Scotty Moore

Elvis Presley belongs on the short list of artists who changed the course of popular music in the 20th century. He may not have invented rock & roll, but he was indisputably its first rock star, a singer whose charisma was tightly intertwined with his natural talent for a combination that seemed combustible, sexy, and dangerous when Presley seized the imagination of America with four successive number one singles in 1956. He spent the next two decades near the top of the charts, weathering changes in fashion, self-inflicted missteps, and comebacks as his music expanded and evolved.

Elvis Presley belongs on the short list of artists who changed the course of popular music in the 20th century. He may not have invented rock & roll, but he was indisputably its first rock star, a singer whose charisma was tightly intertwined with his natural talent for a combination that seemed combustible, sexy, and dangerous when Presley seized the imagination of America with four successive number one singles in 1956. He spent the next two decades near the top of the charts, weathering changes in fashion, self-inflicted missteps, and comebacks as his music expanded and evolved.

The subtitle "The Original Rock 'n' Roll Recordings 1950-1960" further clarifies the contents of this double-CD compilation tightly packed with 63 predominantly instrumental tunes from the early days of rock & roll. Most of the usual suspects are here, such as "Tequila," "Rebel Rouser," "Rumble," and "Honky Tonk," but it's the rest of this set that is such a revelation. Obscure choices from legends such as Chuck Berry, Bill Haley & the Comets, and Fats Domino share space with less familiar names such as Kid King's Combo, Lawson Haggart Rockin' Band, Dave Appell & the Applejacks, and Merrill Moore, best known only by rabid fans of the genre. The strict chronological time frame precludes any surf, which generally came to prominence after 1960, so much of this stays in the blues, country, and R&B veins. There are a few obvious omissions such as Santo & Johnny's classic "Sleep Walk" but that doesn't detract from the wealth of rare and seldom-anthologized songs that make this such an enjoyable spin for enthusiasts of the time period.

Elvis Is Back! is the tenth album by Elvis Presley, released on RCA Victor Records in mono and stereo, LPM/LSP 2231, in April 1960. Recording sessions took place on March 20 and April 3, 1960, at RCA Studio B in Nashville, Tennessee. It was Presley’s first album to be released in true stereo. It peaked at number two on the Top Pop Albums chart and is listed, along with his debut and From Elvis in Memphis, in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die. It was certified Gold on July 15, 1999, by the RIAA.

Scotty Moore travels to the eastern coast of Iceland where archaeologists have unearthed a startling discovery: within the ruins of a 16th century monastery the bones of a young man lie in perfect condition - save for two smashed shoulder blades. Was this unusual injury the result of a freak accident? Or is this body linked to one of the darkest periods in Iceland's history, the Reformation? Scotty meets with Iceland's top experts in the fields of science, history and religion in an effort to solve this baffling mystery.

Few rock guitarists possess a playing style as instantly recognizable as Queen's Brian May. With his orchestrated guitar armies (multi-tracked guitar lines overdubbed on top of each other) and instantly memorable, well-constructed melodic leads, May is in a class all by himself. Born in Hampton, Middlesex, in July 1947, May showed an interest in music at a very early age – learning to play the ukulele and piano before receiving his first guitar as a present on his seventh birthday.

Recorded and released in 1960, "His Hand in Mine" is the first of three gospel albums that Elvis Presley recorded during his lifetime.

John Davenport/Eddie Cooley. Recorded April 3, 1960 at RCA’s Studio B, Nashville. Guitar: Hank Garland, Scotty Moore, Elvis Presley. Bass: Bob Moore. Drums: D.J. Fontana, Buddy Harman.