Jimmy Preston made a major contribution to early Rock n’ Roll by ushering in the era of the screamin’ sax. Matt The Cat presents many surprises in this week’s “Juke In The Back,” dedicated to Elvis’ strongest musical influence: Rhythm & Blues. Sam Phillips was right when he said that it would take a White cat with an African-American feel to propel this exciting R&B music into the mainstream and lucky for us, he found that in Elvis Presley. He wasn’t copying his R&B idols, he was merely using their material as a springboard for his own blend of the White and the Black. From the New Orleans R&B of Smiley Lewis, to the jump blues of Wynonie Harris, Elvis dug it all and made each song uniquely his own. During the end of his first session with Sam Phillips, Elvis cut into an inspired rendition of a semi-forgotten Arthur Crudup gem and rock n’ roll was literally born. This week’s “Juke In The Back” focuses solely on the rhythm & blues that motivated Elvis’ early career. He absorbed all the music that moved him and those around him, from Country and Hillbilly to Gospel, Pop, R&B and Blues. Much has been written about Elvis’ enormous impact and popularity over the years, but it’s almost impossible to overstate the cultural shift that took place as he rose to fame in 1956. 45 years ago this week, we lost the “King Of Rock n’ Roll.

Hillbilly rock and roll song