'Before Elvis we had Little Black Sambo, separate black restrooms and water fountains, and colored events that kept us away from the whites', King noted as he mention that Presley would attend events especially designated just for African-Americans. In June 1956, Presley ignored Memphis's segregation ordinances by attending 'colored night' at the local fairgrounds amusement park. The following December, King was there as Presley opened up almost unbreakable racial barriers by attending and supporting the segregated WDIA black radio station's annual fund-raising event for 'needy Negro children' at Memphis' Ellis Auditorium.
King wrote in his autobiography that he 'liked Elvis. I saw him as a fellow Mississippian. I was impressed by his sincerity. When he came to the Goodwill Review (the event WDIA fund raisers of 1956 and 1957), he did himself proud'.
'The Goodwill Revues were important', he wrote. 'The entire black community turned out. All the DJs carried on, putting on skits and presenting good music'.
'When Elvis appeared (in 1956) he was already a big, big star', King continued. 'Remember this was the fities so for a young white boy to show up in an all-black function took guts'.
'I believe he was showing his roots and he seemed proud of those roots. After the show he made a pint of posing for pictures with metreating me like royalty', King recalled. 'He'd tell people I was one of his influences. I doubt whether that's true but I like hearing Elvis give Memphis credit for his musical upbringing'.
'Back in '72, Elvis helped me get a good gig at the Hilton Hotel while he was playing in the big theater', King acknowledged in 2010. 'He put in a call for me and I worked in the lounge to standing room only. Elvis fans came in different colors but their love of good music was all the same. They were always a good audience'.
'Many nights I'd go upstairs after we finished our sets and go up to his suite', King confessed. 'I'd play Lucille (his guitar) and sing with Elvis, or we'd take turns. It was his way of relaxing'.
'I'll tell you a secret', King winked and laughed. 'We were the original Blues Brothers because that man knew more blues songs that most in the business - and after some nights it felt like we sang everyone one of them. But my point is, that when we were hanging out in the Hilton in the 70s, Elvis had not lost his respect, his 'yes sir,' his love for all fields of music. And I liked that'.
At the same time 'Heartbreak Hotel' was climbing the charts in March 1956, Billboardmagazine featured an article called, 'Barriers Being Swept Away in C&W, Pop and R&B Fields. 'Hard and fast cleavages between the country and western, pop, and rhythm and blues fields are rapidly breaking down', writer Paul Ackerman penned. 'Perhaps the most interesting example of the breakdown of categories, however, is the current overlapping of the country, rhythm and blues fields … The outstanding example of this type of performer today is Elvis Presley, recently with Sun Records and now on the Victor label'.
When Sam Phillips, as Sun Records, released a Presley record, he made sure each bop/rock/pop song had a country tune on the flip side to appeal to both type of listeners. RCA took this innovation even further by marketing Presley in Country, Rhythm and Blues, and Pop fields. By May of 1956, Presley's 'Heartbreak Hotel' became the first 'Double-Triple Crown' in Billboard history.
In his autobiography, King said he held no grudges because 'Elvis didn't steal any music from anyone. He just had his own interpretation of the music he'd grown up on, same is true for everyone. I think Elvis had integrity'.
'If anyone says Elvis Presley was a racist', charged B.B. King in the 2010 interview. 'Then they don't know a thing about Elvis Presley or music history.
