Perkins, Carl, 1932-1998

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Carl Lee Perkins (April 9, 1932 – January 19, 1998) was an American guitarist, singer and songwriter. A rockabilly great and pioneer of rock and roll, he began his recording career at the Sun Studio, in Memphis, beginning in 1954. Among his best-known songs are "Blue Suede Shoes", "Honey Don't", "Matchbox" and "Everybody's Trying to Be My Baby".

According to fellow musician Charlie Daniels, "Carl Perkins' songs personified the rockabilly era, and Carl Perkins' sound personifies the rockabilly sound more so than anybody involved in it, because he never changed." Perkins's songs were recorded by artists (and friends) as influential as Elvis Presley, the Beatles, Jimi Hendrix, Johnny Cash and Eric Clapton, which further established his prominent place in the history of popular music. Paul McCartney said "if there were no Carl Perkins, there would be no Beatles."

Nicknamed the "King of Rockabilly", Perkins was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the Rockabilly Hall of Fame, the Memphis Music Hall of Fame, and the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame. He also received a Grammy Hall of Fame Award.

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
referencedIn Center for Popular Music Vertical Files Center for Popular Music, Middle Tennessee State University
referencedIn Tennessee 200, Inc. Records, 1992-1997. Tennessee State Library & Archives, TSLA
referencedIn Colin Escott Collection Center for Popular Music, Middle Tennessee State University
creatorOf Presley, Elvis, 1935-1977. Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis et Carl Perkins [Multimédia multisupport] : the million dollar session. Bibliothèque nationale de France, BnF
creatorOf Presley, Elvis, 1935-1977. Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis et Carl Perkins [Multimédia multisupport] : the million dollar session. Bibliothèque nationale de France, BnF
Role Title Holding Repository
Relation Name
associatedWith Columbia Records, Inc. corporateBody
associatedWith Phillips, Sam, 1923-2003 person
memberOf Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum corporateBody
associatedWith Sun records corporateBody
associatedWith Tennessee 200, Inc. corporateBody
Place Name Admin Code Country
Tipton County TN US
Memphis TN US
Subject
Rockabilly music
Occupation
Singers
Activity

Person

Birth 1932-04-09

Death 1998-01-19

Americans

English

Information

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