Before Elvis

In Before Elvis: The African American Musicians Who Made the King, author Preston Lauterbach shines a light on the pivotal Black musicians who profoundly influenced Elvis Presley’s music and style. Drawing on new research and unpublished interviews, Lauterbach explores the lives and legacies of key figures like Little Junior Parker, Big Mama Thornton, Arthur “Big Boy” Crudup, and Calvin Newborn, while highlighting the injustices of copyright theft and media segregation that hindered Black artists' recognition and success. This thought-provoking examination invites readers to reassess the origins of Rock ’n’ Roll and the ongoing dialogue about appropriation in American music.