Carl Perkins

For other people named Carl Perkins, seeCarl Perkins (disambiguation).

Carl Perkins
Perkins in 1977
Background information
Birth name	Carl Lee Perkins
Born	(1932-04-09)April 9, 1932 Tiptonville,Tennessee,U.S.
Died	January 19, 1998(1998-01-19)(aged 65) Jackson,Tennessee,U.S.
Genres	Rockabilly rock and roll country
Occupation(s)	Guitarist singer songwriter
Instrument(s)	Vocals guitar
Years active	1946–1997
Labels	Sun London Columbia Mercury

Carl Lee Perkins(April 9, 1932 – January 19, 1998)was an American guitarist, singer and songwriter. Arockabillygreat and pioneer ofrock and roll,he began his recording career at theSun Studio,inMemphis,beginning in 1954. Among his best-known songs are "Blue Suede Shoes","Honey Don't","Matchbox"and"Everybody's Trying to Be My Baby".

According to fellow musicianCharlie Daniels,"Carl Perkins' songs personified the rockabilly era, and Carl Perkins' sound personifies the rockabilly sound more so than anybody involved in it, because he never changed."Perkins's songs were recorded by artists (and friends) as influential asElvis Presley,the Beatles,Jimi Hendrix,Johnny Cash,Ricky Nelson,andEric Clapton,which further established his prominent place in the history of popular music.Paul McCartneysaid "If there were no Carl Perkins, there would be no Beatles."

Nicknamed the "King of Rockabilly",Perkins was inducted into theRock and Roll Hall of Fame,theRockabilly Hall of Fame,theMemphis Music Hall of Fame,and theNashville Songwriters Hall of Fame.He also received aGrammy Hall of FameAward.

Biography

Early life

Carl Lee Perkins was born on April 9, 1932, inTiptonville, Tennessee,the son of poorsharecroppersLouise and Buck Perkins (misspelled on his birth certificate as "Perkings" ).Beginning at the age of six, he worked long hours in the cotton fields with his family, whether school was in session or not. Siblings included brothers Jay and Clayton.The boys grew up hearingSouthern gospelmusic sung by white friends in church and by black field workers and sharecroppers in the cotton fields.On Saturday nights Perkins would listen to theGrand Ole Opry,broadcast fromNashvilleon his father's radio.

Roy Acuff's broadcasts from the Opry inspired Perkins to ask his parents for a guitar.Since they could not afford to buy one, his father made one from acigar boxand a broomstick. Eventually, a neighbor sold his father a worn-outGene Autryguitar. Perkins could not afford new strings, and when they broke, he had to retie them. The knots cut his fingers when he would slide to another note, so he began bending the notes, stumbling onto a type ofblue note.

Perkins taught himself parts of Acuff's "Great Speckled Bird"and"The Wabash Cannonball",having heard them played on theOpry.He also has citedBill Monroe's fast playing and vocals as an early influence.Perkins also learned from John Westbrook, an African-American field worker in his sixties who played blues and gospel music on an old acoustic guitar. Westbrook advised Perkins to "Get down close to it. You can feel it travel down the strangs, come through your head and down to your soul where you live. You can feel it. Let it vib-a-rate."

In January 1947, the Perkins family moved fromLake County, Tennessee,toMadison County,70 miles fromMemphis,the largest city in West Tennessee and a center of a great variety of music played by both black and white artists.At age fourteen Perkins wrote a country song called "Let Me Take You to the Movie, Magg".Sam Phillipswas later persuaded by the quality of that song to sign Perkins to hisSun Recordslabel.

Beginnings as a performer

Perkins and his brother Jay had their first paying job (in tips) as entertainers during late 1946 at the Cotton Boll tavern on Highway 45, twelve miles south of Jackson, Tennessee, starting on Wednesday nights. Perkins was 14 years old. One of the songs they played was an up-tempo country blues shuffle version ofBill Monroe's "Blue Moon of Kentucky".Free drinks were one of the perks of playing in a tavern, and Perkins drank four beers that first night. Within a month Carl and Jay began playing Friday and Saturday nights at the Sand Ditch tavern, near the western boundary of Jackson. Both places were the scene of occasional fights, and both of the Perkins brothers gained a reputation as fighters.

During the next couple of years, as they became better known, the Perkins brothers began playing other taverns around Bemis and Jackson, including El Rancho, the Roadside Inn, and the Hilltop. Carl persuaded his brother Clayton to join them and play theupright bass,to complete the sound of the band.

Perkins began performing regularly onWTJSin Jackson during the late 1940s as a sometime member of theTennessee Ramblers.He appeared on the radio programHayloft Frolic,on which he performed two songs. Sometimes one was "Talking Blues", as done by Robert Lunn on theGrand Ole Opry.Perkins and his brothers began appearing onThe Early Morning Farm and Home Hour.Positive listener response resulted in a 15-minute segment sponsored by Mother's Best Flour. By the end of the 1940s, the Perkins Brothers were the best-known band in the Jackson area.Perkins had day jobs during most of these early years, including picking cotton, working at various factories and plants, and as a pan greaser for the Colonial Baking Company.His brothers had similar pick-up jobs.

In January 1953, Perkins married Valda Crider, whom he had known for a number of years. When his job at the bakery was reduced to part-time, Valda, who had her own job, encouraged Perkins to begin working the taverns full-time. He began playing six nights a week. Later the same year he addedW.S. "Fluke" Hollandto the band as a drummer. Holland had no previous experience as a musician but had a good sense of rhythm.

Malcolm Yelvington,who remembered the Perkins Brothers when they played inCovington, Tennessee,in 1953, noted that Carl had an unusual blues-like style all his own.By 1955 Perkins had made tapes of his material with a borrowed tape recorder, and he sent them to companies such as Columbia and RCA. But he used addresses such as "Columbia Records, New York City" and seemed dismayed at the lack of response. "I had sent tapes to RCA andColumbiaand had never heard a thing from 'em. "

In July 1954, Perkins and his wife heard a new release of "Blue Moon of Kentucky"byElvis Presley,Scotty MooreandBill Blackon the radio.As the song faded out, Perkins said, "There's a man in Memphis who understands what we're doing. I need to go see him."According to another telling of the story, it was Valda who said that he should go to Memphis.Later, Presley told Perkins he had traveled to Jackson and had seen Perkins and his group playing at El Rancho.

Years later, the musicianGene Vincenttold an interviewer that, rather than Elvis's version of "Blue Moon of Kentucky" being a "new sound", "a lot of people were doing it before that, especially Carl Perkins."

Sun Records

Perkins successfully auditioned forSam PhillipsatSun Recordsin early October 1954. "Movie Magg"and" Turn Around "were released on the Phillips-owned Flip label (151) on March 19, 1955."Turn Around" became a regional success, and Perkins was booked to appear along with Elvis Presley at theaters inMariannaandWest Memphis, Arkansas.Johnny Cashand theTennessee Twowere the next musicians to be added to the performances by Sun musicians. During the summer of 1955 they had junkets toLittle RockandForrest City, Arkansas,and toCorinthandTupelo, Mississippi.Again performing at El Rancho, the Perkins brothers were involved in an automobile accident in Woodside, Delaware. A friend who had been driving was pinned by the steering wheel and had to be dragged from the burning car by Perkins. Clayton had been thrown from the car but was not seriously injured.

Another Perkins song, "Gone Gone Gone",released by Sun in October 1955,was also a regional success. It was a "bounce blues in flavorsome combined country and R&B idioms".The A-side was the more traditional country song "Let the Jukebox Keep On Playing".

Commenting on Perkins's playing, Sam Phillips has been quoted as saying

I knew that Carl could rock and in fact he told me right from the start that he had been playing that music before Elvis came out on record... I wanted to see whether this was someone who could revolutionize the country end of the business.

Also in the autumn of 1955, Perkins wrote "Blue Suede Shoes",inspired by seeing a dancer get angry with his date for scuffing up his shoes.Several weeks later, on December 19, 1955, Perkins and his band recorded the song during a session at Sun Studio in Memphis. Phillips suggested changes to the lyrics ( "Go, cat, go" ), and the band changed the end of the song to a "boogievamp".

After Sun records headliner Presley left forRCAin November 1955, Phillips told Perkins, "You're my rockabilly cat now.""Blue Suede Shoes" was released on January 1, 1956, and became a massive chart success. In the United States, it reached number 1 onBillboardmagazine'scountry musicchart (the only number 1 success he would have) and number 2 on theBillboardBest Sellers popular music chart. On February 11 Presley performed it on CBS-TV'sStage Show.On March 17 Perkins became the first country artist to reach number 3 on therhythm and bluescharts.That night, he performed the song on ABC-TV'sOzark Jubilee,and Presley reprised his performance onStage Show.

In theUnited Kingdom,Perkins's song reached number 10 on the British charts. It was the first record by a Sun artist to sell a million copies.The B side, "Honey Don't",was later covered by the Beatles,Wanda Jacksonand, in the 1970s,T. Rex.John Lennonoriginally sang the song when the Beatles performed it; later it was given toRingo Starr,one of his few leads during his time with the band. Lennon also performed the song on theLost Lennon Tapes.

Road crash

After playing a show inNorfolk, Virginia,on March 21, 1956, the Perkins Brothers Band headed toNew York Cityfor a March 24 appearance onNBC-TV'sPerry Como Show.Shortly before sunrise on March 22, on Route 13 betweenDoverandWoodside, Delaware,their vehicle hit the back of a pickup truck and went into a ditch containing about 12 inches of water. Holland had to pull Perkins, unconscious, from the water. Perkins had sustained three fractured vertebrae in his neck, a severe concussion, a broken collar bone, and lacerations all over his body. Perkins remained unconscious for an entire day. The driver of the pickup truck, Thomas Phillips, a 40-year-old farmer, died when he was thrown into the steering wheel.Jay Perkins had a fractured neck and severe internal injuries. Later he developed a malignant brain tumor, and died in 1958.

On March 23, Presley's band membersBill Black,Scotty MooreandD.J. Fontanavisited Perkins on their way to New York to appear with Presley. Fontana recalled Perkins saying, "You looked like a bunch of angels coming to see me."Black told him, "Hey man, Elvis sends his love", and lit a cigarette for him, even though the patient in the next bed was in anoxygen tent.Presley also telegraphed Perkins his well wishes.

"Blue Suede Shoes" had sold more than 500,000 copies by March 22, and Sam Philips had planned to celebrate by presenting Perkins with agold recordonThe Perry Como Show.While Perkins recuperated from his injuries, "Blue Suede Shoes" reached number 1 on regional pop, R&B, and country charts. It also reached number 2 on the Billboard pop and country charts, below Elvis Presley's "Heartbreak Hotel".By mid-April, more than one million copies of" Blue Suede Shoes "had been sold.On April 3, while still recuperating in Jackson, Perkins watched Presley perform "Blue Suede Shoes" in his first appearance onThe Milton Berle Show.This was the third time he performed the song on national television.

Return to recording and touring

Perkins returned to live performances on April 21, 1956, beginning with an appearance inBeaumont, Texas,with the "Big D Jamboree" tour.Before he resumed touring, Sam Phillips arranged a recording session at Sun, with Ed Cisco filling in for the still-recuperating Jay. By mid-April, "Dixie Fried","Put Your Cat Clothes On "," Wrong Yo-Yo "," You Can't Make Love to Somebody ","Everybody's Trying to Be My Baby",and" That Don't Move Me "had been recorded.On May 26, Perkins and his band (with Jay Perkins performing wearing a visible neck brace), finally appeared onThe Perry Como Showto perform "Blue Suede Shoes".

Perkins (front) performing "Glad All Over"with (left to right) Clayton Perkins, W.S." Fluke "Holland, and Jay Perkins in the 1957 movieJamboree

Beginning early that summer, Perkins was paid $1,000 to play two songs a night on the extended tour of "Top Stars of '56". Other performers on the tour wereChuck BerryandFrankie Lymon and the Teenagers.When Perkins and the group entered the stage inColumbia, South Carolina,he was shocked to see a teenager with a bleeding chin pressed against the stage by the massed crowd. During the first guitar intermission of "Honey Don't", they were waved offstage and into a vacant dressing room behind a double line of police officers. Appalled by what he had seen and felt, Perkins left the tour.Appearing withGene VincentandLillian Briggsin a "rock 'n' roll show", he helped attract 39,872 people to the Reading Fair in Pennsylvania on a Tuesday night in late September. Soon after, a full grandstand and one thousand people stood in a heavy rain to hear Perkins and Briggs at the Brockton Fair in Massachusetts.

Sun issued more Perkins songs in 1956: "Boppin' the Blues"/" All Mama's Children "(Sun 243), the B side co-written with Johnny Cash; and"Dixie Fried"/" I'm Sorry, I'm Not Sorry "(Sun 249)."Matchbox"/"Your True Love"(Sun 261)came out in February 1957."Boppin' the Blues"reached number 47 on theCashboxpop singles chart, number 9 on theBillboardcountry and western chart, and number 70 on theBillboardTop 100 chart.

"Matchbox" is considered a rockabilly classic. It was recorded with Perkins on lead guitar and vocals, and then Sun studio piano playerJerry Lee Lewis.Later that day there was an impromptu session with Perkins, Presley, Johnny Cash, and Jerry Lee Lewis, informally referred to as theMillion Dollar Quartet.The full recordings from this jam session, a selection of gospel, country, and R&B songs, were released in 1990.

On February 2, 1957, Perkins again appeared onOzark Jubilee,singing "Matchbox" and "Blue Suede Shoes". He also made at least two appearances onTown Hall PartyinCompton, California,in 1957,singing both songs. Those performances were included in theWestern Ranch Dance Partyseries filmed and distributed by Screen Gems.

He released "That's Right",co-written with Johnny Cash, backed with the ballad" Forever Yours ", as Sun single 274 in August 1957. Neither side made it onto the charts.

The 1957 filmJamboreeincluded a Perkins performance of "Glad All Over".The song, written byAaron Schroeder,Sid Tepper,andRoy C. Bennett,was released by Sun in January 1958.

Life after Sun

In 1958, Perkins moved toColumbia Records,for which he recorded "Jive After Five", "Rockin' Record Hop", "Levi Jacket (And a Long Tail Shirt)", "Pop, Let Me Have the Car", "Pink Pedal Pushers", "Any Way the Wind Blows", "Hambone", "Pointed Toe Shoes", "Sister Twister", "L-O-V-E-V-I-L-L-E" and other songs.

In 1959, he wrote thecountry & westernsong "The Ballad of Boot Hill"for Johnny Cash, who recorded it on anEPfor Columbia Records. In the same year, Perkins was cast in a Filipino movie produced by People's Pictures,Hawaiian Boy,in which he sang "Blue Suede Shoes".

He performed often at theGolden Nugget Casinoin Las Vegas in 1962 and 1963.During this time he toured nine Midwestern states and made a tour in Germany.In 1962Patsy Clinerecorded "So Wrong"written by Carl,Mel TillisandDanny Dilland had a #14 hit on the Country charts.

In May 1964, Perkins touredBritainwithChuck Berry.Perkins had been reluctant to undertake the tour, convinced that as forgotten as he had become in America, he would be even more obscure in the U.K., and did not want to be humiliated by drawing meager audiences. Berry assured him that they had remained much more popular in Britain since the 1950s than they had in the United States, and that there would be large crowds of fans at every show. The popular young rock groupThe Animalsbacked the two performers. On the last night of the tour, Perkins attended a party where he sat on the floor sharing stories, playing guitar, and singing songs while surrounded by theBeatles.Ringo Starr asked if he could record "Honey Don't". Perkins answered, "Man, go ahead, have at it."The Beatles later recorded covers of "Matchbox","Honey Don't"and"Everybody's Trying to Be My Baby"(recorded by Perkins, adapted from a song originally recorded byRex Griffinin 1936, with new music by Perkins; a song with the same title was recorded by Roy Newman in 1938). Ringo sang the lead on the first two,George Harrisonreceived a rare lead on the third. The Beatles also recorded two versions of "Glad All Over" in 1963.Another tour to Germany followed in the autumn.

He released "Big Bad Blues" backed with "Lonely Heart" as a single on Brunswick Records withthe Nashville Teensin June 1964.

In 1966, Perkins signed with Dollie Records and released as his first single "Country Boy's Dream", which reached #22 in the country charts. That same yearBob Lumanhad a Top 40 Country hit with Carl's song "Poor Boy Blues".

While on tour with the Johnny Cash troupe in 1968, Perkins went on a four-day drinking binge that ended in him hallucinating floridly and passing out. When he regained consciousness, he went out to the beach with his last bottle of alcohol. In his autobiography, he described falling to his knees and declaring, "Lord,... I'm gonna throw this bottle. I'm gonna show You that I believe in you," before hurling the bottle into the sea and vowing to remain sober. Perkins and Cash, who had his own substance-abuse issues, supported each other in their bid to remain sober.

In 1968, Cash recorded the Perkins-written "Daddy Sang Bass"(which incorporates parts of the American standard"Will the Circle Be Unbroken"), and scored No. 1 on the country music charts for six weeks." Daddy Sang Bass "was aCountry Music Associationnominee for Song of the Year. Perkins also played lead guitar on Cash's single "A Boy Named Sue",recorded live atSan Quentinprison, which went to No. 1 for five weeks on the country chart and No. 2 on the pop chart (the performance was also filmed byGranada Televisionfor broadcast).

Perkins spent a decade in Cash's touring revue, often as an opening act for Cash (as at the Folsom and San Quentin prison concerts, at which he was recorded singing "Blue Suede Shoes" and "Matchbox" before Cash took the stage; these performances were not released until the 2000s). He also appeared on the television seriesThe Johnny Cash Show.On the television programKraft Music Hallon April 16, 1969, hosted by Cash, Perkins performed his song "Restless".

Perkins andBob Dylanwrote "Champaign, Illinois" in 1969. Dylan had recorded his albumNashville Skyline,a bold crossover into country, in Nashville from February 12 to February 21. He met Perkins when he appeared onThe Johnny Cash Showon June 7.Dylan hadwriter's blockand was unable to complete the song until Perkins contributed a rhythm and some lyrics, upon which Dylan said to him, "Your song. Take it. Finish it."Perkins registered the song as co-authored and recorded it on his 1969 albumOn Top.

Also in 1969, Columbia's Murray Krugman placed Perkins with theNew Rhythm and Blues Quartet,a rockabilly group based in New York's Hudson Valley. Perkins and NRBQ recordedBoppin' the Blues,which featured the group backing him on songs including his staples "Turn Around" and "Boppin' the Blues", as well as songs recorded separately by Perkins and NRBQ.Perkins appeared with Cash on TV on the popular country seriesHee Haw,on February 16, 1974.

Tommy Cash(brother of Johnny Cash) had a Top Ten country gospel hit in 1970, with a recording of the song "Rise and Shine", written by Perkins. It reached number 9 on theBillboardcountry chart and number 8 on the Canadian country chart.Arlene Hardenhad a Top 40 country hit in 1971 with the Perkins composition "True Love Is Greater Than Friendship", from the filmLittle Fauss and Big Halsy(1971).Al Martino's cover of the song that same year reached number 22 on theBillboardcountry chart and number 33 on theBillboardAdult Contemporary chart.

After a long legal struggle with Sam Phillips overroyalties,Perkins gained ownership of his songs in the 1970s and, in 2003, his widow and then owner of the catalog entered into an administration contract with Paul McCartney'sMPL Communications.

Later years

The rockabilly revival of the 1980s helped bring Perkins back into the limelight. In 1981 Perkins recorded the song "Get It" withPaul McCartney,providing vocals and playing guitar with the former Beatle; according to one source, he fully co-wrote the song with McCartney.This recording was included on the chart-topping albumTug of War,released in 1982.During 1985, Perkins re-recorded "Blue Suede Shoes" withLee RockerandSlim Jim Phantomof theStray Cats,as part of the soundtrack for the filmPorky's Revenge.

In October 1985, Perkins was joined on stage inLondonfor a television special,Blue Suede Shoes: A Rockabilly Session,byGeorge Harrison,Eric Clapton,Dave Edmunds,Lee Rocker,Rosanne CashandRingo Starr.The show was taped live at theLimehouse Studios.It was broadcast onChannel 4on January 1, 1986. Perkins performed 16 songs, with two encores, in an extraordinary performance. He and his friends ended the session by singing "Blue Suede Shoes", his most famous song, 30 years after its writing, which brought Perkins to tears. The concert special was a highlight of his later career. It has been praised by fans for the spirited performances delivered by Perkins and his guests. The concert was released for DVD by Snapper Music in 2006.

Perkins was inducted into theNashville Songwriters Hall of Famein 1985. Wider recognition of his contribution to music came with his induction into theRock and Roll Hall of Famein 1987. "Blue Suede Shoes" was chosen as one of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's“500 Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll”.The song also received aGrammy Hall of Fame Award.Perkins was inducted into theRockabilly Hall of Famein recognition of his pioneering contribution to the genre.

Perkins's only notable film performance as an actor was inJohn Landis's 1985 filmInto the Night.The cameo-laden film includes a scene in which characters played by Perkins andDavid Bowiedie by each other's hand.

Perkins returned to the Sun Studio in Memphis in 1986, joining Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, andRoy Orbisonon the albumClass of '55.The record was a tribute to their early years at Sun and, specifically, the Million Dollar Quartetjam sessioninvolving Perkins, Presley, Cash, and Lewis in 1956.

In 1989, Perkins co-wrote and played guitar onthe Judds' number 1 country hit, "Let Me Tell You About Love". Also in that year, he signed a record deal with Platinum Records for the albumFriends, Family, and Legends,featuring performances byChet Atkins,Travis Tritt,Steve Wariner,Joan JettandCharlie Daniels,along withPaul Shafferand Will Lee. The song "Wild Texas Wind" became the title track to a made-for-TVmoviefeaturingDolly PartonandGary Busey.In 1996Willie Nelson,who also appeared in that movie, would join Carl in a duett version of the song. During the production of this album, Perkins was diagnosed withthroat cancer. Dolly Parton had a Top 20 Country hit in 1991 with the Perkins co-written"Silver and Gold".

Mark O'Connorrecorded a version of the Perkins classic"Restless"in 1991 and had a #25 Country hit with it in the US (#19 in Canada).

He again returned to Sun Studio to record with Scotty Moore, Presley's first guitar player, for the album706 ReUNION,released by Belle Meade Records, which also featuredD. J. Fontana,Marcus Van Storey andthe Jordanaires.In 1993, Perkins performed with theKentucky Headhuntersin a music video remake of his song "Dixie Fried", filmed inGlasgow, Kentucky.In 1994, he teamed up withDuane Eddyandthe Mavericksto contribute "Matchbox" to theAIDSbenefit albumRed Hot + Country,produced by theRed Hot Organization.

His last album,Go Cat Go!,released by the independent label Dinosaur Records in 1996, features Perkins singing duets withBono,Johnny Cash,John Fogerty,George Harrison, Paul McCartney,Willie Nelson,Tom Petty,Paul Simon,andRingo Starr.

His last major concert performance was theMusic for Montserratall-star charity concert at London'sRoyal Albert Hallon September 15, 1997, four months before his death.

Personal life

A strong advocate for the prevention of child abuse, Perkins worked with the Jackson Exchange Club to establish the first center for the prevention of child abuse in Tennessee and the fourth in the nation. Proceeds from a concert planned by Perkins were combined with a grant from theNational Exchange Clubto establish the Prevention of Child Abuse in October 1981. For years its annual Circle of Hope Telethon generated one quarter of the center's annual operating budget.

Perkins had one daughter, Debbie, and three sons, Stan, Greg, and Steve. Stan, Perkins' firstborn son, is also a recording artist. In 2010, he joined forces withJerry Naylorto record a duet tribute, "To Carl: Let It Vibrate". Stan has been inducted into theRockabilly Hall of Fame.Greg played bass on stage alongside his father at the 1985Blue Suede Shoes: A Rockabilly Sessionconcert in London and co-wrote "Birth of Rock and Roll" with his father.(In 1983, a jury in Jackson, Tennessee found Greg Perkins "innocent on two felony counts of vehicular homicide, and guilty on a misdemeanor charge of driving under the influence of alcohol."In 1997, Perkins' wife Valda was "recovering from a yearlong illness,"and his son Greg collapsed as a result of liver damage that may have resulted in a liver transplant.

Perkins died on January 19, 1998, at the age of 65 at Jackson-Madison County Hospital inJackson, Tennessee,from complications from several minorstrokesthe previous month. Among the mourners at his standing room only funeral atLambuth UniversitywereGeorge Harrison,Johnny CashandJune Carter Cash,Jerry Lee Lewis,Wynonna Judd,Sam Phillips,Ricky Skaggs,Brian Setzer,Garth Brooks,andBilly Ray Cyrus.During the service Cyrus and Skaggs performed, and the funeral ended with George Harrison performing an acoustic version of "Your True Love".Perkins was interred at Ridgecrest Cemetery in Jackson.

Perkins' widow, Valda deVere Perkins, died on November 15, 2005, in Jackson. Carl and Valda Perkins' son Greg (born January 15, 1959) died three days later at age 46 on November 18, 2005.

Guitar style

As a guitarist Perkins used finger picking, imitations of the pedal steel guitar,palm muting,arpeggios,advantageous use of open strings, single and doublestring bending,chromaticism,country and blues licks, andtritoneand other tonality clashing licks (short phrases that include notes from other keys and move in logical, often symmetric patterns).A rich vocabulary of chords including sixth and thirteenth chords, ninth and add nine chords, and suspensions, show up in rhythm parts and solos. Free use of syncopations, chord anticipations (arriving at a chord change before the other players, often by an eighth-note) andcrosspicking(repeating a three eighth-note pattern so that an accent falls variously on the upbeat or downbeat) were also in his bag of tricks.

Legacy

Historic marker commemorating Perkins alongside other famous peers

Continuation of the historic placard in tribute to Perkins

Perkins wrote his autobiography,Go, Cat, Go,published in 1996, in collaboration with music writer David McGee in 1996. Plans for a biographical film were announced by Santa Monica-based production company Fastlane Entertainment;it was slated for release in 2009.

In 2004,Rolling Stoneranked Perkins number 99 on itslist of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time.

Many of the Beatles' live shows were full of Rock 'N' Roll covers of Carl Perkins's songs such as 'Everybody's Trying To Be My Baby', 'Matchbox' and 'Honey Don't'.

His version of "Blue Suede Shoes" was included by theNational Recording Preservation Boardin theNational Recording Registryof theLibrary of Congressin 2006.

The Perkins family still owns his songs.

Drive-By Truckers,on their albumThe Dirty South,recorded a song about him, "Carl Perkins' Cadillac". The Carl Perkins Arena in Jackson, Tennessee, is named in his honor.

George Thorogood and the Destroyerscovered "Dixie Fried" on their 1985 albumMaverick.The Kentucky Headhunters also covered the song, as did Keith de Groot on his 1968 albumNo Introduction Necessary,withJimmy Pageon lead guitar and John Paul Jones on bass.

Ricky Nelsoncovered Perkins's "Boppin' the Blues" and "Your True Love" on his 1957 debut album,Ricky.

Perkins was portrayed by Johnny "Kid Memphis" Holiday in the 2005Johnny CashbiopicWalk the Line.

Perkins was honored with the "Lifetime Achievement" award during the Tennessee Music Awards event in 2018 at the University of Memphis Lambuth in Jackson, Tennessee.

Awards

The following recording by Carl Perkins was inducted into theGrammy Hall of Fame,which is a special Grammy award established in 1973 to honor recordings that are at least 25 years old and that have "qualitative or historical significance".

Carl Perkins: Grammy Hall of Fame Awards
Year Released	Title	Genre	Label	Year Inducted	Notes
1956	"Blue Suede Shoes"	Rock and Roll (single)	Sun Records	1986

Discography

Original albums

• Dance Album(1957)
• Whole Lotta Shakin'(1958)
• Country Boy's Dream(1967)
• Original Golden Hits(1969)
• On Top(Columbia, 1969)
• Carl Perkins' Greatest Hits(1969, re-recordings)
• Boppin' the Blues(1970, withNRBQ)
• My Kind of Country(Mercury, 1973)
• The Carl Perkins Show(1976)
• Mr. Country Rock(Demand, 1977)
• Ol' Blue Suede's Back(1978)
• Country Soul(1979)
• Rock 'N Gospel(1979)
• Cane Creek Glory Church(1979)
• Live at Austin City Limits(1981)
• That Rockin' Guitar Man(1981)
• TheMillion Dollar Quartet(withElvis Presley,Jerry Lee Lewis,andJohnny Cash) (1981)
• The Survivors(with Jerry Lee Lewis and Johnny Cash) (1982)
• Presenting Carl Perkins(Accord, 1982)
• Every Road(Joker, 1982)
• Goin' Back to Memphis(Joker, 1982)
• Boppin' the New Bleus(1982)
• Born to Boogie(O'Hara Records, 1982)
• This Ole House(1982)
• Presenting(1982)
• The Heart and Soul of Carl Perkins(Allegiance, 1983)
• Disciple in Blue Suede Shoes(1984)
• Gospel(1984)
• Carl Perkins(Dot, 1985)
• Class of '55(withRoy Orbison,Jerry Lee Lewis, and Johnny Cash) (1986)
• Original Sun Greatest Hits(1986)
• Blue Suede Shoes: A Rockabilly Session(1986)
• Up Through the Years 1954–57(1986)
• Born to Rock(1989)
• 706 Re-Union(withScotty Moore) (1990)
• Country Boy's Dream – The Dollie Masters(Bear Family, 1991)
• Friends, Family & Legends(1992)
• Carl Perkins & Sons(with Greg Perkins and Stan Perkins) (1993)
• Take Me Back(1993)
• Go Cat Go!(with various guest stars) (1996)
• The Silver Eagle Cross Country: Carl Perkins Live(1997)
• Live at Gilley's(1999)
• Live(2000)
• Back on Top– (Bear Family, 2000; 4 CDs, comprising 1968–1975)

Guest appearances

• Judds: Greatest Hits Volume II(1991)
• Philip Claypool: Perfect World(1999)

Charted albums

Year	Album	Peak chart positions			Label
		US	US Country	UK
1969	Carl Perkins' Greatest Hits(re-recordings)	—	32	—	Columbia
	On Top	—	42	—
	Original Golden Hits	—	43	—	Sun
1973	My Kind of Country	—	48	—	Mercury
1978	Ol' Blue Suede's Back	—	—	38	Columbia
1982	The Survivors Live (withJohnny CashandJerry Lee Lewis)	—	21	—	Columbia
1986	Class of '55 (with Jerry Lee Lewis,Roy Orbisonand Johnny Cash)	87	15	—	America/Mercury

Charted singles

Year	Single	Peak chart positions						Album
		US Billboard Country	US Billboard	US Cashbox	US Cashbox Country	CAN Country	UK
1956	"Blue Suede Shoes"	1	2	2	2	—	10	Dance Album of... Carl Perkins
	"Boppin' the Blues"	7	70	47	12	—	—
	"Dixie Fried"	10	—	—	15	—	—	Original Golden Hits
	"I'm Sorry, I'm Not Sorry"	flip	—	—	—	—	—	Blue Suede Shoes
1957	"Your True Love"	13	67	—	15	—	—	Dance Album of... Carl Perkins
	"Lend Me Your Comb"	—	—	60	—	—	—
1958	"Pink Pedal Pushers"	17	91	—	17	—	—	The King of Rock
1959	"Pointed Toe Shoes"	—	93	86	—	—	—
1966	"Country Boy's Dream"	22	—	—	—	—	—	Country Boy's Dream
1967	"Shine, Shine, Shine"	40	—	—	—	—	—
1969	"Restless"	20	—	—	—	—	—	Carl Perkins' Greatest Hits
1971	"Me Without You"	65	—	—	—	—	—	The Man Behind Johnny Cash
	"Cotton Top"	53	—	—	—	—	—
1972	"High on Love"	60	—	—	—	—	—	Single only
1973	"(Let's Get) Dixiefried"(1973 version)	61	—	—	—	—	—	My Kind of Country
1986	"Birth of Rock and Roll"	31	—	—	—	44	—	Class of '55
1987	"Class of '55"	83	—	—	—	—	—
1989	"Charlene"	—	—	—	—	74	—	Born to Rock

BillboardYear-end performances

Year	Song	Year-end Position
1956	"Blue Suede Shoes"	18

General and cited references

• Guterman, Jimmy (1998). "Carl Perkins".The Encyclopedia of Country Music.Paul Kingsbury, ed. New York: Oxford University Press. pp. 412–413.
• Naylor, Jerry;Halliday, Steve (2007).The Rockabilly Legends: They Called It Rockabilly Long Before They Called It Rock and Roll.Milwaukee, Wisc.: Hal Leonard.ISBN978-1-4234-2042-2.OCLC71812792.
• Pareles, Jon(January 20, 1998)."Carl Perkins Dies at 65; Rockabilly Pioneer Wrote 'Blue Suede Shoes'".New York Times.p. B12.RetrievedDecember 4,2009.
• Perkins, Carl; McGee, David (1996).Go, Cat, Go!.New York: Hyperion Press.ISBN0-7868-6073-1.OCLC32895064.

External links

• The Carl Perkins StoryatIMDb
• Carl Perkins biography
• Perkins's page at the Rockabilly Hall of Fame
• Carl Perkins bio at Rolling Stone
• Carl Perkins Biography at The History of Rock