Black's body was buried, next to his father, William Patton Black Sr., at Forest Hill Cemetery in Memphis, Tennessee. Willie was a bassist for the country music pioneer Jimmie Rodgers and his influence is heard today in the work of top country artists such as Tim Mckinley and Keith Urban. [7] Neither musician was overly impressed with Presley, but they agreed a studio session would be useful to explore his potential. The band was together five years, releasing two albums and touring the U.S. several times. (Theres a delightful photograph of Henrik with Bill Blacks daughter on page 14). The King was criticised for not attending Bills funeral as he thought his presence would turn the ceremony into a media frenzy focused on him and not the bassist. According to Moore, the first song they recorded was "I Love You Because", but after a few country music songs that weren't impressive they decided to take a break. For daily Elvis discussions click here to EIN's Facebook group. EIN Website content Copyright the Elvis Information Network. Nine years older than Elvis, Bill did appear to be further down life's highway, with his hair receding at the sides, even in early photos. He played in Elvis Presley 's early trio. Elvis sat in as a guest around October 1954, playing with them about ten times (some sources say just once). The Warner Bros movie stars Austin Butler as The King and Tom Hanks as Colonel Tom Parker. Could mere money destroy what was forged during those amazing years of 1954-1958? The Combo linked up with another musical phenomenon when, along with fellow American artists the Exciters, Jackie DeShannon, and the Righteous Brothers, they supported The Beatles on their first tour of the States during late summer 1964 (19th August - 20th September). wasn't at the funeral either. This was during the making of the classic 'Jailhouse Rock' movie, Elvis' third. I've never seen him blow his top more than once or twice, and that was when he was just worn out.". According to Evelyn Black, in those early days, both Bill and Scotty done much to teach the nervous young singer his stage-craft, the way he would stand at the mike, and also some of the ways to move. It seems to have been an idea of his that the band go on a fixed salary. Smokie Pt.2 - #17 - 1959.White Silver Sands - #9 - 1960.Josephine - #18-1960. With all the touring, it almost seemed that the large bass had a permanent bunk on the roof of the car back then. The miserable life Elvis leads Bill Blacks interview from 1962. Fontana to their ranks. Bill, like others involved with Elvis, thought little of the Colonel and had no time for him. Grand Ole Opry show, 2nd October 1954 - Elvis' only appearance there.3. Sign up for a free 30 day trial at the link to listen to unlimited music on Amazon Music! They tried a few songs, but nothing clicked. Get yourself a wir fahrn 22,000 ($25,000) cover artwork from Traffics 1973 album Waxed in Germany. To a great extent, they were the creators of the Sun Elvis sound. They married in 1946 and returned to Memphis. They created a very fresh and lively sound that was destined to make a large impact on exposure. April 21, 2009. The Combo was driven by a strong mix of bass, sax and keyboards. He could hit the bass like nobody in the world., Bills contribution to Elvis success went beyond the bass playing. It wasn't until Elvis sought to officially change it to the more traditional spelling that he learnt that, despite the document, state records did indeed already have him registered as Elvis Aaron. The book is A4 and 260 pages. Bill Black. Another characteristic of the Combo was Reggie Young thwacking on the guitar with a pencil. He wanted it made clear who the star was. Ben Vaughn grew up in the Philadelphia area on the New Jersey side of the river. You realize how important this matter is. + Plus Bonus DVD Audio. Fontana, how he and Scotty got on with Bill, during a trip to Scotland in October 1993, since it was well known that Elvis didn't get on with him, D.J. As a joke, Elvis picked it up and volunteered to do it and that's what made it on the record - Elvis playing the bass part. Always seeming to be in need of a good meal. 5 of the Best Finnish Hard Rock/Heavy Metal Bands. While in the Army, he met Evelyn, who played guitar as a member of a musical family. Scotty left the band, The Blue Moon Boys (Elvis, Scotty, Bill Black and drummer D.J. This features a fine section on all the key players, the protagonists being Bill Black, Scotty Moore, Sam Phillips, DJ Fontana, Elvis Presley - plus The Starlight Wranglers - all of whom are neatly encapsulated. He was tagged the 'Atomic Powered Singer', and backed by his group and the Freddy Martin Orchestra (he worked with such other big names as Judy Garland). From August 18 through December 8, "Blue Moon of Kentucky" was consistently higher on the charts, and then both sides began to chart across the South. The same thing would take place all over America from 1954 onwards, bringing people like Carl Perkins, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Roy Orbison, to Sun Records. Scotty also had Bill come by later in the session, which is said to have taken place on Sunday afternoon, 27th June 1954. The Bill Black Combo also cut an instrumental version of Elvis' 1956 classic, on which Bill had played bass', Don't Be Cruel (To A Heart That's True)'. Bill Black's connection with the very influential Hi Records Studios (Al Green etc) It was the beginning. The group also played the Bon Air Club. It includes.. "Elvis is fun to have around, always got some jazz going, likes to keep up chatter and joking,' says Bill. He returned home to have his then-wife tell him that Bill had passed on a few days before. Gary Tallent and Max Weinberg of the E Street Band Induct Bill Black Scotty Moore. The line-up for the reformed group included Reggie and Scotty on electric guitars, Michael Leech on bass, Bobby Wood on piano, Ace Cannon on saxophone, Bobby Emmons on organ, D.J. In the album credits, Bruce Thomas mentions his electric Wal bass guitar as part of Declan McManus Punch The Clock. But less than 10 years later and Bill was dead. My Blog why did bill black leave elvis The reason being that the acoustic instrument was big enough to house the family hound dog! Get that on the radio and they'll run us out of town. how did claudia gordon became deaf; why did bill black leave elvis. Elvis didn't attend the funeral. In reading all I can find that has been written over the years, it appears that the friendship between Elvis, Scotty, Bill and D.J. Don't pay him no mind'. Elvis sense of rhythm was uncanny. Apart from Bill, there were younger brothers Johnny', Jack' (who would also become a musician), and Kenny, and sister Mary-Ann. The DVD Contains recently discovered unreleased film of Elvis performing 6 songs, including Heartbreak Hotel and Don't Be Cruel, live in Tupelo Mississippi 1956. How Should Artists Fund Their Career in Music? The beginning of the session was not unlike the previous one. The Starlight Wranglers were a Sam Phillips group. If Axl handled his ego with the same passion and intelligence that his solo acts performed, they would have had the careers of the Stones and Slash, Duff, Gilby, and Izzy. River of Deceit, a forgotten rock album from the 1990s, is one of the best. Scotty Moore, Elvis Presley and Bill Black - 1954. Gladys and later Elvis was also buried there, prior to their being moved to Graceland on Sunday, 2nd October 1977. It is unfortunate that Elvis fans have never had a chance to truly hear Bill Black's version of events through a long, in-depth interview or autobiography but Paul Belard has tracked down some very interesting band interviews - along with post-Elvis newspaper articles - which do provide a good look at Bill Black's side of the story. Black himself had been ill for the past year and a half and unable to travel. The best thing to come out of the Vegas stint was the group catching Freddie Bell and the Bell Boys doing an outrageous version of Leiber and Stollers 'Hound Dog'. Rumors of instrumental releases came and went. Fun and games still continued away from the spotlight. 2 1/2 inch gauge locomotives for sale . This done them nothing but good and they went on to become one of the most popular instrumental groups in the States during that final year of the '50s and the early '60s. Bill is happier leading his own combo than he was in those mad days with Elvis. As I've already noted, some thought Johnny was the better of the two. why did bill black leave elvis why did bill black leave elvis Black was an important part of the early Presley sound with his slap stand-up bass and ebullient onstage manner. But less than 10 years later and Bill was dead. "But we've only played 14 personal appearances this year," said Black. One of the real joys I found about the book was seeing all the later photographs of Blackie playing with his combo or standing with friends and seeing that cheeky smile on his face. Then that night, after the job, we went back to the hotel. Interview with guitarist Reggie Young(Member Bill Black Combo) Bass links rock and roll royalty Interview with D.J. He's playing bass with the Johnny Burnette Rock 'N' Roll Trio, where he replaced Dorsey. But Bill would never play with him again. According to Louis Black, Presley said, "If there's anything that y'all need, you just let me know and it's yours. Scotty and Bill's friendship seems to have grown fast and strong. In 1954 it fast became a battered-looking object, resembling, according to author Peter Guralnick, something', held together with baling wire'. Again this was over money. Bill Black was a talented musician, and he was a key part of the Elvis Presley sound. Other joys include a unique foreward by bassist Suzi Quatro we are the engine that drive the car- tributes to Blackie from other bass players and plenty of comments from Scotty Moore. The interviews of Elvis' Parents are well worth hearing too. See today's front and back pages, download the newspaper, order back issues and use the historic Daily Express newspaper archive. We practice a little bit. At one time Carl too recorded as a singer for Sun, cutting the single 'You Are My Sunshine' / 'Tootsie' (Sun International 3526). We never rehearse outside of record sessions. One reason is that they were not being paid enough. To a great extent, they were the creators of the Sun Elvis sound. The Bill Black Combo was formed soon after the parting with Elvis. Much of Bill Black's career was spent as Elvis Presley's charismatic bass player, but Black also led a successful career as a bandleader, landing charting in the Hot 100 nearly twenty times. Yours truly Bill Black. When Elvis Presley first shot to fame in 1956 he had a trio called The Blue Moon Boys with guitarist Scotty Moore and bassist Bill Black. fontana. Elvis Don't Be Cruel is featured along with The Bill Black combo version of the same song. It was becoming harder and harder to see Elvis, with the growing 'mafia' that now surrounded him. But feelings were running deeper it seems. Tillman Franks, bassist and Johnny Horton's manager, praised Bill in making Elvis a success: "Bill Black, the way he hit his bass fiddle, he sounded like a band all by himself. John Entwistle was a rock bassist who had an enormous impact on the industry. The upbeat sound was original. The single version, like most of his Sun work, features fine bass work from Bill. Along with two other guitarists and a fiddler, they performed country music tunes by Hank Williams and Red Foley in Doug Poindexter's band, the Starlight Wranglers. Scotty Moore, Elvis Presley and Bill Black - September 9,1954. Jerry Scheffs Memo From Turner could be the greatest concert recording ever by a major rock artist, or it could be the worst. A cool collector's item. "I find I need excitement", he says. He'd known his friend was quite ill though and thought it a matter of time until he was lost. Author Robert Gordon put it well when he said that', Bill Black was an extremely affable, warm-hearted, and humorous guy who loved and appreciated the craziness in rock and roll'. It would be very fitting if the trio ofRonnie Wood,Nicky Hopkins, and Ian McLagan all contributed a single cut to the collection. According to Louis Black, Elvis said, here to Memphis Mansion website to purchase. The unique sound that emerged from their early sessions was the result of a close collaboration of like-minded musicians and an engineer who wanted to generate something as yet unheard. "[12], The next day, the group recorded four more songs, including Blue Moon of Kentucky," by the bluegrass musician Bill Monroe, which he had written and recorded as a slow waltz. They started jamming on "That's Alright," and you know the rest. The Starlight Wranglers played at the Eagles Nest on Lamar, just outside Memphis. We extend our deepest sympathies to his friends and family at this difficult time, and we hope that his music will live on through his legacy. was strong enough to last through the money problems and the influence of the Colonel. These three men had bonded in a way Sam Phillips could only have dreamed of. Scotty recalled that Bill saved the session: Bill is the one who came up with Blue Moon of Kentucky. Despite this, the fact remains that John Entwistle may be best remembered for his contribution to country music. Elvis offered then another 50 dollars and, for a short time, the rift was healed. And they'll be sellin' the same ol' price of only a quarter. nc high school coaching jobs; why did bill black leave elvis. Having gone on to form the Bill Black Combo, the bassist became ill in the early 1960s. No one would steal Elvis' thunder again', Blackie's' routines were history. Starting back in 2017 author Paul Belard has published multiple books looking back at Elvis' legacy often examining a specific time period, but never an in depth biography. Fontana) because of two things, Elvis promised better pay for the band but didn't uphold his promise as he was not confident enough to go against Dutch immigrant ( real name: Andreas Cornelia van Kuijk) later known as Colonel Tom Parker. And I'll have about four or five million of them. They deduced (correctly) the Colonel was working against them. Tragically, Bill died of a brain tumour on October 21, 1965 aged just 39 during his third operation to eradicate the growth.