But, I didn’t see at that time what I saw later on. Another music king who came up through Memphis was B.B. King. And unlike a lot of people who only talked about Elvis from a distance, B.B. was actually around during those early days before Elvis became a global name. After Elvis passed away, B.
was asked more than once about the negative rumors that had been floating around in the black community. And trust me, what he said might catch some people off guard. Love Hollywood stories? Subscribe now so you don’t miss any new videos. It’s free and it really helps the channel. B.
King started making moves a few years before Elvis blew up in the 1950s. He worked at Memphis radio station WDIA as a singer and DJ, building his name from the ground up. Back then, people called him the Beale Street Blues Boy, then shortened it to Blues Boy, and eventually just B.B. And here’s a wild little detail. Um, Elvis was very shy when I first met him.
When I first met him on studio in Memphis there, so I used to go out to the studio and my company that I worked for at the time would always contract Mr. Phillips to uh let us in anytime that we had something to record and you Elvis would be there practicing a lot of times. He had several people, but In Elvis’s 1956 recording of My Baby Left Me, you can hear him say, “Play it, Blues Boy.
” Which was not in Arthur Crudup’s original version. That one line alone has people wondering just how much Elvis was tapped into the Memphis blues scene. As shown in the 2022 Elvis movie, Elvis loved hanging around Beale Street in those early days. The film made it seem like he and B.B. King were close friends back then. But was that really the truth? Well, not exactly.
In his 1996 autobiography, B.B. King shared his honest memories of Elvis and his words painted a very different picture from some of the rumors that surfaced years later. B.B. said Presley was, quote, “was different. At that time, he was a handsome guy, good-looking. I didn’t think too much about his playing or singing.
I mean, it was okay, but but I didn’t see at that time what I saw later on. But he would talk and he would watch. He didn’t ask questions a lot, but he he would watch. Because he was friendly. I remember Elvis distinctly because he was handsome, quiet, and polite to a fault. Spoke with this thick molasses Southern accent and always called me, “Sir.
” I like that.” Unquote. Those are not the words of someone describing a distant acquaintance. They show the impression Elvis left on people who actually met him. By 1956, Elvis had already left Sun Records for RCA and was becoming a worldwide sensation. His rise was impossible to ignore and B.
- King was watching it happen in real time. But when he started to do that, then he started turn heads, including mine. He had everything. The looks, he had the the talent. I mean, he had everything. You know, you start looking at the guy, he’s god almighty, he’s handsome, he’s tall, and he looks good, he can sing, he can play.
One of the most memorable moments came in December 1956 when Elvis and B.B. King were photographed together at the WDIA Goodwill Revue in Memphis. WDIA was groundbreaking at the time, becoming the first radio station in America with an all-black format. The station played gospel and rhythm and blues and was hugely popular throughout Memphis.
It also had a major influence on young Elvis during his teenage years. I don’t think he ripped them off. The annual WDIA Goodwill Revue was more than just a concert. It was a major community event that raised money for black children in need. Held at Memphis’s Ellis Auditorium, it brought people together from all over the city.
As B.B. King later recalled, {quote} The Goodwill Revues were important. The entire black community turned out. All the DJs carried on, putting on skits and presenting good music. {unquote} Elvis showing up at the all-black event wasn’t some carefully planned publicity move. It happened at the last minute after his friend, Memphis DJ George Klein, told him about the show.
To me, they didn’t make a mistake when they called him the king. According to Klein, Elvis had one main concern before arriving. {quote} Elvis’s biggest concern on the way to the show was that he wanted to be as low-key as possible and not do anything to distract from the scheduled acts’ performances.
George Klein later wrote in his memoir. But things did not stay low-key for very long. Backstage, entertainer Rufus Thomas asked Elvis if he wanted to perform. Elvis turned down the offer, preferring to stay in the background and enjoy the music. However, Rufus had another idea. Wanting to surprise the crowd, he suddenly brought Elvis onto the stage and introduced him to the aud.i.ence.
The reaction was instant. {quote} As soon as the crowd saw him, the place went crazy. called George Klein. According to Klein, Elvis never seemed focused on social divisions or making a statement. He simply wanted to attend because he loved the artists performing that night, especially Ray Charles and the other incredible acts on the bill.
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Still, there is no doubt that the warm welcome meant a lot to him. Years later, B.B. King reflected on that moment and what it represented. {quote} When Elvis appeared at the review, he was already a big, big star. Remember, this was the ’50s, so for a young white boy to show up in an all black function took guts.
I believe he was showing his roots, and he seemed proud of those roots.” B.B. also remembered how Elvis treated him after the event. Quote, “After the show, he made a point of posing for pictures with me, treating me like royalty,” B.B. said. “He’d tell people I was one of his influences.
I doubt whether that’s true, but I like hearing Elvis give Memphis credit for his musical upbringing.” Unquote. For B.B. King, that night wasn’t just about a superstar making an appearance. It was about Elvis openly acknowledging where his musical inspiration came from, and giving respect to the city and culture that helped shape him.
At the very peak of Elvis Presley’s fame, a damaging rumor started spreading through parts of the black community. The claim was explosive. According to the story, Elvis had supposedly said, “The only thing Negroes can do for me is buy my records and shine my shoes.” The quote spread quickly and sparked strong reactions, even though questions remained about where it had actually come from.
The controversy grew so large that in 1957, a reporter from Jet magazine decided to confront Elvis directly about it. In an article by Louie Robinson titled The Truth About That Elvis Presley rumor, The Pelvis Gives His Views, Elvis was asked point blank whether he had ever made such a statement. His answer was immediate and firm.
Quote, “I never said anything like that, and people who know me know I wouldn’t have said it.” Unquote. Jet magazine didn’t stop there. The publication also spoke with several black associates and musicians who had worked with Elvis to get their perspectives. One of those people was pianist Dudley Brooks, who had recently collaborated with Elvis on two movie soundtrack projects in Los Angeles.
Brooks did not believe the rumor at all. Quote, “I can’t imagine Presley saying that, not knowing him the way I do.” he said. Elvis also took the opportunity to discuss his views on rock and roll music and where he believed the genre’s roots came from. His comments were surprisingly humble for one of the biggest stars on the planet.
Quote, “A lot of people seem to think I started this business, but rock and roll was here a long time before I came along. Nobody can sing that type of music like colored people. Let’s face it. I can’t sing it like Fats Domino can. I know that, but I always like that kind of music. I used to go to the colored churches when I was a kid, like Reverend Brewster’s church.” unquote.
By the end of the article, Jet magazine reached a clear conclusion. The rumor simply wasn’t supported by the facts. After looking into the claim and speaking with people who actually knew Elvis, the magazine acknowledged that the story had no solid foundation. B.B. King also pushed back against the idea that Elvis had somehow stolen black music.
His view was much simpler. Quote, “I think when something has been exposed, anyone can add or take from it if they like. He was just so great, so popular and so hot. And so anything that he played became a hit.” unquote. In other words, B.B. believed Elvis’ massive success came from his popularity and ability to connect with aud.i.ences, not from taking something that wasn’t his.
But that’s not where their story ends. In a 2010 interview with writer Jack Dennis, B.B. King revealed that Elvis actually helped him land an important opportunity in Las Vegas years earlier. Quote, “Back in 1972, Elvis helped me get a good gig at the Hilton Hotel while he was playing in the big theater,” King explained.
“He put in a call for me and I worked in a lounge to standing room only.” What happened next says a lot about their relationship. BB recalled that after finishing his performances, he would often head upstairs to Elvis’s suite. “That’s where the music really started flowing.” Quote, “Many nights, I’d go upstairs after we finished our sets and go up to his suite.
I’d play Lucille and sing with Elvis, or we’d take turns. It was his way of relaxing. I’ll tell you a secret,” King laughed. “We were the original Blues Brothers because that man knew more blues songs than most in the business. And after some nights, it felt like we sang every one of them.” Unquote.
BB King made his feelings crystal clear in his autobiography and left little room for doubt. Quote, “Elvis didn’t steal any music from anyone. He just had his own interpretation of the music he’d grown up on. Same is true for everyone. I think Elvis had integrity.” Unquote. Those words carry extra weight because they came from someone who knew Elvis personally and witnessed that era firsthand.
What do you think? Did Elvis get unfairly criticized for his musical influences? Or do you see the story differently? Drop your thoughts in the comments below. And if you enjoyed this video, don’t forget to hit the like button, subscribe to the channel, and ring the notification bell so you never miss a new video. Also, be sure to share this video with fellow Elvis fans and keep watching for more fascinating Elvis stories right here.
