Scotty Moore, longtime guitarist and close friend to Elvis Presley, died on Tuesday. He was 84.
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame guitarist performed on the King’s classic hits such as “Hound Dog,” “Heartbreak Hotel” and “Blue Suede Shoes.”
Moore, who had been in poor health in recent months, died at his home in Nashville, Tennessee, the Commercial Appeal reported.
His death was confirmed by several friends, including Phillips Recording Service engineer Matt Ross-Spang.
“We lost one of the finest people I have ever met today,” he wrote on Instagram. “I was lucky to call you a friend and I’m very glad I got to see you just a few days ago. The guitarist that changed the world … especially mine.”
http://www.instagram.com/p/BHN8MnJBhbe/
Born in Gadsden, Tennessee, Moore was a member of Elvis’ original band, the Blue Moon Boys, and played on the singer’s epochal Sun Records tracks, before continuing to work with Presley into his career with RCA.
Along with bassist Bill Black and drummer D.J. Fontana, the Blue Moon Boys backed Presley on dozens of legendary hits, including “Heartbreak Hotel,” “Mystery Train,” “Blue Suede Shoes,” “Hound Dog,” “Jailhouse Rock” and “(You’re the) Devil in Disguise.”
Moore and the band also appeared in four of Presley’s films — “Jailhouse Rock,” “Loving You,” “King Creole” and “G.I. Blues.”
In addition to Presley, Moore worked with artists such as Keith Richards, Ringo Starr, Carl Perkins, Jeff Beck, Levon Helm, and Ronnie Wood throughout his career.
Richards even credited his work on a Gibson 400 for inspiring him to become a guitarist. “When I heard ‘Heartbreak Hotel,’ I knew what I wanted to do in life. It was as plain as day. All I wanted to do in the world was to be able to play and sound like that,” he told Rolling Stone. “Everyone else wanted to be Elvis, I wanted to be Scotty.”
The beloved musician has been portrayed by a number of actors over the decades. Mark Adam played him in the 2005 CBS miniseries “Elvis,” Emory Smith was Moore in the 1981 documentary film “This Is Elvis,” and Jesse Dabson played his character in the 1990 ABC series “Elvis: The Early Years.”
Moore was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2000.
See video below of him performing with Elvis in 1956.