The Mystery of Mr X (1934)

It’s that phenomenon that is thoroughly explored on All About Elvis: A Tribute To The King, a 3CD set compiled and annotated by rock & roll authority Dave Penny. Its 97 tracks, dating from 1954 to 1962, were recorded by Elvis’s contemporaries. CD1 Elvis Style rounds up recordings sung in the style of Elvis, including contributions by Conway Twitty, Ral Donner, Roy Orbison and Sleepy LaBeef. CD2 Elvis Songs comprises songs associated with Elvis, featuring the likes of Carl Perkins, Ricky Nelson, Buddy Holly, Johnny Cash, Wanda Jackson and Eddie Cochran. Bobby Bare aside, CD3 Elvis Adored has the least familiar names, as all manner of artists rushed to sing the praises of The King. Manager “Colonel” Tom Parker was a prolific licensor of lucrative Elvis merchandise, including badges, combs, dolls and key chains, and he was also a ruthless protector of copyright, so many recordings that traded on brand Presley were quashed or pulled from release at his instigation.