The Blue Moon Boys: The Story of Elvis Presley's Band [Hardcover]

Ken Burke (Author), Dan Griffin (Author), Brian Setzer (Foreword)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 1, 2006

Boasting never-before-told stories of life on the road with a young Elvis, this comprehensive guide to Elvis' band gives an insider's view of how the band worked with him onstage, in the studio, and in movies, and features the first comprehensive look at their post-Presley lives and careers. Band members Scotty Moore, D. J. Fontana, and Bill Black created the Sun sound with Elvis, which has influenced such legendary performers as Ringo Starr, George Harrison, John Fogerty, and Charlie Watts. Based on interviews with Moore, Fontana, and the family of the late Bill Black, this resource provides first-hand insights that have never before seen print, as well as several previously unpublished photographs. Extensive coverage of the entire history of the band makes this book is a must for Elvis fans, rockabilly aficionados, and anyone interested in the early history of rock 'n' roll.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

It was in 1958 that Elvis Presley and his backing band cut "That's Alright Mama" with Sam Philips at the legendary Sun studios in Memphis. For Elvis, the rest is history—he went on to become the king of rock and roll. For his backing band, the Blue Moon Boys (bassist Bill Black, guitarist Scotty Moore and drummer D.J. Fontana), the story went differently. In this exhaustively researched and well-written book, journalist Burke (Blue Suede News) and Griffin, a producer who later worked with Moore and Fontana, present a vital piece of rock history. Burke and Griffin adeptly recount the band's vital role in creating Elvis's success, from Black's signature enormous stand-up bass lines (one promoter was amazed to learn the band was only a three-piece) and Moore's lilting guitar to Fontana's energetic beats, which fueled Presley's hypersexual performances. Eventually, superstardom on an uncharted scale led to squabbles over everything from egos to credit, and of course money (at one point, while Elvis was making "millions," the band was making just a few hundred dollars per performance). Elvis fans will enjoy this fascinating history, but more than that, Burke and Griffin offer a glimpse at the crucible in which rock and roll was fired. (Oct.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

While Elvis' fame is vast, the same cannot be said of his original backing band. The Blue Moon Boys--Scotty Moore on guitar and Bill Black on stand-up bass--were instrumental in developing the sound that came to be known as rock 'n' roll. Later joined by drummer D. J. Fontana, they took Presley on the road, coached him, and were more than a little responsible for his incredible success. Elvis' prominence is justified, but his band's anonymity is a fact that Burke and Griffin aim to help correct. Interviews with Moore, Fontana, and their contemporaries (Black died in 1965) reveal a bitter guitarist and a loyal drummer. While Elvis was making millions, the band had no contract, got union scale for recording sessions, often had to pay their own expenses, and received no royalties. The post-Presley years were often a struggle, although recently Moore and Fontana have been recognized by their peers in the rock community and have been convinced to record and tour with the help of Griffin. Benjamin Segedin
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 304 pages
• Publisher: Chicago Review Press (August 1, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1556526148
• ISBN-13: 978-1556526145
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.3 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #589,698 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Essential despite errors, November 22, 2006

By 

Geoffrey E. Barnett (Dunedin, New Zealand) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Blue Moon Boys: The Story of Elvis Presley's Band (Hardcover)

I came within a whisker of throwing it in the bin; I'm glad I didn't, because despite the silly errors it is still a fine book.
When "The Blue Moon Boys" arrived, in order to get a taste of what was inside I chose a page at random. It was the opening of chapter 8, Fading into the Shadows, and deals with Elvis Presley's return from the army in 1960. The authors state the following: "Elvis' first order of business was fresh recordings. 'Stuck on You', which was backed by the excellent honky-boogie of 'A Mess of Blues' . . . "
The fact, of course, is that "Fame and Fortune" was the flip of "Stuck on You". "Mess of Blues" backed "It's Now or Never" later that same year.
Okay, I said, I'll give these guys a second chance. So what happens?
The first chapter starts with these words: "The patience Sam Phillips spoke of was very much in evidence at his Memphis Recording Service on July 5, 1954. Scotty Moore, Bill Black and an eighteen-year-old singer named Elvis . . . " For crying out loud, I thought, if you authors don't know that Elvis was 19 years old in July 1954, you should not be writing a book about the Blue Moon Boys . . . or anything to do with rockabilly music.
I eventually changed my mind, but only after finding more errors.
They include: Elvis final Hayride show was in 1956 not 1957; A Little Less Conversation" was an international hit in 2002 not 2004; in late 1996 Scotty Moore and D J Fontana were 64 and 65 respectively not 66 and 67. There are others but I don't want to waste valuable review time with further criticism.
Essentially, this book offers a fascinating insight into the lives of the three men who helped Elvis create his unique sound and who have been so often unfairly overlooked.
Dan Griffin, who is one of the authors of this book, was a close friend of Scotty Moore and helped manage and promote his concerts during the 1990s. The chapters devoted to the recording of All The King's Men in 1996 are particularly interesting given that Griffin was closely involved with the project. Scotty's failing health and the eventual split between the two men is also covered in detail.
Elvis gets plenty of attention from Griffin and co-author Ken Burke, but it is the great Bill Black, Scotty Moore and DJ Fontana who are the primary focus.
Essential reading.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Must Read For Rockabillys, May 8, 2008

By 

Darrin Jones (San Diego, CA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Blue Moon Boys: The Story of Elvis Presley's Band (Hardcover)

If you are one of those people like me who like Elvis fine, but really wanted to know just who those guys were who were backing him up with that great bass and guitar (and later drums), then this book is for you. A great addition to Scotty Moore's That's Alright Elvis bio, it documents just how Elvis and his band got together, and why they didn't stay a band together. Die hard Elvis fans would be interested in the stories told of a young Elvis and how he was discovered, but it's the rockabillys and musicians who would be most interested in the band that helped make Rock 'n Roll what it is today.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great book even if you're previously not that familar with Elvis., August 23, 2008

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T. Steiner - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Blue Moon Boys: The Story of Elvis Presley's Band (Hardcover)

I've listened to my fair share of Elvis's music, and I consider myself a generally engaged music fan. This is an involving, entertaining read that I think you will both find interesting and fun. Enjoy.