Episode 36: “Blue Suede Shoes” by Carl Perkins

Episode thirty-six of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs looks at “Blue Suede Shoes” by Carl Perkins, and is part one of a trilogy on the aftermath of Elvis leaving Sun, and the birth of rockabilly. Click the full post to read liner notes, links to more information, and a transcript of the episode.

Patreon backers also have a ten-minute bonus episode available, on “Black Denim Trousers and Motorcycle Boots” by the Cheers.

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Informative but some room for improvement.

Having been born and raised in Jackson, Tennessee where Carl Perkins made his home and where the Rockabilly Museum is located, I have been a lifelong fan of Carl Perkins. With that in mind, I was left wanting more but to someone who isnt as familiar with Perkins, it would be pretty informative. My only real issue was what information the narrator chose to share vs leave out. One example, he left out that Carl was taught to play guitar by an older black sharecropper by the name of John Westbrook or "Uncle John", which would be information directly related to music, and instead adds a questionable story about how Carl's brothers viewed Elvis.