The True Life Story Of Scotty Moore

“There will never be another Scotty Moore,” Keith Richards of Rolling Stones once told this in an interview. While Richards’ claim also relies on the fact that he’s Moore’s biggest fan, this statement still embraces the detail that there will never be another Elvis Presley’s right-hand man.

During his early 20s, Moore was fully convinced by his management to work with a then-rising star named Elvis Presley, as his full-fledged guitarist. They instantly clicked upon knowing each other, but little did they know that their impact would last for decades and generations to come.

For years, Scotty Moore became the driving rhythm to some of Elvis’s well-known and beloved hits. “Jailhouse Rock,” “Hound Dog,” and “Blue Suede Shoes” were some of its examples. With drummer D.J. Fontaine and bassist Bill Black, the foursome began to conquer the world with their music and the oozing charisma that the young Presley had to offer for everyone.

But, like any industry story there is to tell, nothing lasts forever. When Moore demanded that the band deserved to raise its wages to $100 a week, Colonel Tom Parker, Presley’s manager, refused to comply, thus prompting the guitarist to cut ties with Presley. But, a ray of hope became evident when Moore came back on the highly-anticipated ‘68 Comeback Special of Elvis Presley, where the quartet got together and performed on-stage as if no time has passed. Moore didn’t come back to the band after the show, and that’s that.

While he also found success as a session musician, after Presley’s death, his main project was to preserve his legacy. And as he ventured on different settings, his key influence to the burgeoning generation of guitarists became evident to the likes of Richards, George Harrison, Jimmy Page, Phil Campbell, and many more who are more than glad to tell everyone that Scotty Moore’s impact will forever live through their guitar style.