Elvis Presley often used his guitar as a prop, before abandoning it completely in the Las Vegas stage of his career, but it turns out that he could really play the instrument. Nobody would call him a virtuoso, but he could do more than just bang on it and break strings.
From his "Comeback Special" in 1968:
Steve
One doesn't want to discourage your fan's sensibilities, and posting a first wave Baby Boomer's music.
Elvis was great, no doubt.
But, honestly, anyone who plays guitar wouldn't be holding out Elvis' playing here as anything much beyond the first lesson or two. No, Steve, this isn't an example of ow Elvis could "really play the instrument" unless you mean able to do what a fifth grader can do with a lesson or two.
Playing three chords, and letting others play the fills, is beyond incredibly easy.
That's not to say that Elvis wasn't great. He was. And, he made it look good. But, as a guitar player? Let's not let our fan sensibilities color every aspect of truth in this world!
Posted by: anon | April 20, 2019 at 08:29 PM
Anon,
Your comment went overboard in claiming that Steve's post went overboard. While Elvis wouldn't be confused here for Hendrix, Clapton, or Page, his playing is well above "a lesson or two." Although most of what he plays on the hollowbody electric is sloppy to say the least, his strumming/ picking on "That's Alright" is decent. Notice also that he plays the fills at the end of the I-IV-V progressions in "Baby What you Want Me...."
And playing chords and letting others play the fills is sort of ... a thing ... in a four-piece band with a lead singer playing rhythm guitar. See Beatles, Soundgarden, Lenny Kravitz, Metallica, etc., etc.
Again, not nearly a virtuoso, but certainly not a fifth grader with a lesson or two.
Posted by: formersemiproguitarlawprof | April 22, 2019 at 03:16 PM
Semi
On That' Alright I didn't see any finger picking, he's just strumming and not very completely. More like keeping time on the strings.
On Baby what you want, you can see he isn't doing anything but strumming at the end of the progression at 1:35 (I couldn't see the first one and didn't go thru the whole song).
I think Elvis was awesome.
Obviously, Elvis had talents we didn't even come close to having ... hence, we are commenting on one of Steve's nostalgia music posts, and not luxuriating in a Graceland.
Guitar player? Not so much.
Here's someone's idea of it:
youtube [DOTCOM] /watch?v=5Jd9AmepgdM
Posted by: anon | April 22, 2019 at 11:11 PM
Well, he's a middling guitarist and yet a musical genius and legend. Now, that's talent.
Posted by: Anonx | April 23, 2019 at 10:01 PM