Carl Perkins was only 24-years-old when he invited to perform on Perry Como’s Kraft Music Hall in 1956. Carl Perkins and his band had only recently obtained national fame with their brand new hit song “Blue Suede Shoes.” The first time the band was booked on Como’s show, they narrowly escaped death in a very serious car accident. When they were booked again after recuperating, their original song had gained strength on the Billboard Hot 100.

Often cited as starting the rockabilly genre of music, Perkins used to open for Elvis Presley when they shared a record label. Released three months before Presley’s version, Perkins’ recording reached number 2 on the pop charts, whereas Elvis’ rendition only reached number 24! Some say that Elvis even recorded the song in tribute to Perkins. Have a listen below at one of rock n roll’s most classic songs, sung by the man who wrote it!

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