When you think of rock ‘n roll, what’s the first name that comes to mind?
Many would definitely say Elvis Presley.
Dubbed The King of Rock and Roll, the man changed the music world forever, although some of reasons he changed the game (shaking those hips like a madman), was the reason a lot of people didn’t like him.
Especially, in the country music world.
With rock music being relatively new, Elvis sort of fell into the country music genre, and he even made an appearance to the Grand Ole Opry.
That’s right, on this date back in 1954, he made his Opry debut.
However, his experience on the finest stage in all of country music was… a forgettable one.
A 19-year-old Elvis had just burst onto the music scene, and ultimately landed him a spot at the Opry. However, his rocking cover of Bill Monroe’s “Blue Moon of Kentucky,” didn’t sit well with the traditional country crowd.
The Opry talent manager at the time, Jim Denny, allegedly even told Elvis to:
“Go back to driving a truck in Memphis.”
Needless to say, the performance was a flop.
However, much like Hank Williams before him, after Elvis shit the bed at the Opry, he started performing on the competitor show, Louisiana Hayride.
And the rest is history.