Was Elvis really anything more than a nice looking white guy with great style and a good voice who brought black music to white people?

[DieselDaisy]

I love all of these guys really - I do not see it as a competition. Elvis had the voice, persona and looks. Chuck had the guitar skills and songwriting flair. Little Richard, the wild stage presence and piano skills. Jerry Lee Lewis. Cochrane and Buddy Holly also. And Carl Perkins. They all brought something to the table and were all great acts.

[Guest Len B'stard]

Bo Diddley, he was fuckin' sick too. Link Wray too, now there was a fuckin' lad

[Vincent Vega]

Elvis wrote this song by himself.

[moreblack]

So you no longer can be a great artist if you don't write your own songs? Even if you recorded 50 or 60 years ago? You can forget about Bessie Smith, Louis Armstrong, Sinatra (as I said). Robert Johnson was mostly a "cover" artist. Honestly, that's a bullshit attitude, even today. If anything, I think originality on the face is now valued over substance. Do what you do well, do it as you. Elvis didn't need to write songs, he made them all his own. There's probably more "original" music out there now than ever before, but most of it fucking sucks.

That more or less makes them more performers than anything else. Like all the guys in the Metropolitan Orchestra or American Idol winners. They execute someone else's art. And there's a place for that. Hell, even established artist will turn to outside writers sometimes if they need a hit. Edited February 16, 2013 by moreblack

[wasted]

Not looking at anyone in particular.

[GNR123GNR456]

Hell, it's well known Elton John doesn't write his lyrics, yet he's one of the most famous and respected artist's of all time. Elvis didn't need to write his own lyrics, because he had the talent to sing and perform like no one saw before.

Edited February 16, 2013 by GNR123GNR456

[wasted]

Its partly what Elvis was allowed or expected to do. Famous guitarists dont write their own lyrics always. Elvis was just a great performer.

Maybe after the bestles and the stones the game changed. People like Kurt and Axl came along who do everything. Or Prince. MJ. Bieber.

[The Real McCoy]

I love all of these guys really - I do not see it as a competition. Elvis had the voice, persona and looks. Chuck had the guitar skills and songwriting flair. Little Richard, the wild stage presence and piano skills. Jerry Lee Lewis. Cochrane and Buddy Holly also. And Carl Perkins. They all brought something to the table and were all great acts.

Eddie Cochran and Gene Vincent are two of my favorites from that era.

I love me some '50s rockabilly.