The Rockabilly Legends: They Called It Rockabilly Long Before It Was Called Rock 'n' Roll (Book & DVD) [Hardcover]

Jerry Naylor (Author), Steve Halliday (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 1, 2007 | Series: Book & DVD

In five brief but glorious years, a handful of young, animated performers set the entertainment world on its ear. The Rockabilly Legends - They Called It Rockabilly Long Before It Was Called Rock and Roll celebrates the rebel forefathers who created this raw, driving sound that continues to influence and inspire musicians. This unique volume - part tribute, part first-person recollection, part history, and all fascinating - provides a complete picture of the times. It features hundreds of original rare and captivating photos, including Elvis Presley, Buddy Holly, Roy Orbison, Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins, and others. Candid interviews with music legends and personal reflections. Stunning design. Includes a one-hour DVD sampler of rockabilly music to immerse the reader into those heady days from 1954 through 1959 when a new, high-energy sound and spirit instantly captured the hearts of fans around the world.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Labors of love come no handsomer than this oblong album of full-page photos and sparse, typographically varied text mounted on variously black, white, colored, and patterned backdrops (performance-clips DVD included, yet). You could browse it for hours, probably will if you're a fan of the blend of electric Delta blues, honky-tonk country, and sanctified gospel called rockabilly. Naylor, who replaced Buddy Holly in the Crickets, is a survivor of the music's roughly 1954–63 heyday. His perspective on it begins with Elvis, especially the King's January 5–7, 1955, swing through west Texas, during which, on successive nights, Naylor, Holly, and Roy Orbison saw him—and were forever changed. After the obligatory long return to Memphis for Carl Perkins, Johnny Cash, and Jerry Lee Lewis, Naylor covers smaller, unluckier headliners including Gene Vincent, Charlie Rich, and Johnny Horton (yep, the "Ballad of New Orleans" guy, though that biggest hit is ignored). Naylor spouts fan cant ("genius," "legendary," "immortal") profusely, but since he concludes with the extremely hard-rockin' guys who probably coined rockabilly—Johnny and Dorsey Burnette—live with it. Olson, Ray

Product Details

• Hardcover: 285 pages
• Publisher: Hal Leonard Corporation; Har/DVD edition (June 1, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 142342042X
• ISBN-13: 978-1423420422
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 11.2 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #840,336 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Where's Ricky?, July 2, 2007

By 

Robert E. Jopson - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Rockabilly Legends: They Called It Rockabilly Long Before It Was Called Rock 'n' Roll (Book & DVD) (Hardcover)

Jerry Naylor is to be commended highly for his exhaustive research and commitment to what I understand was a seven year labor of love. He truely captures the essence of the talent that made the 50's Rockabilly era so special and created the roots of rock n' roll.The addition of the DVD to complement this volume makes it even more desireable for any student of music history! My only complaint is that Ricky Nelson was not included, since he too was a pioneer in rockabilly and idolized Carl Perkins as his musical mentor!While I realize Jerry may not have worked with him directly he still deserved honorary mention! That aside though, this book/dvd is a must have!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A must-own book for rock'n'roll historians, April 14, 2007

By 

Qball53 (Middlefield CT) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Rockabilly Legends: They Called It Rockabilly Long Before It Was Called Rock 'n' Roll (Book & DVD) (Hardcover)

This is a great book that is not only easy to read, and has an abundance of great early photos from 1954 - 1959, but tells the definitive beginnings of Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Johnny Cash, Buddy Holly, Carl Perkins and Roy Orbison. It connects them all through stories of how they all played together or ran into each other during the mid-50s.

Elvis was just a 19 year old truck driver who was talked into going to a cheap recording studio in Memphis in 1954 to sing some gospel songs, and met session player Scotty Moore there. Producer Sam Philips didn't like what he was hearing, until Elvis started singing (during a break) an old blues tune from the 40s called "That's Alright Mama." Philips loved it, and rockabilly (which is what early rock'n'roll was called) was born. They soon after got a slot on the Grand Ole Opry to play just one tune, and Elvis got a positive response from the females. Teenaged Roy Orbison saw Elvis from the front row in January 1955 at a west Texas concert, and he immediately dropped his hilbilly singing of Hank Williams tunes, and started doing rockabilly. Buddy Holly saw early Elvis as well, and it influenced him to start his Crickets. There's stories of Johnny Cash (how he tried to get Roy Orbison on the Sun label), and Jerry Lee, and Carl Perkins, and how they all got influenced each other, and even played together.

Get this book....it's great!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Rock on Rockabilly!, January 7, 2008

By 

N. Lewandowski (Boston, MA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Rockabilly Legends: They Called It Rockabilly Long Before It Was Called Rock 'n' Roll (Book & DVD) (Hardcover)

If you love the 50s music and those who made it great, you will enjoy this book and the history of the 50s music legends! Great book! Great history!