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Thursday December 11th, 2003

Elvis guitarist Scotty Moore is golden; celebrates 50th anniversary with Gibson

Elvis veteran D.J. Fontana and Scotty Moore above

Rock and Roll Hall of Famer and legendary guitarist Scotty Moore was honored at a special birthday celebration at The Baldwin Showcase, 1102 Grundy St., Nashville, on Friday, Dec. 5. One of the most important and influential musicians of our time, Moore, 71, has been called "the midwife to rock and roll" by the Rolling Stones' Keith Richard for his pioneering work on such Elvis Presley hits as "That's Alright Mama," "Heartbreak Hotel," "Jailhouse Rock" and "Blue Suede Shoes."

The celebration will mark Moore's 50th Anniversary as one of Gibson Guitar's most respected artists

"Scotty wrote the manual for rock and roll guitar playing with his memorable parts on Elvis' records," said Henry Juszkiewicz. "We're proud that Gibson has been his guitar of choice from the very beginning."

Unexpectedly, Moore did not attend the celebration. He was admitted to Baptist Hospital the night before after doctors found a subdural hematoma, an accumulation of blood between the brain and the skull. The surgery was that Friday. Doctors say he is recovering well and think he'll be able to play guitar again after physical therapy

Moore started playing guitar at the age of 8. In 1952, after serving in the U.S. Navy, he formed the Memphis group Doug Poindexter and His Starlite Wranglers, which would later include bassist Bill Black. The band recorded Moore's "My Kind of Carryin' On" for Sam Phillips' Sun Records label, and in July 1954 Phillips asked Moore to help an aspiring young singer named Elvis Presley rehearse some songs. The next night Phillips brought Moore, Black and Presley into Sun Studios for the audition that changed the course of popular music with "That's Alright Mama." The trio, billed as The Blue Moon Boys, hit the road, with Moore as Presley's first professional manager.

For years Moore's guitar was a vital part of Elvis Presley's music, securing Moore's spot in music history as one of the foremost guitarists of his time. He also released a solo single called "Have Guitar Will Travel," played on sessions with Dale Hawkins and produced the 1959 hit "Tragedy." After Presley returned from the Army in 1960 Moore continued to play for the "King" through Elvis' 1968 television special. He moved to Nashville in 1964 where he established his own studio and concentrated on production, most notably engineering Ringo Starr's Beaucoups of Blues.

In the early 1990s he came out of a 20-year retirement as a guitarist to appear on shows with rockabilly legend Carl Perkins. He was featured on the Elvis tribute album All the King's Men in 1997, and he continues to mesmerize audiences from around the world. Scotty Moore remains a legend amongst the top musicians of the past as well as the present.

Throughout his career, Moore has played Gibson guitars. On the original Presley sessions he played an ES-295, a gold-finished hollowbody electric that Gibson reissued in 1999 as the Scotty Moore Signature model. During 1956, Presley's biggest year, Moore played a natural-finish Gibson L-5 CES on such hits as "Mystery Train," "Heartbreak Hotel," "Hound Dog," "All Shook Up" and "Don't be Cruel." The L-5 remains his favorite guitar and it's now displayed in the Rock and Soul Museum in the Gibson Memphis Showcase. On Presley's 1968 TV special, Moore played a Super 400 CES with sunburst finish that he handed over to Elvis at one point in the show. Today he usually appears with a Gibson Chet Atkins Country Gentleman model.

Gibson Chairman and CEO Henry Juskiewicz celebrated Scotty's contributions
to popular music while video of Scotty's early TV appearances with Elvis
played on the big screen

Lee Roy Parnell and Stever Cropper sit in with James Nixon (on left)

Scotty looks on as Lee Roy and Steve 'dust their brooms' with members
of Scotty's English back-up band

To commemorate Scotty's 50 years of playing Gibsons, Henry shows off
a new L-5 CT Gibson will give to Moore upon his recovery

Rhythm and Blues legend Sonny Burgess (second from left) and band
wowed the crowd with Fontana on drums.

Elvis band alumnus Fontana creates his magic behind
the Slingerland Champagne Sparkle kit

Stray Cats bassist Lee Rocker joined Ronnie McDowell's band onstage
for the evening's final jam.

Rocker was electrifying with his vocal and slap bass performaces
of "That's Alright Mama" and "Blue Suede Shoes."