Newborn, Elvis and B.B. King

Calvin Newborn started playing Blues and Jazz guitar as a teen in Memphis, TN in the 1940's. He talks about his connection to Elvis as well as getting his professional start with B.B. King.

[@thomaspgreen6302]

Elvis to BB King at the WDIA Goodwill Revue "Thanks man, for all of those early lessons you gave me." (Tri-state Defender December 1956) I always thought that Elvis got the leg movements from church, and then later a way to conduct the band. I could've been wrong.

[@sarahgordino6695]

lol. Gave him back a stringless guitar.
I've certainly read on more than one occasion (particularly in Elvis Louisiana Hayride days) that he'd borrow guitars from other acts, break the strings, and give the guitar back without offering to restring it or pay for the damage lol!!! It's funny that many musicians from back then remember his bad habits well lol.

[@RobinMarkowitzcoolmedia]

Sure wish we could talk to his father! Unfortunately, time itself just ruins everything. His father, Phineas Newborn, Sr. was an incredible figure in the Memphis music scene. Unfortunately, he's long gone. His dad was AWESOME. His dad absolutely loved Elvis, who came to the house quite a bit. He was always welcome there.
Calvin's kinda bitter that he wasn't Bo Diddley or Fats Domino, or any bigger star you can name.

[@truthhitman7473]

Love Me Tender, Blue Hawaii, Don't, Love Me, etc, sounds nothing like this lying dude.

[@drwood1962]

He's not lying, I knew this man, he died yesterday. Elvis and his family moved to Memphis from Tupelo, and into the same housing project as the Newborn family. Calvin's brother Phineas Newborn jr. was a very famous jazz pianist before mental illness took him. Elvis may be the "King" but he got his style from the Black Memphis musicians.

[@RobinMarkowitzcoolmedia]

I didn't know he, too, died. Elvis learned the blues back in Tupelo.

[@scsu5085]

REALITY CHECK * * I've studied Elvis & music for 4 decades and this guy is just wrong, perhaps a case of sour grapes. Elvis did not really sound black, just entirely different. Yes, he played black music, as well as white country, thus causing both sides (white & black) who heard him on the radio to assume he was black. In fact, one of the few artists, let alone white artists, to have the same songs appear simultaneously on all 3 charts at the same time, Pop... R&B... rock. That meant, blacks were originally buying his music and playing it on their juke boxes in the days before everyone knew he was white.
But modern discussions almost always omit or underrate the "White Music influence" on Elvis, and on Rock & Roll as a whole. For that matter, what influence White music had on the cultivation of black music developing in the 1800's to mid 20th century. The two were parallel and segregated, thus evolving separately, but to say both did not influence each other is an understatement.
There's a modern movement to discount Elvis, and early white performers in the first years of the advent of rock & roll, because they "stole" black music. The word they use now is "appropriate." All sheer rubbish... The very songs of the early days for many black R&B as well as white rock artists, were written by white song composers.
Additionally, when the white performers recorded a black song, they did so AFTER the black artists already had their hit with it. And it's not the white artist's fault about the segregated world they were born into. So it's absurd to state that white artists are not permitted to record black music. There's also the very musical instruments themselves, again by white inventors (electric guitar, sax, etc). Would we say that only those who resemble the inventors can play the instruments? Now who's mis-appropriating from who?
Finally, Elvis first national hits (that rocketed him to stardom) were NOT recycled black music, it was freshly written by white song composers... Heartbreak Hotel, Don't be Cruel, All Shook Up..... The exception being, HoundDog, but again, written by white composers Lieber & Stoller. Just give a listen to the original studio recordings by Elvis in 1956 and the 1952 Big Mama Thorton (recording a white song), and you will see Elvis did not Copy & Paste this song into his own... He brought that song into the Rock & Roll world, it was no longer an ethnic bluesy song, it took on a seriousness about it.
Elvis had his own church and they sang their version of gospel music, more traditional white hymn style I assume. He also patterned some of his ballad style after pop crooner Dean Martin... just give Dean's song a listen ("memories are made of these") and tell me it doesn't sound like Elvis….
Let's not forget about influences like Country Bluegrass legend, Bill Monroe. Elvis sang his song, Blue Moon of Kentucky, and did so with a rhythm version (mixing country & blues). Meanwhile he sped up Mystery Train and took it from being bluesy & depressing, to become straight out rock & roll. said another way, I don't believe R&B versus Rock are always synonymous, as Rock is rightfully it's own artform, but with black & white roots. I must throw into the mix, Hank Snow, who sang "upbeat" country rhythm type music, check out the original studio recording of his song, which Elvis later did (I'm Movin' On)
When Elvis first walked into a record studio, the lady asked him who he sounded like, and he said "I don't sound like nobody." In the 68 comeback, Elvis generalized and stated our music is basically gospel (which comes in many colors) and R&B; while another time he was asked which was more an influence on his music, and he said Country Music had a bit more affect.
Regarding Elvis' gyrations, I've never seen R&B songs where someone did what Elvis did. Yes, uptempo blues can be more animated, but check out Elvis' 1950's TV rock appearances, and find me an R&B group that predated Elvis doing the same thing. Elvis was his own creation, blending, borrowing & combining from Jazz, Country, Blues, and later on, Classical/operatic vocal stylings.

[@mileshall3177]

The only reason people don’t talk about his white influence is because he is white and so is 70% of this country. Only 13% of this country is black and that’s why it is so significant that the small group of people had such a big influence.

[@Karazorel.Ms.PG1]

That is the promblem people look at a person's race and assume things. They do not go by what MLK preach and what all races wanted ,fought and died for to be united not divided..equality ..do not judge by skin color ...people need to go by the character / talent. God is not up there saying oh you are certain skin color so i cant let you in or you are white and cant sing black songs/music or you are black and cant sing white singer's song...that is what people of all races fought/ died for not to be judge by skin color ..usa is mixed races today because the people of all races wanted us to be united not divided ....if I was God I would change everyone's race to purple and then racism will end. People then will see how racist,stupid they are ...just like the evil, stupid, racist people who chose to murder a innocent man who only stated, He was the son of God...common sense they lack or just plain stupidity and evil they are to think he ( Lord Jesus Christ) is not God's son. When someone had to be the first alpha / who made us ..look at mom and dad's having children...and their children having more children...so it makes sense Jesus is the son of God..duh. But no they wanted to murder a innocent man for saying he was God's son... the truth and way to God. Still today it goes on ..sinners killing innocent people...making our world not safe