals are often overlooked and underappreciated when discussing they had on Elvis and the invention of Rock and Roll. It might have been Elvis’ biggest influence, which he discussed in an interview in 1957. “My first, I would say, would be spiritual music. I mean some of the old colored spirituals, you know, from years back.”
I kind of understand why Lauterbach included Willie Mae Thornton as “Hound Dog” played a big part in making Elvis a superstar and if that song hadn’t been written (it was written specifically for Thornton) than it could have possibly changed Elvis’ rise even though Thorton was not Elvis’s inspiration.
However, I am grateful that he included Phineas Sr. and Calvin Newborn in this collection as not many people have heard their names when people discuss influences on Elvis.
Lauterbach, at the end of the book, mentions that there are numerous stories of support that Elvis gave to Black artists and/or their families including Fats Domino, Jack Wilson, Roy Hamiliton and others. It might also be the only book I have read (and I have read hundreds) that mentions Elvis’ “donation to the expansion of daycare center for Black families” in the Memphis neighborhood of Orange Mound. A lot has been written about Elvis and Beale Street, but not a lot on Elvis and Orange Mound.
Lauterbach also points out that Elvis could have done more, but doesn’t expand on this other than a paragraph about what other artists (Led Zeppelin, Rolling Stones, etc.) did to help promote artists that influenced them. I agree that Elvis could have done more, but there are a number of reasons why he didn’t. The most likely is that he wasn’t aware. The influence and management of the Colonel also didn’t help the matter.

I highly recommend this book for anyone who is interested in Elvis, music, US history and culture. However, I just wish there was a little more meat on the bones as this could have been a much larger book with more artists, more stories, and more discussions.

[Dawn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although the book starts off fairly well, toward the last quarter of the book the author conveniently never mentions the fact that Elvis had zero control of his financial and business affairs. Just because Elvis Presley Enterprises owned the publishing company that treated the African-American musicians poorly, note should have been made that this was the doings of Colonel Tom Parker. In fact, Elvis himself was a victim of Parker throughout his career, and his estate sued Colonel Parker for damages resulting from the fact that Parker took 50% of Elvis's earnings instead of an industry standard 10%. The estate won. So mention should be made of the fact that Elvis himself was also a victim of the financial rip-offs of music industry heads and low-life managers. Elvis never paid attention to the business side of his career, and that is probably one of his biggest mistakes. But to even insinuate that he would knowingly withhold royalties to anyone is just a joke. His crime, if guilty at all, is that he never paid attention to the business end of his career.

[Lauren Rhoades · Rating 5 out of 5]

Engrossing and intimate history of the lives of blues musicians who were the foundation of Elvis’s meteoric success.

[Kim Cotton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this look at the musicians who influenced Elvis, whether he knew it or not, and certainly whether white America acknowledged them or not. Having been steeped in the King's music since birth (literally—my mom attended one of his concerts in Vegas when she was pregnant with me), it feels imperative to understand the man at the crossroads of 20th century music, who changed everything. This author argues (quite convincingly) that Elvis didn't change anything as much as he was the conduit for the crossover of African-American musical styles into the mainstream of white America. As much social history as music history, it put many musicians, of all skin tones, in a new light for me. I'm looking forward to reading the author's other works.

[Roger Smitter · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's it good to read books about a single time when you were living in our coutnry. And it's very good to have the book that changed our country. And, it's a great book about a a very big and important thing in our country in WW2.

For me as a person, I came in 1947. The book doesn't tell what day and where I was when I come into our country. But it shows how many other kinds cane in that time. The early, early times in the time.

I have allways looking about those early/half country after the WW2 war.

It goes on a nember of things in those times. And there are some interesting pieces. One is the pages on how "Elvis". (If you think 'Who is Elvis


For me, this book tells us what was happening when I was happening. It was 1947 when I started being in this world. I was


- after the end of WW2. I was't there in 1945 but.....I came into world in when our country/world were getting out of a terrible. I came (and the world) were thinking everything would change.

We know the story of that. And this book gives us a very good

The book makes to think about what happened in the time when a war stopped -- when we as a coutnry was dealing into a very different world.

Almost all of the names of this chapter gives us some of the ideas of what happened since the second time of the second seciton of 1950-1999. And there's more after that, too.

[Chuck Wiedrich · Rating 5 out of 5]

Most informed pop music fans know that Elvis was preceded by Big Mama Thornton and Arthur Crudup and copied their previous records. Hound Dog and That’s Alright Mama were major hits for The King but not these African Americans….they didn’t get much credit or monetary rewards. This book details their contributions and number of other important black artists and institutions that shaped Elvis. Add Junior Parker, Calvin Newborn and his brother Phineas, Jr. and consider all the performers at the Flamingo Room and the East Trigg Missionary Baptist Church during the late 1940’s and early 1950’s in Memphis, TN. The post-WWII years were the times that brought Rock & Roll into existence and this book tells that story. The author supplies numerous bi-ops, tracking them pre-Elvis through post-Elvis. A great series of tales!

[Bruce Raterink · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of those great books that takes a familiar subject and injects new life into it. Having lived in Memphis for a few years in the 1990s, I was peripherally familiar with Willie Mae Thornton, Junior Parker, and Arthur Crudup as they related to the Elvis legacy but was surprised at the importance of jazz pianist Phineas Newborn Jr and his brother Calvin. This was a quick, enlightening, and engaging read that is highly recommended for fans of Elvis Presley, Memphis Blues, R&B, or Rock'n'Roll music. Highly recommended

Thanks to NetGalley and Hachette Books for an advanced reader copy.

[Satinder Hawkins · Rating 3 out of 5]

I started this book with the hope of learning about the black musicians who were the foundation of rock and roll. There was a lot of information in this book, but it presumed that you came in with some background knowledge of the topic (I did, but not anywhere near what seemed expected). So there would be quotes by and about certain people that seemed important but wasn't always sure why. There was no unifying or cohesive organization of these bits of information. A lot of times I felt like I was reading a wiki page.

[Diana · Rating 3 out of 5]

As an Elvis Presley fan I have often heard talks of those who "came before Elvis," but they never really named names leaving me wondering. This is a good collection of "Before Elvis," but I also feel it's a bit lacking and those mentioned deserve a better telling of their stories instead of just being smashed together.

[Bookreporter.com Biography & Memoir · Rating 5 out of 5]

The author of six previous books centered on early Blues music and/or the music scene in Memphis, Preston Lauterbach seems uniquely qualified to take on the important subject of crediting the many musical influences that shaped the world into which Elvis Presley strode in the 1950s.

Lauterbach focuses primarily on the Black artists who helped create the kingdom of rhythm and blues in the late ’40s and early ’50s, leaving the many country music artists of those times for another discussion. His four key creators are Arthur “Big Boy” Crudup, credited for the most popular rendition of “That’s All Right, Mama” that became Elvis’ debut hit; Big Mama Thornton, whose sizzling “Hound Dog” in 1953 paved the way for Elvis’ monstrous #1 smash version in 1956; Little Junior Parker; and, as the wild card, the relatively obscure Memphis guitar innovator Calvin Newborn.

Tracing their respective career arcs in sometimes dizzying detail, Lauterbach builds his case for this foursome as the primary architects of the Memphis-and-beyond universe that shaped the young Elvis before he embarked on becoming a performer himself. In essence, we are given mini-biographies of each performer, with their triumphs and (sadly, more numerous) failures etched so vividly, based on what must have been an ocean of original research, including numerous interviews with surviving figures from those days.

How Lauterbach managed to unearth this treasure trove of information in all of its deep-dive specificity defies the imagination, but unearth it he did. While always revealing and generally fascinating, those hundreds of fine-tuned details do at times threaten to capsize the book’s focus. But most of the anecdotal history presented by Lauterbach does enrich our understanding of that essential period in the workings of the rising R&B industry, as well as its first transitions into what soon would be termed rock ‘n’ roll.

One of the most revealing sections of the book is the history of the song that now is primarily known as “Rocket 88,” which is often credited as being the first actual rock ‘n’ roll record. But here we learn of its complicated history, evolving from several earlier versions that were titled differently and performed by multiple artists --- some credited on the record labels, some not. (That’s one key spot where the mysterious Calvin Newborn comes in.)

A tangled web was also woven for the iconic song “That’s All Right, Mama,” which everyone knows as belonging to Arthur Crudup before Elvis covered it in 1954. Or is the correct term “appropriated” it? But Lauterbach expertly reveals that the song had a rich history long before “Big Boy” released his definitive version. And maybe Crudup did some appropriating of his own? It was all part of the fabric of how this music was made in those often chaotic times.

The book is also eye-opening in its revelations of how all of these artists --- big, medium and small in their relative levels of fame --- were exploited by their record labels. Yes, it’s an old story how even the greatest Black artists of that time who were paid pennies on the dollars were owed both for performance and song composition on their record sales. But here we learn that many times the pittance arrived on a royalty check that bounced. And even if it didn’t bounce, it often totaled only a few hundred dollars --- this for a record that might have sold hundreds of thousands of copies nationally. Accounting? Don’t make us laugh.

And what about the hundreds of times that the record companies failed to provide proper credit on the labels of the record, sometimes manufacturing spurious names for the actual performers out of whole cloth? The examples of this blatant wrongdoing provided in the book would be almost comical if they weren’t so horrifying.

Speaking of Big Mama Thornton, one of the book’s most delightful anecdotes has to be her 1966 meeting with Texas newbie Janis Joplin, a longtime admirer of the original version of “Hound Dog” (most of rock royalty by that time considered it to be superior to Elvis’ cover). Joplin asked permission to record a cover version of the epic song “Ball and Chain,” and Big Mama granted it --- asking only that she not screw it up. (We know that Joplin didn’t; it became one of her most iconic songs.) Simply picturing the two of them discussing this option in 1966 filled me with joy.

As for Elvis, the eventual beneficiary of so many of the fruits of R&B’s best and brightest, he prospered from that music in ways that Big Mama, Arthur Crudup, and so many others never could even dream of. But was there ever a figure more tragically exploited over the course of a career in rock music than The King himself? Doubtful.

Lauterbach’s thesis clearly is: It’s complicated. BEFORE ELVIS does a sterling job of educating us as to just HOW complicated it truly was. Fans of these wonderful innovators of early R&B always hunger for more knowledge about the origins of their creative process. Here, they are treated to a veritable feast. No wonder the back cover of the book bears a seal of approval from no less a figure than revered music historian Greil Marcus.

Reviewed by Michael Barson

[Dan · Rating 4 out of 5]

My thanks to NetGally and Hachette Books for an advance copy of this book that looks at the history of those musicians that had an influence on a young Elvis Presley, the African American pioneers who sang, wrote, produced and performed so that rock n' roll could be born.

In comic books there are two terms for when one artist copies another artist. One is called an homage, where one artist creates a new work in the style of another artist, maybe to celebrate an anniversary for a character, or just as a thank you for the inspiration. There are also artists who swipe. Swiping is when you copy art and claim credit for what is not your own. Many artists are known for their history of swiping other artists. Music lacks terms like these. Sometimes an artist is called out for being a knockoff of someone else, but music inspires many, and why wouldn't someone who likes a singer sing their songs in the same way as their hero. Joe Perry, of the band Aerosmith once said that everyone who wraps a scarf around their microphone owes Steven Tyler, the lead singer money. However I am sure other artists did that too. Elvis Presley has been called the "King of Rock and Roll", but even the King admits that he had influences. Listening to black music, watching black performers. As Presley said in an interview, the music and the performances were always there, white people just weren't paying attention. The King remains a controversial figure in music, as Public Enemy would sing. People love to talk about what he did, but not where he might have received inspiration, how he did so, and what performers. Before Elvis: The African American Musicians Who Made the King by writer and music historian Preston Lauterbach, is a look at this influences, complete with profiles, a look at the music industry, what life was like before Elvis, and what came after.

The book begins with an appreciation for the work of Elvis Presley, which is no small thing. The music industry in its own way knew they were waiting for someone who could mix black sound and attitude, with a white gloss that could make it marketable to white audiences. What I found interesting is that even with all the books, and movies on the King, few probed where his influences came from. Not many could see Elvis going to juke joints or black churches, not with a protective mother, though it is possible. The problem with writing about the King, is that there is a lot of different stories. Lauterbach discusses the power of radio, and WLAC which was a radio station with a powerful signal that began playing black, or race music as it was called at night. Within a short period of time, letters were pouring in with requests, songs, and even more where to get this fantastic music. From here Lauterbach looks at the lives of various performers, whose songs Presley covered like Junior Parker, Arthur Crudup and of course Big Mama Thornton. Lauterbach looks at their lives, their careers, ups and downs, and of course the chicanery that the music industry committed when it came to fair payments. Or any payments.

A book much bigger than just the King, and the music that made him famous. Lauterbach looks at the history of black musicians, the politics of the South and the influence music had on the people. Lauterbach looks at the rising power of church groups in civil rights, and music was responsible for many people coming together for change. One thing that many of these musicians have in common is there unfair treatment by the industry. First financially, and now in credit for what they did. Lauterbach isn't here to bury Elvis, Lauterbach talks about the things that Elvis did, and what more he could have done. Lauterbach is a good writer and a great researcher, able to bring little bits together to form a narrative that tells a story not only of music, but people, and a changing time.

If one likes books on musical history, especially American music, this is a great read. Blues, rocking, gospel and more are covered, with a lot of people to track down and listen too. And a lot of musicians who deserve credit for what they did. This is the second book by Lauterbach I have read, and I can't wait for more.

[Michael Reilly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lauterbach profiles the black performers who influenced Elvis and then follows their careers after Elvis became "Elvis". "Before and After Elvis" might have been a more accurate title.

Some of Elvis' influences are obvious. "Hound Dog" is a Big Mama Thornton song. "That's All Right" was a song Elvis got from Arthur Crudup. Elvis told reporters what a big influence Crudup had on him. Lauterbach tells the stories of life on the road for working black musicians like Thornton and Crudup in the 1930 to the early 50s. It was not glamorous.

Some of Elvis' black influences are not as well known. Lauterbach argues that Black gospel is one of the least appreciated ingredients of rock 'n' roll in general and Elvis in particular. As a teenager, Elvis regularly attended East Trigg Baptist Church in Memphis. He added gospel influences and flourished to his singing and, later in his career, recorded Gospel songs he first heard there.

One of the best stories is where Elvis got his "Well". Most famously he used it in the first line, "Well, I heard the news. There's good rocking tonight". Lauterbach cites the exact same drawn out "Well" in a song recorded n 1953 by a Gospel Group, The Brewersteraires" in Sam Philp's recording studio in 1953, the year before Elvis recorded his song in the same studio.

He also has a good explanation of how Elvis adopted some of the stagecraft and crowd work from gospel concerts into his concerts. They knew how to work a crowd into a frenzy and Elvis paid attention.

I had never heard of Calvin Newborn. Lauterbach says he was "the most overlooked, underappreciated and important Elvis Presley influence." He played what he called "omnifarious music". It was blues, gospel, jazz and rock 'n' roll all mixed up. Calvin was the star attraction at the Flamingo Room in Memphis in 1954. It was the hottest room in town. Elvis would come to see his show and they became friends. Clavin danced, swung his hips, used his guitar as a prop. He did the leg shaking thing that became Elvis' trademark. Elvis actually got on stage and played one night with Calvin.

Elvis always made it clear that he was influenced by black musicians. He gave credit. On the other hand, his manager and record companies were not always honest about giving composing credits.

The careers of the artists after Elvis are interesting. Calvin Newborn, for example, had a long and complicated career. His brother was a genius jazz pianist who suffered mental illness. Calvin played guitar with Sun Ra on several records. Lauterbach befriended Calvin and shares some good stories.

This is great fun. It is filled with good detail, well told. I came away with more respect for Elvis and for the black music scene of the early 1950s.

[Nathan Phillips · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found some absolutely scorching obscure blues tracks by reading this -- and who knew Junior Parker covered "Tomorrow Never Knows" right before he died? -- but I found its overall point a little muddled. You're honestly better off reading Peter Guralnick's books about Elvis and Sun Records to get the basic idea; Lauterbach feels like he's ranting a bit and also is kind of at war with himself in terms of arguing for Elvis as the key American musician of the century while also pushing the idea that Elvis was nothing without his influences. Yes, both things can be true, but I never got a sense of really why either is the case -- indeed, there is more material in the book contradicting both those ideas than supporting either of them. The worst thing for me is that the structure seems very off. He announces in the introduction that the book will be divided into Before Elvis and After Elvis sections, begging the question of why you'd name the book Before Elvis, but the really ominous thing about this is that he ends up focusing on a handful of specific musicians and basically just alternating between their life stories rather than really investigating in a critical manner their relationship to Presley and/or Presley's output. It almost feels like a series of disconnected pieces of other books.

I was happy to learn more about Willie Mae "Big Mama" Thornton, whose work I discovered when I was a DJ, believe it or not independently of "Hound Dog" and "Ball and Chain" which I only connected with her after I'd already fallen in love with some of her other records, and have long considered unsung and great. I was thrilled to read about how much success she found in the second half of her career, and was particularly interested that Big Brother and the Holding Company specifically sought her permission to cover "Ball and Chain." On the other hand, all my hours listening to Arthur "Big Boy" Crudup have failed to convince me that Elvis' obsession with him was anything beyond peculiar; this is a matter of personal taste, obviously, but I've never found his work original or interesting, and I have to say that I think "That's All Right" is the complete opposite of "Hound Dog" in that I don't really follow any argument that Elvis did anything but make a classic out of a relatively ordinary number. But maybe I'm offbase. I just really wanted more out of this book, and what I did get didn't really convince me of anything, but again, finding new songs from this era that I'd never heard before makes it hard for me to consider it anything but time well spent.

[Ted Hunt · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book sets out to showcase the musical influences that the young Elvis Presley grew up with in northwestern Mississippi and then Memphis, Tennessee. Its thesis is that the music that made Elvis famous and wealthy was actually the music of a variety of African-American artists from in and around the Memphis area. It's not a groundbreaking argument, and I already knew about singers like Big Mama Thornton (the original singer of "Hound Dog") and Arthur Crupup, who wrote Elvis's first hit single, "That's All Right." I appreciated how the book shed light on some of the other individuals who had never made it to my radar: Junior Parker, the Newborn brothers, and the Reverend Herbert Brewster, whose gospel music provided one of the most significant musical "streams" that fed into Elvis's music. I also enjoyed reading about the Tennessee radio stations that were playing the music that Allan Freed eventually labeled "rock and roll," years before Freed's radio station in Cleveland gave him his famous all-night radio show. I thought that the book at times lost its focus, especially towards the end. It seemed to go back and forth between an analysis of the evolution of a particular type of music to a series of biographical vignettes of a series of performers. In the final section of the book the author appears to have felt obligated to take the reader through a (rather sad) series of "whatever happened to....." episodes that demonstrate that the artists who inspired a lot of the early white rock and roll singers generally had rather short, unrecognized lives. The book does shine a light on the issue of "cultural appropriation" and whether Elvis, and others like him, paid sufficient tribute to the artists who had originally blazed the "rock and roll" trail. Some of the Black musicians held on to their resentment most of their lives, while others did not hold Presley personally responsible for the ways in which they were "ripped off." And anyway, from what the book presented, it was often the music publishing companies who did the most to rob the early Black singers and musicians of their due. But isn't it interesting that in writing a book about African-American artists, the author chose to highlight Elvis in the title. I guess that some things don't change.

[Steve · Rating 4 out of 5]

While he may oversell the influences on Presley, Lauterbach does a great job of covering the careers of Arthur Crudup, Junior Parker, Big Mama Thornton, Calvin and Phineas Newborn (the latter a Jr.), and Reverend William Brewster. As such, I learned a lot and found quite a few records I'm intrigued to check out.

Obviously Crudup was a huge influence on Presley, as he stated in his early days. I hadn't realized what a big star Crudup was in the 40s, as his music had been almost completely trivialized by the time I discovered the blues. He's an interesting recording artist who deserves to be heard, though perhaps not as much as the others listed above.

Junior Parker has long been a fave, but I hadn't heard his later material until after reading this book. It's funny that one of Elvis's greatest records was a cover of Parker's "Mystery Train," but Parker moved past that song pretty quickly himself.

Big Mama Thornton did the original "Hound Dog," written by Lieber and Stoller, which indirectly influenced Elvis to do it as well. Her life story is really fascinating - I actually did not know that Janis Joplin fell in love with "Ball and Chain," written by Thornton, before it was ever recorded.

Calvin Newborn was a guitarist who worked in jazz and blues circles for a long time with very little critical notice. I definitely need to check him out. He convinced Lauterbach that he was the one who Presley copied his stage moves from. His brother Phineas Newborn, Jr. was a great piano player who struggled with mental illness and who probably deserves a much closer listen than I've ever given him.

William Brewster was huge in the gospel circles in Memphis, and he opened his church to white people early in the 1950s - Elvis definitely went there. Lauterbach covers a whole lot of gospel material I know nothing about, and need to investigate.

[Randall Russell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Perhaps because Elvis was before my time, or perhaps because I grew up in the 60s and all I knew was rock'n roll, while I knew that Elvis didn't invent rock'n roll, I didn't really grasp the roots of his music, or how much of what he did, and later stars like the Rolling Stones and others, was based on the blues, gospel, and R&B music that black artists were playing in the Memphis area in the early 50s. I feel like this book had an interesting story to tell, but for the most part it never really gripped me. I can't put my finger on exactly why, but partly I think it goes into great detail about the black musicians who pre-dated Elvis & laid the foundation for rock'n roll. Some of those figures - Big Mama Thornton, B. B. King, and others, I had heard of and knew a little about, but a lot of the others were unknown to me, and the author describes songs, recording sessions, and labels of which I had no knowledge. Also, the author dwells quite a bit towards the end of the book on the later careers of some of the black musician who came before Elvis, and to me that part of the book got a little tedious. So, I'd recommend this book if you want to know more about the origins of rock'm roll, or if you're a serious historian about rock'n roll, but I feel like this book is too detailed for the average lay reader.

[Willington · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a passionate singer and music enthusiast, I truly appreciated the book's exploration of the rich musical history of the United States, particularly the diverse influences that shaped rock and roll, blues, R&B, and jazz. It highlights the artists who played pivotal roles in Elvis's rise to fame, including Willie Mae Thornton, Calvin Newborn, and Phineas Sr., who collectively contributed to his title as the King of Rock and Roll. While I would have enjoyed seeing photographs of these influential artists, I understand that such elements may be included in the final publication. For those who love music, are interested in its history, or are fans of Elvis, this book is definitely worth reading.

Thank you NetGalley and Hachette Books for allowing me the opportunity to read and review this book.

[Jennifer Cunningham · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great nonfiction piece on the influences that lead up to Elvis’ music and success in the industry. There are some less known finds in this book as well as a wealth of great music to seek out and listen too. I loved the research quality and overall this is very well written even though the information gets a bit dry and less interesting in a few spots along the way. But the rest of the book Moore than makes up for those few spots. Highly recommend if you have any interest in popular music, the blues and R& B or the history of the music industry. It includes briefs from past interviews and cross influence in one place. The only fault of the audiobook was not taking advantage of being audio and throwing some samples of music in there. Both print and audio were still good reads though.

[Bargle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this book through the Goodreads Giveaway program.

What a great set of stories about the people who influenced Elvis. While I had heard of a few, most of them were new to me. Arthur "Big Boy" Crudup and Big Mama Thornton were familiar names, but the rest I wasn't aware of. Especially impressive were the Newborn brothers, Phineas, Jr. and Calvin. Videos of them both can be found online. Sad that so many of them never saw much financial reward for their talent.

One small negative. No pictures of the performers except on the cover. This may change when the regular publication version comes out next year.

[wade · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a story that needed to be told. Very little is known about the Black men and women musicians that were very influential on Elvis's career. When he was young he was like a groupie hanging out at minority churches and venues. He took in everything that he saw and his first hit was a cover of a Black musician and many others would follow. The sad story is that across the music industry Black entertainers and music writers got next to nothing monetarily for heir work. There are mini biographies of many of them in this book.

[Joseph Hilden · Rating 2 out of 5]

A much needed look into our country 's race issues. Well researched and eye opening descriptions of how the music industry exploited the black musicians. Mr Lauterbach's style of writing did not make reading this flow smoothly . Elvis Presley was the first successful white singer to help correct the injustice of how black musicians were acknowledged and treated. Elvis revolutionized our music in America and brought huge changes to rock and roll. Thank you Preston for your book.

[RA · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent, informative book about the mainly Memphis musicians & people who really directly influenced Elvis & his music. Wonderful details involving Memphis history, as well as biographical details about Big Mama Thornton, Junior Parker, Arthur Big Boy Crudup, & his involvement with Memphis gospel singer Rev. Brewster, as well as the Newborn family (Phineas Jr. & Calvin).

This complicates the stereotypical view of Elvis as an exploiter.

[Marklutherlawoffice · Rating 3 out of 5]

When you read this book bring along your iPhone so you can access the iTunes app. When you hear the many names of Black composers and performers who wrote the Original “Hound Dog”, “That’s all right Mama” “Mystery Train” you’ll want to listen to their recordings on iTunes. All of the individuals portrayed were great musicians in their own right (Big Mama Thornton who wrote Hound Dog)-but because of the color barrier-few reached the superstardom of Elvis

[Monique · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was harder for me to get into this book than I anticipated though it has so much good information. In the end, this book is a solid introduction to Elvis' influencers and how they influenced his music career and music in general, and the next step should be these artists having their own biographies.

[Andrea Rawson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was excited to read this since the musicians that influenced Elvis and wrote some of his biggest hits are often overlooked but I just didn’t connect with the writing style. While it was cool to find some of the songs and listen to them while reading, a good chunk of the book felt like the author was listing discographies.

[Lilly Bastian · Rating 5 out of 5]

So interesting !! I knew a lot of this already but that’s just bc I’m an Elvis freak but I wish there was more media out there about how much African Americans contributed to not just Elvis but other successful white musicians ! I know that sounds so cornball coming from my white ass

[Dawn · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars