The Truth About Elvis Presley's First Commercial Single

Like much of Elvis' early material, his first-ever hit song, "That's All Right (Mama)," was recorded in 1953 for Sun Records in Memphis, Tennessee. Elvis handled vocals and rhythm guitar, backed up by long-time Presley guitarist Scotty Moore and Bill Black on bass, as History notes. Producing the song was legendary Sun Records owner Sam Phillips (with Elvis, above). Once Phillips heard Elvis and his band rehearsing the song, he knew he had something special. After the song was released to Memphis radio station WHBQ it was a near instantaneous hit.

The first rock song in history is a matter of much debate, but according to many experts, Presley's "That's All Right (Mama)" belongs in the conversation, as Bob Gulla writes in his book "Icons of R & B and Soul" It also landed in Rolling Stone's "500 Greatest Songs of All Time." The truth of the matter is, though, "That's All Right (Mama)" wasn't written by Elvis, and it was first recorded nearly two decades prior to him recording it at Sun Studios, as History goes on to explain.

ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7qL7Up56eZpOkunCFj2lpbXBfqbWmedOrrK2gXZavsMHTZpylrpmoerG%2BxKyjnrGjYrOqvtKtZJynnaKys6%2FImqNmq5mjtK2xjg%3D%3D