Elvis playing a 1956 P Bass

[bassdude51]

My son found this Elvis photo yesterday. I've never seen it before but I'm usually "Johnny come lately" and maybe you are already aware of it.

But for those of us who have not seen this, it's pretty cool!

Story has it that Elvis' bass player, Bill Black was supposed to play the Fender electric bass for the song, BABY YOUR SO SQUARE.

Since Bill was strictly a stand up bassist, he had a real problem trying to play bass for that song and out of anger, throw the bass to the floor! (Perhaps that is why the thumb bar is all crooked in the photo.)

Elvis ended up playing the Fender Bass for that song instead of Bill.

One can only wonder if this photo is from that incident or time period.

[Anthony Barrett]

Originally Posted by bassdude51

My son found this Elvis photo yesterday. I've never seen it before but I'm usually "Johnny come lately" and maybe you are already aware of it.

But for those of us who have not seen this, it's pretty cool!

Story has it that Elvis' bass player, Bill Black was supposed to play the Fender electric bass for the song, BABY YOUR SO SQUARE.

Since Bill was strictly a stand up bassist, he had a real problem trying to play bass for that song and out of anger, throw the bass to the floor! (Perhaps that is why the thumb bar is all crooked in the photo.)

Elvis ended up playing the Fender Bass for that song instead of Bill.

One can only wonder if this photo is from that incident or time period.

Cool story and pic.

[SolarMan]

Yep, he couldn't play the bass intro - so Elvis did it

(I think Bill was trying to do it with his fingers, but Elvis just used a pick and bam - done)

[FrednBass]

Awsome pic.

[countrybass007]

Great photo, thanks.

[M.R. Ogle]

Wow. Great photo!

I have a '56 P, but all the sunburst has worn off!

[Stewie26]

Originally Posted by bassdude51

and out of anger, throw the bass to the floor! [/IMG]

Wow....
I guess they did not have anger management classes back then.

[SDMFJay]

Great pic! Never seen this one before either. I am going to guess that Elvis turned the tug bar sideways because it interfered with his picking motion maybe.

[rojo412]

Bill Black... inventor of Fender's "Relic" series

[blues_bassist]

Very cool pic! Thanks for sharing.

[aproud1]

Cool pic, read the story in How the Fender bass Changed the World (I think). Great book.

[mcm]

Elvis when he was Elvis, killer pic

[2meterbassman]

Wow - the king of rock'n'roll had a bassplayer who couldn't play bass.

Mmmmmh, but it's better than now: britney and her copies are singers - that can't sing. LOL

[Jeff K]

Bill Black could play bass. He was just frustrated trying to transition from the old doghouse to the "newfangled" electric bass.

[Immigrant]

That's a great photo, but this is my favorite Elvis w/bass photo. All kinds of cool.

[OtisRocks]

Originally Posted by Jeff K

Bill Black could play bass. He was just frustrated trying to transition from the old doghouse to the "newfangled" electric bass.

+1 Bill could play. And it didn't take him too long to master the Fender. http://www.scottymoore.net/56PBass.html

[2meterbassman]

mmmmh, some of you only see ironic if there is an emoticon?

[RickenBoogie]

In the Beatles anthology video, all the lads recalled meeting Elvis for the first time also remembered that Elvis was playing with a Fender bass and watching TV while they visited. That photo proves they remembered correctly, even though it was years after the photo was taken.

[FretlessMainly]

Originally Posted by RickenBoogie

That photo proves they remembered correctly, even though it was years after the photo was taken.

That's a mightly low threshold to constitute proof.

[2meterbassman]

I love those websites:
http://www.scottymoore.net/ep64PBass.html