Elvis Presley Is Gone, but the Arguments About Him and His Music Are Not

Little Richard, quoted in a late ‘60s Rolling Stone interview, said: “Let me tell you this--when I came out, they weren’t playing no black artists on no Top 40 stations. I was the first, but it took people like Elvis to open the door for this kind of music, and I thank God for Elvis Presley.”

As for the black community never accepting or liking Elvis, I guess that James Brown, Sammy Davis Jr., Muhammad Ali, Jackie Wilson, B.B. King, Eldridge Cleaver, Aaron Neville, Eddie Murphy and Howlin’ Wolf are no longer considered part of that community?

Listen, some of Presley’s biggest hits (“Hound Dog,” “Jailhouse Rock”) were written by two white Jews from New York. Granted, elements were taken from black music, but it’s been acknowledged that strong elements of Elvis’ sound also came from country and Dean Martin, who was Elvis’ favorite pop vocalist at the time.

If we begin yelling “racist” every time artists use music from a race and culture other than their own, we’ll soon have a list that includes Stephen Foster, Louis Armstrong, Marvin Gaye, Bob Dylan, Charlie Pride, John Lennon, Paul Simon, Was (Not Was), the Beastie Boys, Tone Loc and, yes, even Vernon Reid.

BILL HOLDSHIP

Los Angeles