WEBVTT - 100723 Way Black History Fact - Did Elvis Presley Steal from Black Artists?

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<v Speaker 1>But right now, we got to hit you with this

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<v Speaker 1>way black History Fact. Today's way Black History Fact is

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<v Speaker 1>sponsored by Underground Beach Club from the Streets to the Beach.

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<v Speaker 1>For the latest in beachweb, iss it Underground Beach Club

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<v Speaker 1>dot com. All right, I'm gonna be reading from the

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<v Speaker 1>culture newspaper. The headline is, did Elvis steal from Black artists?

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<v Speaker 1>I mean, I could save you all a bunch of time, yes,

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<v Speaker 1>But I'm gonna enlighten you because you know, Elvis is

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<v Speaker 1>maybe just got to do this. So let's see it,

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<v Speaker 1>all right. Elvis Presley's name has been circulating the news

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<v Speaker 1>in light of a new musical drama film entitled Elvis

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<v Speaker 1>the Late Great King of Rock and Roll quote unquote.

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<v Speaker 1>Is most known for his signature sound and unforgettable dance moves. However,

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<v Speaker 1>the black community recognizes him as a musical thief, stealing

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<v Speaker 1>from lesser known blues artists. The film explores Presley's rise

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<v Speaker 1>to fame in the nineteen fifties while maintaining a complex

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<v Speaker 1>relationship as a manager Colonel Tom Parker. Presley had an

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<v Speaker 1>affinity for black music and culture since he was born

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<v Speaker 1>in Tupelo, Mississippi. He grew up on the black side

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<v Speaker 1>of town. Presley would later run with the likes of

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<v Speaker 1>I Turner and B. B. King. Is evident that black

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<v Speaker 1>musicians greatly influenced him, Yet because of his whiteness, doors

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<v Speaker 1>were open for him, they were not available to black musicians. Quote.

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<v Speaker 1>I always wanted to sing like Billy Kennedy of the

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<v Speaker 1>Ink Spots, Presley told Jet Magazine in nineteen fifty seven.

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<v Speaker 1>According to The Daily Beast, goes on to say, I

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<v Speaker 1>liked that high, smooth style. I never sang like this

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<v Speaker 1>in my life until I made that first record. That's

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<v Speaker 1>all right, Mama. I remembered that song because I heard

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<v Speaker 1>Arthur Big Boy Crude sing it, and I thought I

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<v Speaker 1>would like to try it. Is widely known that Presley

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<v Speaker 1>stole one of his biggest hits, hound Dog from Talented

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<v Speaker 1>from the talented black vocalist Big Mama Thornton. Prominent musicians

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<v Speaker 1>and producer explained their personal encounters with the rock and

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<v Speaker 1>roll star. Some called Presley a friend and even a

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<v Speaker 1>brother like James Brown, while others refer to him as

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<v Speaker 1>a crook whose entire discography was built on the backs

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<v Speaker 1>and skills of black folks. I believe that Ray Charles

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<v Speaker 1>is one of those people that wasn't a big fan

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<v Speaker 1>of Elvis. He called him a punk because of exactly

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<v Speaker 1>what we're talking about her, all right. Legendary producer and

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<v Speaker 1>musician Quincy Jones shared his personal interaction with Presley, which

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<v Speaker 1>left a bad taste in his mouth. Quote, No, I

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<v Speaker 1>wouldn't work with him, Jones said to the Hollywood Reporter.

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<v Speaker 1>He goes on to say, I was writing for Tommy Dorsey,

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<v Speaker 1>Oh God, back then in the fifties, and Elvis came

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<v Speaker 1>in and Tommy said, I don't want to play with him.

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<v Speaker 1>He was a racist. Mother blank. I'm going to shut

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<v Speaker 1>up now. But every time I saw Elvis, he was

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<v Speaker 1>being coached by Otis Blackwell telling him how to say Sureley.

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<v Speaker 1>Presley wasn't the first nor the last white artist to

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<v Speaker 1>build his fame or legacy at the hands of black people.

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<v Speaker 1>There was no real justice the artist. There's no justice

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<v Speaker 1>for the artists he has stolen from that they can

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<v Speaker 1>receive now that they are gone. And some of these

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<v Speaker 1>artists include the following and artists and songs. So number

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<v Speaker 1>one obviously Big Mama Thornton with hound Dog, the song

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<v Speaker 1>stolen by Trestley Let's see. Number two Lloyd Price Loudy

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<v Speaker 1>Miss Cloudy. Number three Chuck Berry Memphis, Tennessee. Number four

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<v Speaker 1>Laverne Barker with Tweedledee. Number five Funnily enough, Ray Charles,

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<v Speaker 1>What did I Say? Number six Roy Hamilton, who Elvis

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<v Speaker 1>is often linked to as like the actual source material

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<v Speaker 1>for Elvis Presley in terms of the dance moves and

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<v Speaker 1>all that sort of stuff. Check out a song called

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<v Speaker 1>Unchained Melody to see the connection there. Number seven is

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<v Speaker 1>Arthur Big Boy Crudip So Glad You're Mind? Number eight

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<v Speaker 1>Junior Parker Mystery Train. Number nine Fats Domino, Ain't That

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<v Speaker 1>a Shame? And number ten Arthur Gunter Baby Let's play

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<v Speaker 1>House