On a scale of 10, what kind of guitar player was Elvis?

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was it just a prop, or could he play at all?

― PB, Monday, 9 May 2005 00:55 (twenty-one years ago)

Johnny Cash had a lot of praise for his rhythm playing, and he knows rhythm, so let's say 7

― A Viking of Some Note (Andrew Thames), Monday, 9 May 2005 00:58 (twenty-one years ago)

Would've been (and mostly was on TV/postRCA at least stuff) a cool prop anyway

― A Viking of Some Note (Andrew Thames), Monday, 9 May 2005 00:59 (twenty-one years ago)

When I went to Graceland back in the early 90s, some graffitti scrawled on the back of a stop sign just outside the place was "HE ONLY KNEW TWO CHORDS!". I thought that was pretty classic on a couple of levels.

― Earl Nash (earlnash), Monday, 9 May 2005 01:29 (twenty-one years ago)

(by the way, this thread was inspired by the made for tv movie, which i'm actually enjoying...)

― PB, Monday, 9 May 2005 02:01 (twenty-one years ago)

The big E actually could play a little bit. If you check out the '68 Comeback Special, you'll see he trades guitars with Scotty Moore a few songs in. This unfortunately means that you can't hear Scotty any more, but Elvis is more than just a rhythm guitar player. Also check out all the accoustic guitar on the Sun Sessions. Definitely more than competent.

Now who the hell is that playing tambourine in the 68 Comeback special??

― sympathizer, Monday, 9 May 2005 11:26 (twenty-one years ago)

Bez!

― mark grout (mark grout), Monday, 9 May 2005 11:55 (twenty-one years ago)

And of course there's the tale of him playing a Fender Bass at Gracelands the one time the Beatles visited him, and Macca showing him a few riffs.

As a rhythm guitarist, he was fine, perfectly competent.

― Rob M (Rob M), Monday, 9 May 2005 12:56 (twenty-one years ago)

Apparently he plays the bass lick at the beginning of "(You're So Square) Baby I Don't Care."

― Ken L (Ken L), Monday, 9 May 2005 12:59 (twenty-one years ago)

― That's not cocaine! It's Ian Riese-Moraine! (Eastern Mantra), Monday, 9 May 2005 18:33 (twenty-one years ago)

well, E wasn't even a guitar player, but he does play some decent enough stuff in that TV special.

― edd s hurt (ddduncan), Monday, 9 May 2005 18:42 (twenty-one years ago)

Besides steller rhythm guitar on the Sun (and a few early RCA) sides, there are a couple of '50s records where he actually plays lead (or at least is the only guitar present): "One Night" and "Blue Christmas".

― Burr (Burr), Monday, 9 May 2005 20:51 (twenty-one years ago)

Yeah, there's a riff he plays a lot that's pretty recognizable. "One night with you" -- der der der DER.

― Rickey Wright (Rrrickey), Monday, 9 May 2005 21:05 (twenty-one years ago)

ten months pass...

' Apparently he plays the bass lick at the beginning of "(You're So Square) Baby I Don't Care." '

The Buddy Holly song? Don't recall that from Buddy's bio...

― PB, Wednesday, 29 March 2006 15:56 (twenty years ago)

that's a number from the "jailhouse rock" soundtrack - one of his best overlooked '50s tracks.

― J.D. (Justyn Dillingham), Wednesday, 29 March 2006 20:24 (twenty years ago)

And Bryan Ferry did it on one of his covers albums!

― The Day The World Turned Dayglo Redd (Ken L), Wednesday, 29 March 2006 20:29 (twenty years ago)

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