While Elvis Presley’s musical output was defined more by rock & roll in the Fifties and Sixties, and, later, by easy listening ballads and orchestral anthems, the vocalist maintained a strong affinity for country music throughout his career. The Seventies especially found Presley diving wholeheartedly into country recordings: his final Number One single would be on the country charts, with 1977’s “Moody Blue.” As Elvis fans remember the King on the 49th anniversary of his death — and gear up for next year’s 50th anniversary on Aug. 16, 2027 — we look at the seemingly immortal singer’s best country moments.
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“Blue Moon of Kentucky” (1954)
Image Credit: Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images The B-side to “That’s All Right,” Elvis Presley’s first single for Sun Records, “Blue Moon of Kentucky” sees the once and future king of rock & roll at ground zero. At this early juncture in the summer of 1954, rock & roll looks a lot like country music. Only a few months past his 19th birthday, this is Presley at his unencumbered best, playing fast and loose with style and convention as he shakes, rattles, and rolls his way through this Bill Monroe classic, sped up from its original 3/4 waltz time. Thanks to Scotty Moore and Bill Black’s hillbilly backbeat, Presley hurtles into the future at amphetamine-fueled speed, his cooing voice at turns growling and howling at the moon. Most importantly, “Blue Moon of Kentucky” was a breakthrough, proof to Presley and Sun owner Sam Phillips that lightning could strike more than once. —J.G.
