[78-L] Rock & Roll rising (was: Escott, was Arnold Covey)

[Joe Scott]

One of the times Presley talked about Crudup, in his 1/16/55 interview with Lynn McDowell, he talked about liking "Rock Me Mama" and blues in general, and McDowell thanked him at the end for teaching him about blues. In another interview Presley said "[Sam Phillips] and I talked about the Crudup records I knew -- 'Cool Disposition,' 'Rock Me Mama,' 'Everything's All Right,' and others, but settled for 'That's All Right,' one of my top favorites." For a guy who didn't have much money, young Elvis knew records.

He also recalled that it basically started when Phillips said on the phone "You want to make some blues?" and mentioned Crudup's name (Crudup had been successful on the R&B charts), which again fits with Phillips' famous remark involving wanting to try making blues by a white guy. (Indeed Presley's recollections in general are more reliable than those of Phillips, who like to suggest much later that Presley surprised him with rockin' music.)

Joseph Scott