#B.B. Studio

[posthumanwanderings]

Digimon World 4 (B.B. Studio / Bandai - PS2 / GC / XBOX - 2005)

[satoshi-mochida]

Dragon Quest X: Rise of the Five Tribes Offline expansion “The Sleeping Hero and the Guiding Ally” will launch on May 26 in Japan for 4,400 yen, publisher Square Enix and developer B.B. Studio announced.

The expansion will see players head to a new land on a luxury cruise ship and ride through the sky on a flying dragon as a new adventure begins in the vast land of Rendashia with new party member Anlucia. The volume of the expansion is equal to that of the main game. It also features an original episode that was not depicted in Dragon Quest X Online, which focuses on Anlucia, her older brother Toma, Luchenda, and Milt.

Dragon Quest X: Rise of the Five Tribes Offline is available now for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Switch, and PC via Steam in Japan.

Watch a new trailer below. View a new set of screenshots at the gallery.

Trailer

[blackros78]

[tulipatheticee]

Could you do Benedict Bridgerton with wife reader? Benedict was stressing about something and playing with his hair to calm them down. Leaving kisses everywhere. You decide how it goes. Fluff and maybe a little suggestive. Thanks!! :))

superman b.b

benedict bridgerton x fem! reader

synopsis; benedict bridgerton, stressed by his artistic pursuits, finds comfort in his wife Y/N's loving support. through tender moments and playful interactions, they reaffirm their deep love, showing how they face life's challenges together.

word count; 2.1k

master list

a/n; this is the benedict fic i had originally planned for labyrinth HAHA i tried my best to fulfill annons request but im not too proud of this one APOLOGIES, it just seems a little black and white to me buttt its still cute icl

as always, kinda proof read, kinda not :p

Tall, dark and beautiful

He's complicated, he's irrational

But I hope someday you take me away and save the day, yeah

Benedict Bridgerton sat at his desk, his brow furrowed in deep concentration. Papers were scattered across the surface, a testament to the hours he had spent trying to make sense of his latest artistic endeavor. His studio, usually a place of inspiration and creativity, felt suffocating tonight. The weight of his expectations pressed heavily on his shoulders, and he couldn't shake the feeling of frustration that gnawed at him.

Y/N, his beloved wife, watched him from the doorway. She could see the tension in his posture, the way his fingers gripped the pen a little too tightly, and the sighs of exasperation that escaped his lips. It pained her to see him like this, so she decided to intervene.

Silently, she walked over to him, her soft footsteps barely making a sound on the wooden floor. She placed her hands gently on his shoulders, feeling the knots of tension beneath her fingers. Benedict started at the unexpected touch, but relaxed slightly when he realized it was Y/N.

"Hey," she whispered softly, her breath warm against his ear. "You've been at this for hours. Why don't you take a break?"

Benedict sighed, leaning back into her touch. "I can't seem to get it right, Y/N. Every stroke feels wrong, every idea seems flat. It's maddening."

Y/N pressed a tender kiss to his temple. "Sometimes, taking a step back can give you a new perspective. Let me help you unwind."

Without waiting for a response, she guided him away from the desk and over to the plush armchair by the window. Benedict sat down heavily, the tension still radiating from his body. Y/N knelt beside him, her fingers threading through his hair with a gentle, soothing motion.

"Close your eyes," she murmured, her voice a balm to his frazzled nerves. "Just focus on my touch."

Benedict obeyed, his eyes fluttering shut as he surrendered to the sensation of her fingers massaging his scalp. Y/N's touch was like magic, each stroke easing the tension from his mind and body. She leaned in, pressing soft kisses to his forehead, his cheeks, the corners of his mouth.

"You're so talented, Benedict," she whispered between kisses. "Don't be so hard on yourself."

Her words were a gentle reminder of her unwavering belief in him, and it brought a small smile to his lips. He reached up, capturing her hand in his, bringing it to his lips to press a kiss to her knuckles.

"You always know how to calm me," he said, his voice a mixture of gratitude and affection.

Y/N smiled, continuing her gentle ministrations. "It's because I love you, and I believe in you. You don't have to carry the weight of the world on your shoulders alone."

Benedict's heart swelled with emotion. He opened his eyes, gazing at her with a tenderness that spoke volumes. "I don't know what I'd do without you, Y/N."

"You'll never have to find out," she replied, her eyes sparkling with love.

She leaned in, capturing his lips in a slow, lingering kiss. It was a kiss filled with reassurance and promise, a reminder that she was there for him, always. Benedict's hands found their way to her waist, pulling her closer as he deepened the kiss, pouring all his gratitude and love into the embrace.

When they finally pulled away, breathless and flushed, Y/N rested her forehead against his. "Feeling better?" she asked softly.

Benedict nodded, a genuine smile curving his lips. "Much better. Thank you, my love."

"Anytime," she replied, kissing the tip of his nose. "Now, how about we take a walk outside? A little fresh air might do you some good."

Something in his deep brown eyes has me singing

He's not all bad like his reputation

And I can't hear one single word they said

And you leave, got places to be and I'll be okay

He agreed, and together they stepped out into the cool night air. The stars above twinkled like a promise of better things to come. With Y/N by his side, Benedict felt a renewed sense of hope and inspiration. He knew that no matter the challenges he faced, he would always have her love and support to see him through.

They strolled through the gardens, the moon casting a silver glow on the path ahead. Benedict felt the tension continue to melt away with each step, Y/N's presence grounding him in a way nothing else could. They walked in comfortable silence, simply enjoying each other's company.

"I can't imagine doing this without you," Benedict said after a while, his voice thoughtful. "You always know how to bring me back to myself."

Y/N smiled, squeezing his hand. "That's because I know you better than anyone. And I believe in you more than anyone else."

Benedict stopped walking and turned to face her, his eyes shining with emotion. "You mean everything to me, Y/N. I don't say it enough, but I love you more than words can express."

Y/N felt her heart swell with happiness. She reached up, cupping his face in her hands. "I love you too, Benedict. More than anything."

Their lips met in a tender kiss, the world around them fading away. In that moment, it was just the two of them, wrapped in the warmth of their love.

I always forget to tell you I love you

I loved you from the very first day

The next morning, Y/N woke up to find Benedict already out of bed. She stretched and yawned, a smile spreading across her face as she remembered the events of the previous night. She got up and went to find him, curious to see what he was up to.

She found him back in his studio, but this time the air was different. The frustration and tension were gone, replaced by a sense of calm determination. Benedict was working on a new piece, his strokes confident and sure.

Y/N watched him for a moment, admiring the way his focus had returned. She walked over to him and placed a hand on his shoulder, making him look up with a smile.

"Good morning," she said, leaning down to kiss him. "You're up early."

"I couldn't sleep," Benedict admitted, his eyes bright with excitement. "I had this idea and I just had to get it down."

Y/N looked at the canvas, seeing the beginnings of a beautiful painting. "It's wonderful, Benedict. I'm so glad you found your inspiration again."

"Thanks to you," he said, pulling her into his lap. "You're my muse, Y/N. I don't know what I'd do without you."

Y/N laughed, wrapping her arms around his neck. "I'm just glad I could help. But remember, you have that talent and drive within you. You just need to believe in yourself."

"I do," Benedict said, his voice filled with conviction. "Because you believe in me."

They shared a kiss, the bond between them stronger than ever. Benedict knew that no matter what challenges lay ahead, he would always have Y/N by his side, supporting and loving him. And that made all the difference.

I watch superman fly away

You've got a busy day today

Go save the world I'll be around

Later that day, Benedict and Y/N decided to take a break from their respective pursuits and spend some quality time together. They packed a picnic basket and headed to their favorite spot in the countryside, a secluded meadow surrounded by wildflowers.

As they spread out a blanket and settled down, Benedict couldn't help but feel grateful for this moment. The stresses of the world seemed so far away, and he cherished the simple pleasure of being with the woman he loved.

They ate, laughed, and talked about everything and nothing, enjoying the rare opportunity to relax and just be. Benedict loved the way Y/N's eyes sparkled when she laughed, the way her hair caught the sunlight, and the sound of her voice.

After they finished eating, Y/N lay back on the blanket, looking up at the sky. Benedict joined her, propping himself up on one elbow to gaze down at her.

"Do you ever think about the future?" he asked, his voice soft.

Y/N turned her head to look at him, her expression thoughtful. "I do. I think about our future a lot. I imagine us growing old together, still as in love as we are now. Maybe even more."

Benedict smiled, reaching out to brush a strand of hair from her face. "I like that vision. It sounds perfect."

Y/N took his hand in hers, squeezing it gently. "Whatever the future holds, as long as we're together, I know it'll be wonderful."

Benedict leaned down to kiss her, a slow, sweet kiss that conveyed all the love he felt for her. "You make everything better, Y/N. I can't wait to spend the rest of my life with you."

They lay there for a while longer, basking in the warmth of the sun and the comfort of each other's presence. Benedict felt a sense of peace settle over him, a certainty that no matter what challenges came their way, they would face them together.

Later that evening, as the sun dipped below the horizon, casting a warm, golden glow over their home, Benedict and Y/N prepared for bed. The evening had been perfect, filled with laughter and love, and Benedict couldn’t help but feel a sense of contentment. He watched Y/N as she brushed her hair, her movements graceful and serene. The sight of her brought a soft smile to his lips.

Benedict walked up behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist and pressing a tender kiss to her neck. “You’re beautiful,” he murmured against her skin.

And I watch superman fly away

Come back, I'll be with you someday

I'll be right here on the ground

When you come back down

Y/N chuckled softly, leaning back into his embrace. “Flattery will get you everywhere, my dear husband.”

He smiled, nuzzling her neck affectionately. “I’m just stating the truth. You make everything seem brighter.”

Y/N turned in his arms, her eyes meeting his with a mixture of love and amusement. “And you, Benedict Bridgerton, have a way of making me feel cherished.”

He brushed a stray strand of hair from her face, his fingers lingering on her cheek. “That’s because you are cherished, Y/N. More than you know.”

She reached up, cupping his face in her hands. “I know it because you show me every day. In the little things, the big things, and everything in between.”

Benedict leaned in, capturing her lips in a slow, tender kiss. The world outside their embrace ceased to exist, and all that mattered was the love they shared. When they finally pulled away, he rested his forehead against hers, his breath mingling with hers.

“You make me a better man,” he said softly. “With you, I feel like I can conquer anything.”

Y/N smiled, her eyes shimmering with emotion. “And with you, I feel truly loved and supported. Together, we can face anything.”

And I watch you fly around the world

And I hope you don't save some other girl

Don't forget, don't forget about me

They climbed into bed, the weight of the day lifting as they held each other close. The room was filled with a peaceful silence, broken only by the sound of their breathing. Benedict’s hand found its way to Y/N’s hair, his fingers gently threading through the soft strands.

“Do you remember the first time we met?” he asked, his voice a whisper in the quiet room.

Y/N smiled, her eyes closing as she recalled the memory. “How could I forget? You were so serious, trying to hide your curiosity behind that stoic expression.”

Benedict laughed softly. “And you were the one who made me laugh, breaking through my defences with your wit and charm.”

“I knew then that you were someone special,” Y/N said, her voice filled with affection. “And look at us now, married and happier than I ever imagined.”

He kissed her forehead, his heart swelling with love. “I’m grateful for every moment with you, Y/N. You bring so much joy into my life.”

I'm far away but I'll never let you go

I'm lovestruck and looking out the window

They lay there, wrapped in each other’s arms, sharing quiet conversation and soft laughter. The connection between them was undeniable, a bond that grew stronger with each passing day. Benedict knew that no matter what challenges they faced, they would always have this—this love, this partnership, this unwavering support.

As they drifted off to sleep, Benedict felt a profound sense of peace. He knew that with Y/N by his side, he could face anything. And that made all the difference.

Don't forget, don't forget where I'll be

Right here

a/npt2; please let me know how you felt about this! im still getting the hang of writing the bridgerton boys but i do my best!

[candyheartedchy]

I love your Bella x Bugs ship! 😆🥰 can we get more info and headcanons about this ship please?

Thank you!! 🥺

I did write some stuff for how they met and their overall dynamic with each other here.

But I can definitely give some headcanons and little bit of more details about them! :3 These will mostly be for the Toon Actor AU.

🥕 Before dating, Bugs would constantly try to get directors and writers to add Bella into his episodes to either have a guest appearance or costar with him, saying it was mostly to help her get more experience, but in reality it was because he would find himself laughing more behind the scenes with her around.

��� While on set most of the time, Bella would follow Bugs around due to being shy and not very familiar with others and how everything works at the studio.

🥕 Bugs once caught himself getting distracted by Bella on set one day, ending up falling off a high platform and crashing below. Which resulted to a lot of talk around the studio because of it.

🍯 Before they got together, Bella would constantly compare herself to Bugs’ exes, dealing with a lot of self hatred at the time and feeling like she wasn’t perfect enough to even like him.

🥕 The moment Bugs realized he had a crush on Bella, he struggled with denial for a while, which became worse the moment Daffy found out and starts to tease him endlessly about it as payback.

🍯 Even though Bella hates dressing up, she’ll gladly watch Bugs try on outfits all day, going as far as to point out which colors go better on him due to her being an artist.

🥕 When he gets days off from filming, Bugs will spend them mostly taking naps with Bella, clinging to her as if she’s a giant teddy bear.

🍯 Bella spoils Bugs with bake goods, constantly showering him in sweets.

🥕 Bugs on the other hand will find himself writing sonnets and songs obsessively for her, spending a lot of sleepless nights to make them perfect for Bella.

🍯 Eventually when the pair decides to live together, they had the hardest time trying to figure out what belonged to each other at first since they both had “B.B.” written on a lot of their stuff for their initials.

[rhapsodynew]

BB King and Ringo Starr in the Studio, 1971

B.B. King in London is the nineteenth studio album by B.B. King, recorded in London in 1971. He is accompanied by American session musicians and various British rock and R&B musicians, including Ringo Starr, Alexis Korner and Gary Wright, as well as members of Spooky Tooth and Humble Pie, Greg Ridley, Steve Marriott and Jerry Shirley.

[itsmarjudgeloveclassicrock59]

B.B. King in the studio, 1971. Photo by Redferns.

[thereasonsimbroke]

Udon Studios is preparing to release "Team #Darkstalkers" by #TimSeeley and #AlbertoAlburquerque as part of their October 2024 lineup.

The announcement was made during their Diamond Retailer Lunch presentation. The comic will feature the Night Warriors and World Warriors teaming up to fight against the threat the newly resurrected Shadow Lady Jedah poses.

Characters such as B.B. Hood, Felicia, Morrigan, Cammy, Rose, and Gill will join forces to protect their worlds. The comic will be released with various cover versions, including ones by Hanzo Steinbach and Alburquerque, and will be available in stores on October 2, 2024.

[independentartistbuzz]

Lil' Red & The Rooster Bring Sassy Swing and Bluesy Charm in New Single "Goodbye Frowns"

Lil' Red & The Rooster’s latest single “Goodbye Frowns” is a vibrant, jazz-blues anthem. With its playful energy and groove, this song is a spirited reminder to embrace joy even during life’s tougher moments. 

Jen "Lil’ Red" Milligan’s sassy, scatting vocals capture the song’s message, while Pascal Fouquet, known as the “Rooster,” brings his distinctive guitar work - an expert blend of blues traditions and modern flair.

Together they have created a distinctive sound that draws on their “retro modern blues” style. 

Listen in here:

“Ne me suis pas dans mon film.” This is a French phrase which translates as “Don’t follow me into my film,” and it is the guiding sentiment behind the song. 

Lil’ Red’s light drumming syncs with Pascal’s intricate guitar work on a vintage Stella acoustic, and we can hear the distinct influence of B.B. King and Django Reinhardt emerge into something of their own. 

Chicago bassist Felton Crews completes the trio, laying down smooth six-string bass lines and a rhythmic foundation that complements the lively interplay between vocals and guitar. 

This upbeat feel-good song offers a lively preview of Lil’ Red & The Rooster’s upcoming 2025 album which promises to explore further their unique sound of blues and jazz.

And at a time when love songs often only focus on heartbreak, “Goodbye Frowns” takes on a different approach - a bright, swinging reminder that true happiness is something cultivated within and shared best when both partners bring their own joy to the relationship. 

“Goodbye Frowns” was recorded at JoyRide Studio and mixed by Brian Leach and offers us a glimpse into the duo’s forthcoming 2025 album. 

About Lil’ Red & The Rooster

Jen “Lil' Red” Milligan and Pascal Fouquet, the dynamic duo behind Lil’ Red & The Rooster, have been creating music together since 2010. Both drawn to the blues early in their lives, their shared passion brought them together and formed a bond as deep as their love for the genre. 

Their sound is the product of years of fine-tuning and evolving. Jen’s background spans musical theater and rhythm and blues, with her lively stage presence honed by performances in iconic shows like Hair and Jesus Christ Superstar. Pascal, who is a native of Normandy France, has been shaped by his years performing with blues legends like Diunna Greenleaf and Mike Sanchez, adding a layer of international flair to his already impressive guitar work.

Their debut album Soul Burnin’ (2018) was produced by Chicago blues icon Dave Specter, and marked a major milestone for the duo. Recorded at JoyRide Studio by Blaise Barton, the album captured their diverse influences and cross-continental sound. Then in 2019, Lil’ Red & The Rooster reached the finals of the International Blues Challenge in Memphis. 

When not headlining festivals or playing intimate shows at places like Buddy Guy’s Legends in Chicago, Lil' Red & The Rooster continue to refine their sound, bringing the healing power of the blues to audiences worldwide. 

Stay up to date with Lil’ Red & The Rooster on their Website

Stream music on Spotify, Apple Music and YouTube music. 

[posttexasstressdisorder]

So synchronicities abound right now. I don't know exactly WHY or HOW, but they definitely are happening lots more frequently.

Example: I just did the prep and got what will be an excellent beef stew on to simmer for a few hours.

ALL through this I was humming an old Edith Piaf waltz and then vocalizing it louder, and went with it. So I was chopping away, browned the meat, chopped the onions and garlic, and the carrots, basically scatting this Edith Piaf waltz, and visualizing how I was gonna play it, the arrangement, everything, and being just generally happy as shit singin' and choppin'.

So I get everything finished, got the stew on a decent simmer and came back here to my room, where KDFC is playin' on the tubes. It's announcements, and then the FIRST thing that comes on, music-wise, is an orchestral arrangement of the song that MADE Piaf who she was, "La Vie En Rose".

I go from singing one Piaf waltz to hearing an orchestra playing her most famous song.

This kinda thing has been happening a lot. I used to call it "Breadcrumbs From The Universe"...follow the trail of synchronicities to what you're supposed to do.

So i'm about to get the keyboard all cleared off and fire up the tower and play that waltz in my brain first, then go through my 10-CDs worth of Piaf that I have in my collection, and figure out the NAME of the damn waltz!

--------------

OK...sat down and got the main melody out, and fingers just kinda went for Dminor as the key, so I went with it. Thing is, I can usually transpose a melody to another key with just a little exploration, which is a good thing, because after searching through all of the PIaf I have, I simply couldn't spot it as an obvious title.

So I went through track-by-track, until I finally found it: on Vol. 5 of "The Complete Piaf" (French 10 CD set) The little waltz is actually called "Sous Le Ciel De Paris" or "Under The Sky Of Paris". It was from a 1951 film of the same name, and Piaf recorded it in '54. It is actually in Bminor. It is a catchy little waltz, and I will probably end up figuring the arrangement out. I've at least got a head start on it.

It will sit in the repertoire next to the OTHER Piaf waltz I already play, which i is from 1946, "Un Refrain Courait dans la Rue". I recorded it back in 1998. It's in Aminor, which is probably why I reached for a Dminor melody line first. I don't know how I do this shit...I just do it.

At any rate, here's my 1998 recording of the OTHER Piaf waltz, "Un Refrain Courait dans la Rue", played on a Baldwin baby grand, at a small studio in Houston.

[kickmag]

R.I.P. Tito Jackson

Tito Jackson of The Jackson 5 died Sunday of a heart attack at age 70 in New Mexico. Jackson breaking his father's guitar string was the catalyst that started The Jackson 5. Joe Jackson discovered his son's musical talent after scolding him for secretly playing his instrument. Mr. Jackson purchased Tito his own guitar and convinced him and his other sons, Jackie and Jermaine, to form a musical group. One year later, in 1964, Marlon and Michael joined the band. The Jackson 5 released their first single, Big Boy," in 1968 on Steeltown Records, a local record label. Joe Jackson managed to get his sons a record deal with Motown in 1969, and from there they became teen sensations thanks to hits like "The Love You Save," "ABC," and "I Want You Back." The Jackson 5 traveled the world and performed for such luminaries as the Queen of England. They were the first boy band, and their success produced Jacksonmania, where fans mobbed them wherever they went. The merchandise built around them included posters, coloring books, stickers, and their own Saturday morning cartoon. Tito Jackson did not play guitar on those Motown records, but he started writing songs, and his instrument was heard on recordings after they signed to CBS in 1976. Fans were treated to his guitar playing when The Jackson 5 performed live. Jackson played with his family throughout their changes from The Jackson 5 to simply The Jacksons. They still toured at the time of his death and were seen on social media last week acknowledging a memorial built for Michael in Munich, Germany. 

As The Jacksons, they had hits in the '70s with "Enjoy Yourself," and "Show You The Way To Go" while they were on the Philadelphia International label. The family also had their own variety show at this time. By the late '70s and early '80s, the group released their big single, "Shake Your Body (Down To The Ground)," and had further hits with "Can You Feel It," "This Place Hotel," and "Lovely One." They continued to release music until their last studio album, 2300 Jackson Street, which came out in 1989. In 1997, they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. In 1995, Jackson's three sons, T.J., Taj, and Taryll, released their debut album, Brotherhood, as the group 3T.  They were signed to their uncle Michael's MJJ label and mentored by him. 3T was one of the biggest-selling groups in Europe, and their father Tito recorded a Jackson 5 tribute with them. 

In the early 2000s, Jackson embarked on a solo career and started playing in blues clubs with his band. B.B. King also handpicked Jackson to play in his band. Jackson had a hit record, "Get It Baby," with Big Daddy Kane in 2016 from his debut album, Tito Time.  He released his second solo album, Under Your Spell, in 2021. Jackson had recently moved to Claremore, Oklahoma, and had plans for an entertainment center in the Tulsa Arts District, a festival, and a documentary. 

[posthumanwanderings]

Digimon World 4 (B.B. Studio / Bandai - PS2 / GC / XBOX - 2005)

[satoshi-mochida]

The Switch and Steam versions of Digimon World: Next Order release today. It is also available for the PS4.

[blackros78]

Peter Green and B.B. King in the studio, 1971.

[thatrickmcginnis]

HARRY "SWEETS" EDISON Toronto 1988

Harry "Sweets" Edison was born in 1915 in Columbus, OH and began playing trumpet professionally at 18, before joining the Count Basie Orchestra in NYC in 1937. He got his nickname there from no less than Lester Young, who was ribbing him about his "sweet" style and called him "Sweetie Pie", which was soon shortened to "Sweets". He was a sweet man when I met him at the end of 1988, playing some gigs at the long-gone East 85th jazz club in the east end of Toronto, the year he releases his For My Pals album on Pablo Records.

Harry "Sweets" Edison stayed with the Count Basie band until it temporarily disbanded in 1950, but would rejoin them for Basie's two records with Sinatra, It Might as Well Be Swing and Sinatra at the Sands. During the '50s he began making his own solo records, but he really made his reputation as a studio player and a sideman, playing with everyone over subsequent decades from Harry Belafonte, Hoagy Carmichael, Ella Fitzgerald and Billie Holiday to B.B. King, Mel Torme, Carole King and the Pointer Sisters. He was among Sinatra's favorite backup musicians, and producer Nelson Riddle helped refine Sweets' sound when he game him a microphone in the studio into which he could play solos and fills on his Harmon mute.

My shoot with Harry "Sweets" Edison was my first proper assignment for NOW magazine; they had bought some of my photos, among them portraits of Chuck D of Public Enemy that ended up on the cover, but this job was my proper tryout for the paper. I didn't want to screw up, and aware that the lighting onstage at East 85th could be a bit stygian, I talked Harry into doing a quick portrait session for me in the club manager's office, just to make sure I had a shot even if the live pics turned out badly. I like to think that my committment to getting a shot impressed Irene, NOW's photo editor, and in any case I ended up working steadily for the paper for the next decade. Harry "Sweets" Edison died of prostate cancer in his Columbus, OH hometown in 1999 at 83.

[tcbmemories]

Rock and Roll’s Black Roots

“Rock and Roll is the most raucous form of jazz, beyond a doubt; it maintains a link with the folk origins, and I believe that no other form of jazz has ever been accepted so enthusiastically by so many”- Duke Ellington (Lavezolli 2001, p.76)

Elvis Presley is often heralded as one of the originators of Rock and Roll, and while he did bring the style to the masses and his contributions to the genre are not to be disregarded, Rock and Roll is at its core an amalgamation of Black musical styles, from the Blues to Jazz to Black Gospel. Throughout his career, Presley recorded songs written by Black musicians, and used historically Black performance practices, like Mahalia Jackson’s movement-driven singing, to secure his place in popular music history.

Presley, born in a shack in Tupelo, Mississippi in 1935, moved to the bustling city of Memphis, Tennessee with his family in 1948. In Tupelo, Presley and his mother lived near the Black neighbourhood of “Shake Rag” in a higher-income Black neighbourhood called “The Hill”, (Warnock, 2017) and this was where he first became exposed to Black music. The move to Memphis only further allowed for the young Presley to hear a wider variety of Black music. As a teenager, he attended Blues clubs on Beale Street, where he saw secular Black musicians like B.B. King and Little Richard perform. These musicians and their performance practices had a profound effect on Presley’s vocal and musical style throughout his career and shaped much of his personal taste in music. Presley himself, whose first hit came from a cover of Black Delta Blues musician Arthur “Big Boy” Crudup’s song “That’s All Right” stated: “Down in Tupelo, Mississippi, I used to hear old Arthur Crudup bang his box the way I do now and I said if I ever got to a place I could feel all old Arthur felt, I’d be a music man like nobody ever saw.” (Presley, 1956).

In 1954, a year after graduating from high school, a 19-year-old Presley went into the Memphis Recording Service studio on Union Avenue in Memphis and recorded a cover of Crudup’s song “That’s All Right.” He and the studio musicians, Bill Black and Scotty Monroe, who created the modified version of Crudup’s track after a “jam session” had no idea they would change the course of popular music forever. “That’s All Right” is now widely considered to be the first Rock and Roll record. Sam Phillips, the owner of the studio and the Sun Records Label, was known for producing Black music, referred to as “race records” at the time. Although Phillips believed in Black music, he did not have much commercial success with the Black musicians he chose to record. As Maureen Mahon suggests, Phillips recognised that “the excellent quality of music performed by African American artists could not offset the fact that in the United States, it was easier and more lucrative to sell white artists playing black music than it was to sell black artists doing so” (Mahon 2022, p.115). As such, he was delighted to hear and record Elvis’ interpretation of Black music.

Presley’s “That’s All Right” became his first hit, but Arthur Crudup was not paid the royalties from Presley’s success. At the time, it was the norm that Black songwriters were given measly one-time payouts for their songs, and as such they did not receive adequate royalties from the songs they wrote. This was the case with Arthur Crudup and “That’s All Right” in 1954, but this attitude towards Black songwriters continued until as late as the 1980s, when Chuck Berry finally received sole credit for his hit song “Maybellene,” until then, he had shared writing credits for the song he wrote with two white men. (Garsd, 2020). Although unjust that Crudup did not receive adequate royalties for his songwriting until after his death, it is important to note that Presley held nothing but respect for Crudup and that as the recording artist, he was not responsible for the exploitative practices of the recording industry and its disparity towards Black musicians. (Umphred 2022)

Henry Pleasants suggests that Elvis’ cover of Crudup’s song generated such success and became so revolutionary because it

Heralded a metamorphosis of popular music, a new phase in the interaction of white and Black musicality [...] they represented the convergence in one small-town boy, born at the right time, in the right place, in the right environment and under the right circumstances, of all the musical currents of America’s subcultures: Black and white gospel, country-and-western, and rhythm-and-blues. (Pleasants 1974, p. 255)

Indeed Presley’s recording of “That’s All Right” incorporates elements from all of these genres. Instrumentation-wise, it is relatively sparse but reflects all of these influences: an acoustic guitar, electric guitar, upright bass and Presley’s unique vocals. There are several key differences between Presley’s recording and Crudup’s original track, one of which is Presley’s much faster tempo, almost twice as fast as the original. The signature rhythmic “slapping” sound produced on the upright bass is perhaps the most distinctive feature of the 1954 track and is arguably what made it so innovative and genre-defying. The “slapping” sound, created by studio musician Bill Black, is the main rhythmic drive in the song and reflects both country-and-western and Blues influences. This new sound, heard first on “That’s All Right” was named “rockabilly,” a precursor to straight Rock and Roll. Another difference between the two versions can be heard in Presley's altered lyrics. By contrast, the original, slower song has an audibly sexual overtone, reflected in Crudup’s use of the extremes of his vocal register, in particular the highest parts of his voice, in vocal gestures which at times err on the side of moaning. Presley’s version is perhaps more “sanitised” and youthful (and white), while still incorporating some of the versatile vocal techniques that Crudup and other Black musicians used, moving seamlessly between a deep resounding chest voice to his lighter head voice, oftentimes utilising both in the same phrase.34 There is also an improvisatory jazz-like scatting section in both versions, but while Crudup’s seems more natural, in Presley’s recording, we get the sense that he is imitating Crudup’s vocalisations, rather than creating his own organic improvisation.

As Pleasants puts it, Elvis:

would seem always to have been a naturally assimilative musician [...] the Black rhythm-and-blues style he had in hand, - and in throat and body- from the very first [...] Gospel music, and the gospel sound, are second nature to him, too, along with the gospel singer’s affectionate mutilation of words. There are songs where he lays into them in a manner worthy and reminiscent of Mahalia Jackson. (Pleasants 1974, p. 261)

In Presley’s earliest records, like “That’s All Right,” his nature as an “assimilative” vocalist is most audible. Throughout most of the 1960s, Presley’s music mainly focused on movie soundtracks and did not generate songs that defied genres in the same way as his first releases did. In the later, more commercial tracks, it is evident in his voice that Presley wasnot satisfied with the quality of music he was putting out; when in “That’s All Right” his youthful admiration for Crudup is audible, later movie soundtrack songs sound flat and bored in comparison and do not display the vocal quality Presley was capable of. Perhaps in this way, Presley was an “assimilative” musician too, putting out music he did not fully believe in mostly for its commercial value. However, his “assimilative” nature is most impressive when he combined his unique background with both white and Black musical traditions in his earliest records, or when he recorded his Gospel albums. His fusion of country-and-western, blues and Black and white gospel changed popular music permanently, but the corny, formulaic “Song of the Shrimp” (1962) did not.

One of the most well-known and obvious examples of a Black musician’s influence on Presley can be heard through his recording of Willie Mae “Big Mama” Thornton’s song: “Hound Dog.” Willie Mae “Big Mama” Thornton originally recorded the song “Hound Dog” in 1952. The track was written by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, who were, as Ben Wynne describes, “two white teenagers obsessed with Black culture.” (Wynne 2024, p.2): Leiber and Stoller wanted to write a song for and in the style of one of the Black musicians they so greatly admired. As such, they wrote “Hound Dog,” a 12-bar blues that was revolutionary for its use of guitar as the most prominent instrument and otherwise relatively sparse instrumentation. The use of the guitar as the primary instrument was unusual for this era of Black Rhythm and Blues music, which typically was thick in texture, loud and heavily featured brass instruments like saxophone or trumpets below the vocalist. The prominence of the guitar in this song marked the shift towards the Rock and Roll music that would become popular soon after.

Thornton’s record became a hit, reaching number 1 on the Billboard R&B charts, which inspired several artists from a variety of different genres to cover the track. In 1956, two years after he’d experienced some success with “That’s All Right,” Elvis Presley was one of the artists who recorded a cover of the song, in his signature amalgamative Rock and Roll style, using a version of the lyrics he’d heard Freddie Bell and the Bellboys sing in Las Vegas. The lyrics that Presley heard, rewritten by Freddie Bell and the Bellboys, changed the message of the song, much to the original songwriters’ and Thornton’s dismay. (Sheffield, 2024).

Thornton’s lyrics were a disparaging account of a womaniser, sung from the perspective of a woman who had been wronged. The lyrics, much like Crudup’s on “That’s All Right,” were more sexually charged: “You ain’t nothin’ but a hound dog/ Been snoopin’ round my door/ You can wag your tail/ But I ain’t gonna feed you no more.” The innuendo implied with the image of “wag your tail” was obscured by Freddie Bell and the Bellboys, and then Elvis Presley, who both sang words that didn’t quite make sense: “You ain’t nothin’ but a hound dog/ Cryin’ all the time/ Well, you ain’t never caught a rabbit/ And you ain’t no friend of mine.”

Although the lyrics were modified to appear less sexually suggestive, Presley’s performances of the track on three major television shows, The Milton Berle Show, The Steve Allen Show and the Ed Sullivan Show, still caused much controversy for its sexual nature. The first taste of fame that Presley experienced with his cover of Crudup’s “That’s All Right” had been mostly localised to the South, by contrast, in singing Thornton’s “Hound Dog” and thrusting his hips suggestively into the microphone on national television on The Milton Berle Show Presley caused an all-out revolution. Wynne suggests that Presley’s cover of “Hound Dog” was so controversial because:

It was a clear, unmistakable signal to an older generation that a new youth culture was emerging in America, and they were powerless to stop it. The song was a three-minute testament to everything that American elders hated or feared about rock ‘n’ roll [...] Like rock ‘n’ roll itself, the song was the product of a type of racial interaction that [...] blurred the lines between white and Black culture in a way that some viewed as dangerous. (Wynne 2024, p. 4)

Indeed, with Presley’s reinterpretation of Thornton’s track, his emulation of some of her raw vocalisations from the original recording and his adaptation of Freddie Bell and the Bellboys’ rewritten lyrics, he achieved what had been proven by his initial success with “That’s All Right”: white America enjoyed Black music even more so if it was being performed by an attractive young white man.

What is most interesting about the controversy that ensued with Presley’s cover of “Hound Dog,” is that in one sense his ability to integrate a variety of different musical styles and genres is precisely what led to his version of “Hound Dog” becoming one of the best-selling Rock and Roll records of all time, while its inherent Blackness was also deemed threatening. Certain parts of white America felt that by simply emulating Black musicians, Elvis was encouraging racial integration. Much of the outrage that ensued after his performance of “Hound Dog” on The Milton Berle Show in 1956 was over his dynamic, movement-laden performance. Presley was a white man who embodied the movements he’d seen originally done by both Black secular and religious musicians he admired in his hometown of Memphis, and these performance practices were inescapably Black. Just as Mahalia Jackson ruffled feathers with her Gospel blues in the North, Presley angered many white Americans by performing in the style of Black musicians. All of this is to say that Elvis Presley caused a revolution, yes, but all of the elements he utilised, from his flamboyant fashion sense to his notorious leg-shaking, originally came from the Black musicians he looked up to.

Regarding the success of Presley’s “Hound Dog,” Mahon suggests that:

The cross-racial exchange that contributed to Presley’s version of “Hound Dog” is an early example of what became a common practice of white male rock and roll artists borrowing from the sound and style of black women. It is also indicative of the ways the vocal and performance practices of African-Americans informed those of white rock and roll musicians. To her great frustration, Thornton did not receive any financial compensation for the role she played as originator of what became one of the best- selling records in rock and roll history. (Mahon 2020, pp. 41-42)

Unfortunately, like Arthur Crudup in 1954, Thornton did not receive royalties proportionate to the success of Presley’s cover of her song. She was understandably frustrated with this lack of monetary recognition for her contribution to music history, however, without her song, and her powerful voice, Elvis would have never released what is still to this day one of the most recognisable Rock and Roll songs of all time.41 While she may not have received adequate compensation for her contribution to Rock and Roll history, the legacy of Thornton’s original “Hound Dog” has not been forgotten. As recently as 2022, Thornton’s original “Hound Dog” was interpolated in Doja Cat’s song “Vegas,” written for the Baz Lurhmann film Elvis, a biopic about Presley’s life and career. In using Thornton’s version, rather than Presley’s, Doja Cat acknowledged the Black woman to whom Elvis owed his success with “Hound Dog,” reflecting a change in attitude in the past decade or so.

While Elvis is often heralded as “The King of Rock and Roll,” it is interesting to note that he refuted this title. According to Michael McDonough, “After [Elvis’] first opening in Las Vegas, in 1969, a reporter referred to [Elvis] as ‘the King’ in a press conference, which prompted him to point to [Black Rock and Roll legend] Fats Domino at the back of the room and say, ‘No, that’s the real King of Rock and Roll’.” (McDonough 2023.) When earlier in his career, Presley was pressured to denounce the influence of Black musicians on his music, it is reassuring to know that he was aware of the huge impact they had on his work, and the way that he would not have had half of the success he did have without their influence.43 With changing racial relations towards the end of the 1960s, Presley was able to acknowledge that he owed his success to the Black musicians who came before him.