Carl Perkins: The King of Rockabilly
Nov 2024 · Citadel Press
Ebook
320
Pages
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About this ebook
The definitive and fascinating biography of the musical trailblazer who was the influence behind countless legendary hits, a rock and roll legend in his own right, and the original rockabilly cat—Carl Perkins.
He was the King of Rockabilly, and one of rock and roll’s true pioneers. A groundbreaking guitarist, singer, and songwriter, Carl Perkins inspired countless musicians in country, rock, and pop music. As Paul McCartney said, “If there were no Carl Perkins, there would be no Beatles.” One Beatle was such a fan that he gave himself the stage name Carl Harrison. Now acclaimed music writer Jeff Apter recounts Carl’s remarkable life story—the triumphs, tragedies, and career highlights that include some of the most pivotal moments in music history.
Born in Tennessee to poor sharecroppers, Carl grew up listening to gospel and country music, learned blues guitar from a fellow field hand, and started writing songs at age fourteen. He plied his trade in rough and rowdy honky-tonks, performing with his brothers before beginning his recording career at the legendary Sun Studio in Memphis. It was there that Carl became a member of the fabled “Million Dollar Quartet,” alongside Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, and Jerry Lee Lewis. In 1955, he wrote and recorded “Blue Suede Shoes,” the first record by a Sun artist to sell over a million copies. But then a fateful car crash stalled his career, one of many tragedies in his life.
Over the following decades, Presley, Cash, and countless other artists, from the Beatles, Tom Petty, and Bob Dylan to Eric Clapton and Jimi Hendrix, performed and recorded his songs and became Carl’s friends, collaborators, and champions. Rich with insider detail and background into Carl’s private battles, humanitarian work, and personal inspirations, this is a fascinating, in-depth look at “Mr. Blue Suede Shoes” and his one-of-a-kind legacy.
He was the King of Rockabilly, and one of rock and roll’s true pioneers. A groundbreaking guitarist, singer, and songwriter, Carl Perkins inspired countless musicians in country, rock, and pop music. As Paul McCartney said, “If there were no Carl Perkins, there would be no Beatles.” One Beatle was such a fan that he gave himself the stage name Carl Harrison. Now acclaimed music writer Jeff Apter recounts Carl’s remarkable life story—the triumphs, tragedies, and career highlights that include some of the most pivotal moments in music history.
Born in Tennessee to poor sharecroppers, Carl grew up listening to gospel and country music, learned blues guitar from a fellow field hand, and started writing songs at age fourteen. He plied his trade in rough and rowdy honky-tonks, performing with his brothers before beginning his recording career at the legendary Sun Studio in Memphis. It was there that Carl became a member of the fabled “Million Dollar Quartet,” alongside Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, and Jerry Lee Lewis. In 1955, he wrote and recorded “Blue Suede Shoes,” the first record by a Sun artist to sell over a million copies. But then a fateful car crash stalled his career, one of many tragedies in his life.
Over the following decades, Presley, Cash, and countless other artists, from the Beatles, Tom Petty, and Bob Dylan to Eric Clapton and Jimi Hendrix, performed and recorded his songs and became Carl’s friends, collaborators, and champions. Rich with insider detail and background into Carl’s private battles, humanitarian work, and personal inspirations, this is a fascinating, in-depth look at “Mr. Blue Suede Shoes” and his one-of-a-kind legacy.
About the author
Inspired by Jerry Hopkins and Danny Sugerman’s biography of the Doors, No One Here Gets Out Alive, and a life spent soaking up great music, Jeff Apter has written more than thirty books about music and musicians, and his work has been published all around the world. His subjects include Keith Urban, AC/DC’s Bon Scott and the Young brothers, the Bee Gees, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, the Cure, and Dave Grohl. He was on staff at Australian Rolling Stone for several years. He lives on the NSW South Coast with his wife and two children, and enough pets to fill a small zoo. Visit him online at jeffapter.com.au.
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