The King of Rock 'n' Roll: The Complete 50's Masters [Box] (CD - 1992)

THE KING OF ROCK 'N' ROLL contains every Elvis Presley studio recording released during the 1950s, along with alternate takes and live recordings. It contains 140 tracks, 15 of them previously unreleased (mostly contained on Disc 5, "Rare And Rockin'") and several others never before released on compact disc. Also included in this numbered box set is a 92-page color booklet with many rare photos from the Graceland archives, and a '50s discography and sessionography; and a page of color stamps depicting Presley's '50s record covers.

Personnel includes: Elvis Presley (vocals, guitar, piano, bass); Gordon Stoker (vocals, piano); The Jordanaires, Ben Speer, Brock Speer (vocals); Scotty Moore, Chet Atkins, Hank Garland, Carl Perkins (guitar); Mahlon Clark (clarinet); Justin Gordon (saxophone); John Ed Buckner (trumpet); Elmer Schneider (trombone); Ray Siegel (tuba, acoustic bass); Floyd Cramer, Shorty Long, Marvin Hughes, Dudley Brooks, Mike Stoller, Jerry Lee Lewis (piano); Hoyt Hawkins (piano, organ, cymbals); Gordon Stoker (piano, bongos, background vocals); Clayton Perkins (acoustic bass); Neal Matthews (electric bass); D.J. Fontana, Bernie Mattinson (drums); Freddy Martin & His Orchestra.

Compilation producers: Ernst Mikael Jorgensen, Roger Semon.

Principally recorded at Sun Studios, Memphis, Tennessee; RCA Studios, Nashville, Tennessee; RCA Studios, New York; 20th Century Fox and Radio Recorders, Hollywood, California between 1953 and 1958. Includes liner notes by Peter Guralnick.

All tracks have been digitally remastered.

Full Title: The King Of Rock 'N' Roll: The Complete 50's Masters: Special Value Edition.

THE KING OF ROCK 'N' ROLL: THE COMPLETE 50'S MASTERS: SPECIAL VALUE EDITION contains the same 5 CDs as THE KING OF ROCK 'N' ROLL: THE COMPLETE 50'S MASTERS. It does not include the packaging of that set.

Personnel includes: Elvis Presley (vocals, guitar, piano, bass); Gordon Stoker (vocals, piano, background vocals); The Jordanaires, Ben Speer, Brock Speer (vocals); Scotty Moore, Chet Atkins, Hank Garland, Carl Perkins (guitar); Mahlon Clark (clarinet); Justin Gordon (saxophone); John Ed Buckner (trumpet); Elmer Schneider (trombone); Ray Siegel (tuba, acoustic bass); Floyd Cramer, Shorty Long, Marvin Hughes, Dudley Brooks, Mike Stoller, Jerry Lee Lewis (piano); Hoyt Hawkins (piano, organ, cymbals); Gordon Stoker (piano, bongos, background vocals); Clayton Perkins (acoustic bass); Neal Matthews (electric bass); D.J. Fontana, Bernie Mattinson (drums).

Compilation producers: Ernst Mikael Jorgensen, Roger Semon.

Principally recorded at Sun Studios, Memphis, Tennessee; RCA Studios, Nashville, Tennessee; RCA Studios, New York; 20th Century Fox and Radio Recorders, Hollywood, California between 1953 and 1958.

All tracks have been digitally remastered.

Personnel: Elvis Presley (vocals, guitar, piano); Gordon Stoker (vocals, piano, bongos); Charles Prescott, Rad Robinson, Jon Dodson, Kitty White, The Jordanaires, Ben Speer, Millie Kirkham, Brock Speer (vocals); Jimmy Day (guitar, steel guitar); Chet Atkins, Vito Mumolo, Hank Garland, Scotty Moore, Tiny Timbrell, Carl Perkins (guitar); Luther Rountree (banjo); George Fields (harmonica); Dominic Frontiere, Carl Fortina (accordion); Mahlon Clark (clarinet); Justin Gordon (saxophone); John Buckner (trumpet); Ray Siegel (tuba); Johnny Bernero (piano, drums); Hoyt Hawkins (piano, cymbals); Dudley Brooks, Floyd Cramer, Jerry Lee Lewis, Marvin Hughes, Mike Stoller, Shorty Long (piano); Neal Matthews (bass guitar); W.S. Holland, D.J. Fontana, Jimmy Lott, Bernie Mattinson, Richard Cornell (drums); Buddy Harman (bongos).

Liner Note Author: Peter Guralnick.

Recording information: 20th Century Fox, Stage 1, Hollywood, CA (??/??/1953-06/10/1958); Gladewater TX (??/??/1953-06/10/1958); Gladewater, TX (??/??/1953-06/10/1958); Lubbock TX (??/??/1953-06/10/1958); Lubbock, TX (??/??/1953-06/10/1958); Municipal Auditorium, Shreveport, LA (??/??/1953-06/10/1958); New Frontier Hotel, Las Vegas, NV (??/??/1953-06/10/1958); Radio Recorders, Hollywood, CA (??/??/1953-06/10/1958); RCA Studios, New York, NY (??/??/1953-06/10/1958); Sun STudios, Memphis, TN (??/??/1953-06/10/1958).

Unknown Contributor Roles: Erik Rasmussen; Freddy Martin & His Orchestra.

Anyone who doubts the genius of Elvis Presley should listen all the way through this five-disc set before passing final judgment on the King of Rock and Roll. Of the 139 tracks here, precious few do not give testimony to Presley's enormous gift and enthusiasm for a wide variety of music, including pop, rock and roll, country, gospel, and rhythm and blues. From the first Sun recordings (finally presented by RCA without the annoying overlay of additional reverb) to the rushed singles session Presley cadged while on Army leave in 1958, THE COMPLETE 50'S MASTERS radiates an energy, versatility, and awe-inspiring mastery rarely approached by his contemporaries--or any other pop singer, for that matter.

All the hits, b-sides, album tracks, Christmas songs, gospel, and early movie soundtrack material are here, along with a disc of alternate takes and rare live recordings. An informative and beautifully packaged 92-page booklet crammed with photographs completes one of the great box sets of the CD era.

Anyone who doubts the genius of Elvis Presley should listen all the way through this five-disc set before passing final judgment on the King of Rock and Roll. Of the 139 tracks here, precious few do not give testimony to Presley's enormous gift and enthusiasm for a wide variety of music, including pop, rock and roll, country, Gospel, and rhythm and blues. From the first Sun recordings (finally presented by RCA without the annoying overlay of additional reverb) to the rushed singles session Presley cadged while on Army leave in 1958, THE COMPLETE 50'S MASTERS radiates an energy, versatility, and awe-inspiring mastery rarely approached by his contemporaries--or any other pop singer, for that matter.

All the hits, b-sides, album tracks, Christmas songs, Gospel, and early movie soundtrack recordings are here, along with a disc of alternate takes and rare live recordings. minimize