Many musicians got their start because they were inspired by Elvis.Between him and The Beatles they probably inspired 90% or more of kids from the 50s and 60s to pick up an instrument.I didn't realize just how much of an impact Elvis had on me until I sneaked off to a tour of Graceland while I was supposed to be attending a conference in Memphis. When I walked into his house and say the very floors that he walked on and furniture that he sat on it started to hit home with me.It was when I walked into the room with all his beautiful guitars that I had seen in movies as a kid and all his gold records and awards that it really hit me how profoundly he had influenced and affected me.All of a sudden what started out as a simple tour turned into an almost religious experience.I actually teared up and got a huge lump in my throat that stayed there the whole while I was in his home.Happy Birthday to The King and a Great Big Thankyou for inspiring millions-me included-even if it took me years to really find out by how much.

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'65 Strat,65 Mustang,65 Jaguar,4 more Strats,3 vintage Vox guitars,5 Vox amps,'69 Bassman with a '68 2-15 Bassman cab,36 guitars total-15asst'd amps total,2 vintage '60s Hammond organs & a myriad of effects-with a few rare vintage ones.

I was definitely in the 90% and had a huge collection of Elvis LPs. Many of my friends wanted to sing like Elvis and move like Elvis, but I wanted to play like James Burton and be part of the band. Whenever Elvis would say "play it , James" I'd pretend that was me.

Cheers!
BM

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This is the Blues. Are you listening?

Yeah he was THE KING! Favorite Elvis song is "Heatbreak Hotel" and this one:

"I left my home in Norfolk Virginia
California on my mind
I straddled that Greyhound
And rode on into Raleigh
And on across Caroline

We had motor trouble that turned into a struggle
Halfway across Alabam'
Well that hound broke down and left us all stranded
In downtown Birmingham

Right away I brought me a through train ticket
Ridin' across Mississippi clean
And I was on that midnight flyer out of Birmingham
Smoking into New Orleans

Somebody help me get out of Louisiana
Just to help me get to Houston Town
There are people there who care a little about me
And they won't let the poor boy down

Sure as your born they bought me a silk suit
Put luggage in my hand
And I woke up high over Albuquerque
On a jet to the promised land

Working on a T-bone steak a la carte
Flying over to the golden state
Ah when the pilot told us in thirteen minutes
He would set us at the terminal gate

Swing low chariot come down easy
Taxi to the terminal zone
Cut your engines and cool your wings
And let me make it to the telephone

Los Angeles give me Norfolk Virginia
Tidewater four ten o nine
Tell the folks back home this is the promised land calling
And the poor boy is on the line

Thanks for posting Kyle. R.I.P. Elvis Presley.

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you can save the world with your guitar one love song at a time it's just better, more fun, easier with a fender solid body electric guitar or electric bass guitar.

Many Happy returns to the Memphis Flash !!

Hope you're having a real B'Day blowout down there in your Caribbean Hideaway !!

The King LIVES !!

cheers!

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'11 FSR Am. Vtg. Ltd. Ed. CAR '57 Stratocaster (SN# LE02639)
'14 American Deluxe Ash Stratocaster
'12 Telebration Empress Telecaster
'99 Deluxe Nashville Telecaster
'12 FSR Telecaster HH
'10 Heritage H-535
'99 Martin DC-1E
'13 Lanikai Tenor Ukulele

When mentioning the backup guitarists of Elvis it would be a huge omission not to mention Scotty Moore. many of guitarists today are playing licks that Scotty created and they don't even know it. A very long time close friend of mine who's a collector too and has discovered some gems for me,is a very close friend of Scotty and actually sounds a lot like him and can nail just about every one of Scotty's licks.Lew(my buddy)is recognized as being the best country/early rock and roll picker in the province.Scotty also has tremendous respect for him because when Lew commented on Scotty's one off modified big bodied Gibson (I forgot the model) and wished out loud that he could acquire one.Scotty asked him if he really wanted one and when Lew said yes, Scotty phoned the guys at Gibson's Custom Shop-or whatever it was called back then-and asked them to make a lefty mirror image of his guitar.They agreed to do it and a couple of months after Lew had his own one-off mirror image of Scotty's guitar and for a very reasonable cost,considering the work that went into making it.I have seen and heard it a it's an exceptional guitar in every way,the epitome of Gibson's craftsmanship. I would imagine that the old guys in the custom shop at that time went on when Gibson left Kalamazoo most likely went with Heritage Guitars-just a guess.

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'65 Strat,65 Mustang,65 Jaguar,4 more Strats,3 vintage Vox guitars,5 Vox amps,'69 Bassman with a '68 2-15 Bassman cab,36 guitars total-15asst'd amps total,2 vintage '60s Hammond organs & a myriad of effects-with a few rare vintage ones.

That was Elvis' favorite Chuck Berry song, "The Promised Land"

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Visit my ReverbNation page @ http://www.reverbnation.com/mcampbell
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I'm a HUGE Elvis fan. Sadly, not enough folks know of the wide range of songs he covered and the great blues and R&B songs he recorded. He too often get's stereotyped as some character of who he really was and it’s a shame. Happy birthday Elvis!

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