When Elvis Presley first stepped into the Memphis Recording Service studios on Union Avenue in Memphis, Tennessee, it was just him and his acoustic guitar. When the studio's owner, Sam Phillips, signed Elvis to his independent record label, Sun Records, he figured Elvis would be recording country material. Since country acts back in 1954 didn't typically use drums, Phillips brought in an electric guitar player named Scotty Moore and a slap bass player by the name of Bill Black to back Elvis up. But he didn't hire a drummer for the sessions.
After Elvis surprised everyone with his energetic and wild treatment of the R&B song "That's All Right", Phillips realized he was on to something that could be big. He recorded Elvis singing the Bill Monroe classic "Blue Moon of Kentucky" in the same as yet unnamed style which came to be known later as rockabilly.
Not long after these two songs were released as Elvis' first single, they started making noise on the local stations and appearing on local music charts. Elvis' career exploded from there of course and before long Elvis and Phillips realized that what they were recording was something more than country and could be enhanced greatly with the addition of drums.
Elvis had met drummer D.J. Fontana in 1954 when he appeared on The Louisiana Hayride country music radio show. Fontana was the staff drummer for the hayride and played with Elvis, Scotty, and Bill when they played on the show. At first Fontana played from behind the curtains so the country fans wouldn't see him! He and Elvis hit it off with instant friendship born of professional respect that each had for the talents of the other. Fontana then joined Moore and Black as Elvis' backing combo becoming perhaps the first rockabilly drummer and never played from behind the curtains again. He worked with Elvis for the next 14 years.
Obviously, since he was performing and recording for Elvis, Fontana has played on some of the most successful songs in rock and roll history. He recorded over 450 songs with Elvis, appeared in five of Elvis' early movies, and went on to record with a virtual who's who of rock and roll and country music.
Yet through it all, Fontana has maintained a humble and simple attitude. "I just learned how to stay out of their way and let them do what they had to," he said. "It sounded better to me that way." Such statements are typical of Fontana who is happy to downplay his own role and build up the talents of his band mates.
Yet there's no doubt that Fontana and his straight-forward drumming style played a pivotal role in making those early Elvis records what they were. He was smart enough to know exactly what those songs needed and disciplined enough to deliver exactly that where many other drummers may have overplayed in an attempt to make themselves more noticeable. In any event, the simple fact that the most successful musician in rock and roll history respected Fontana enough to play with him for all those years is really all you need to know about his talents! In 2009 D.J. was recognized for those talents when he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
And he's not done yet. Fontana turned 80 years old in March of 2011 and is still touring!
After Elvis surprised everyone with his energetic and wild treatment of the R&B song "That's All Right", Phillips realized he was on to something that could be big. He recorded Elvis singing the Bill Monroe classic "Blue Moon of Kentucky" in the same as yet unnamed style which came to be known later as rockabilly.
Not long after these two songs were released as Elvis' first single, they started making noise on the local stations and appearing on local music charts. Elvis' career exploded from there of course and before long Elvis and Phillips realized that what they were recording was something more than country and could be enhanced greatly with the addition of drums.
Elvis had met drummer D.J. Fontana in 1954 when he appeared on The Louisiana Hayride country music radio show. Fontana was the staff drummer for the hayride and played with Elvis, Scotty, and Bill when they played on the show. At first Fontana played from behind the curtains so the country fans wouldn't see him! He and Elvis hit it off with instant friendship born of professional respect that each had for the talents of the other. Fontana then joined Moore and Black as Elvis' backing combo becoming perhaps the first rockabilly drummer and never played from behind the curtains again. He worked with Elvis for the next 14 years.
Obviously, since he was performing and recording for Elvis, Fontana has played on some of the most successful songs in rock and roll history. He recorded over 450 songs with Elvis, appeared in five of Elvis' early movies, and went on to record with a virtual who's who of rock and roll and country music.
Yet through it all, Fontana has maintained a humble and simple attitude. "I just learned how to stay out of their way and let them do what they had to," he said. "It sounded better to me that way." Such statements are typical of Fontana who is happy to downplay his own role and build up the talents of his band mates.
Yet there's no doubt that Fontana and his straight-forward drumming style played a pivotal role in making those early Elvis records what they were. He was smart enough to know exactly what those songs needed and disciplined enough to deliver exactly that where many other drummers may have overplayed in an attempt to make themselves more noticeable. In any event, the simple fact that the most successful musician in rock and roll history respected Fontana enough to play with him for all those years is really all you need to know about his talents! In 2009 D.J. was recognized for those talents when he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
And he's not done yet. Fontana turned 80 years old in March of 2011 and is still touring!
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