Elvis Presley

Is Elvis really the king? I don’t think so. He happened to be at the right place at the right time and had the right moves to snow white kids across the country. With little talent and a gimmicky dance and singing style, he sold black music as his own. To be sure, there was some country-bluegrass in there but it also had that bop, that R&B swing that had been blowing out of juke joints down south for years. I’m not an authority but I’ll give him partial credit for combining the two styles and popularizing the result. The title of “King of Rock and Roll” however, is undeserved. I don’t blame Elvis though.

Just because I’m not a fan of the guy doesn’t mean I don’t respect him and his contribution to music. In fact, I really like old, bloated Elvis. He was kinda fat and dopey, sweating it out onstage, which is sad considering how fit and virile he was before. But if you check out some of those performances on Youtube, you can see how hard he’s working and how much he’s feeling the tunes. It’s oddly inspiring to see and hear him labor through “Unchained Melody” like he’s on the verge of tears with one foot in the grave.

CHUCK BERRY IS THE KING OF ROCK AND ROLL.