Elvis Presley’s performances, in particular those from his first decade, were based in some very deep roots. Those roots tapped into almost anything that could be heard in the south on that cultural touchstone of radio. Blues, big band, jazz, hillbilly, pop, gospel and country all played an enormous role in molding the iconic performer he was to become. In our Deeper Roots show this week we’ll be exploring the ‘influencers’ of the day; songs that played on the radio, songs that Elvis personally revealed as his favorites, songs that he enjoyed with his family as a young boy. We’ve got Mahalia and Sister Rosetta tracks, Little Junior Parker and Jimmy Reed, Red Foley and Roy Acuff, and a host of others to share this week so we’re hoping that we can remember how radio’s lifeline to culture that spoke to Elvis in a very, very big way.
