# Elvis' guitarist Scotty Moore dead at 84 **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 29, 2016, 12:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elvis-guitarist-scotty-moore-dead-at-84/758691 "2016-06-29T12:19:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2016, 12:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elvis-guitarist-scotty-moore-dead-at-84/758691/1 "2016-06-29T12:19:00Z")
[http://www.avclub.com/article/rip-scotty-moore-elvis-guitarist-238921](http://www.avclub.com/article/rip-scotty-moore-elvis-guitarist-238921) > [@](#): > > Born in Tennessee in 1931, Moore met Presley in the mid-1950s, when legendary producer Sam Philips put the pair (and double bassist Bill Black) together for the recording of Presley’s first break-out hit, “That’s All Right (Mama)”. Moore, Presley, and Black (and, eventually, drummer D.J. Fontana) founded the Blue Moon Boys in 1954, touring around the United States and building Presley’s skyrocketing popularity. Moore’s guitar—initially the ES-295, and later the Gibson Super 400—appeared on most of Presley’s early hits for Sun Records, and, later, RCA, including “Hound Dog,” “Heartbreak Hotel,” “Jailhouse Rock,” and numerous others. The Blue Moon Boys also appeared in several of Presley’s films in small roles, including King Creole and G.I. Blues. His reverb-drenched Gibson tone set the standard for years. His tastiness as a player and communication with Bill Black are what set the table for Elvis to be Elvis, knowing those two would hold it down. What a talent. Thank you Scotty! ---
**Author:** ![scabpicker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scabpicker/32/8268_2.png) [@scabpicker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scabpicker)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2016, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elvis-guitarist-scotty-moore-dead-at-84/758691/2 "2016-06-29T17:34:31Z")
Yeah, I saw this last night while I was at work, but didn’t want to start another one of these threads, really. I knew the thread was as inevitable as his death, but I didn’t want to steward it. Thank you Scotty, indeed! You helped make rocking what rocking is! ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2016, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elvis-guitarist-scotty-moore-dead-at-84/758691/3 "2016-06-29T18:59:53Z")
Elvis used several guitarists. James Burton (guitar) and Glen Hardin (piano) toured with him a lot. They also toured in Emmylou Harris’ Hot Band when Elvis didn’t need them. Scotty was the first and he was on the early hits from the 1950’s. Really helped develop that Rock N Roll sound for Elvis. Was Scotty Moore still playing in the past few years? RIP ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2016, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elvis-guitarist-scotty-moore-dead-at-84/758691/4 "2016-06-29T19:41:38Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > Elvis used several guitarists. James Burton (guitar) and Glen Hardin (piano) toured with him a lot. They also toured in Emmylou Harris’ Hot Band when Elvis didn’t need them. > > Scotty was the first and he was on the early hits from the 1950’s. Really helped develop that Rock N Roll sound for Elvis. > > Was Scotty Moore still playing in the past few years? RIP I read an interview someplace a few years ago where he stated he had stopped playing for physical reasons. But he, like say Les Paul, was held up as an icon and he had a steady pilgrimage of guitar geeks and celebrities wanting to get an audience. He had the reputation for being a really nice guy. Yes, Elvis snagged the amazing James Burton from Ricky Nelson’s band, if I recall. But Scotty was the one who defined Elvis’ sound. ---
**Author:** ![Small\_Clanger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9fc348/32.png) [@Small\_Clanger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Small_Clanger)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2016, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elvis-guitarist-scotty-moore-dead-at-84/758691/5 "2016-06-29T19:59:28Z")
Just had a listen to my ‘The Sun Sessions’ LP\* in research… Basically. He wrote the book\*\* on rockabilly guitar The solo in That’s all right mama (first R&R in all time?) has _bent_ notes(!) In Let’s Play House he sounds like a slowed down Jimmy Page\*\*\* with hammered on 3rds, slurs ‘n’ all sorts. If you added a bit of overdrive he’d fit in nearly every rock band until… 1980? And most rock bands after that. - yup, vinyl, deal. \*\* tablets? \*\*\*go on, figure that out, except he plays cleaner than J.P. ---
**Author:** ![Penfeather](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/penfeather/32/384_2.png) [@Penfeather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Penfeather)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2016, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elvis-guitarist-scotty-moore-dead-at-84/758691/6 "2016-06-29T21:30:56Z")
I read Keith Richards’ autobiography, and Keith revered him. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2016, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elvis-guitarist-scotty-moore-dead-at-84/758691/7 "2016-06-29T21:50:01Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > Was Scotty Moore still playing in the past few years? RIP He stopped playing 10+ years ago due to [arthritis](http://www.elvis.com.au/presley/interview-scotty-moore-2013.shtml). He also wasn’t performing for quite a while before Carl Perkins persuaded him to come back into the studio in 1992. He wasn’t a happy picker about how Elvis treated him and that soured him on show business. ---
**Author:** ![wedgehed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8edcca/32.png) [@wedgehed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wedgehed)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2016, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elvis-guitarist-scotty-moore-dead-at-84/758691/8 "2016-06-29T22:54:25Z")
Anyone know what year [this is from](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zTTab3ntd08&feature=share)? ---
**Author:** ![Enter\_the\_Flagon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Enter\_the\_Flagon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enter_the_Flagon)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2016, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/elvis-guitarist-scotty-moore-dead-at-84/758691/9 "2016-06-29T23:14:58Z")
Guitar Player says it was 2004 [http://www.guitarplayer.com/artist-videos/1436/scotty-moore-eric-clapton-and-mark-knopfler-jam-thats-all-right-and-more/58692](http://www.guitarplayer.com/artist-videos/1436/scotty-moore-eric-clapton-and-mark-knopfler-jam-thats-all-right-and-more/58692)