King Of The Whole World
04-09-2012, 06:31 PM
Interesting interview on The Crickets and Elvis. Below is the part where the drummer for the Crickets talked about Elvis. To read the whole interview click on the link.
http://m.lubbockonline.com/entertainment/2012-04-08/crickets-affected-opening-elvis
A-J: Didn’t you also open for Elvis Presley? What was that like? What was Elvis like?
Allison: We did open for Elvis once at the Fair Park Coliseum. It was great fun. We were already huge Elvis fans by then. When Elvis was in town before, he, Jim Ed Brown and maybe a few others, came out to the Cotton Club and performed after their Fair Park show. Seems like they picked up an extra $25. We, the Riverside Ranch Hands, had played dance music while awaiting the stars. Buddy had been to the (Fair Park) show and also came out to the Cotton Club afterward. We hung around until the whole place was about to shut down, but we did get to sit around and talk to Elvis. This was before Elvis hired D.J. (Fontana) to play drums. I boldly asked why he didn’t have a drummer, and Elvis said, “Man, if I did, I’d sound just like Bill Haley.” Buddy wanted to be like Elvis so badly that he made me sit out sometimes, just so he, Sonny and Don Guess would sound more like the records. Along came D.J., and things were back to normal.
Mauldin: Buddy and J.I. were the opening act on a concert headlined by Elvis before I ever became a member of the Crickets. I was at the concert, but not yet part of the group.
A-J: How did your music change after hearing Elvis? What sort of influence did he have?
Mauldin: I played mostly country music. But after I saw and heard Elvis, that was the only kind of music I wanted to play.
http://m.lubbockonline.com/entertainment/2012-04-08/crickets-affected-opening-elvis
A-J: Didn’t you also open for Elvis Presley? What was that like? What was Elvis like?
Allison: We did open for Elvis once at the Fair Park Coliseum. It was great fun. We were already huge Elvis fans by then. When Elvis was in town before, he, Jim Ed Brown and maybe a few others, came out to the Cotton Club and performed after their Fair Park show. Seems like they picked up an extra $25. We, the Riverside Ranch Hands, had played dance music while awaiting the stars. Buddy had been to the (Fair Park) show and also came out to the Cotton Club afterward. We hung around until the whole place was about to shut down, but we did get to sit around and talk to Elvis. This was before Elvis hired D.J. (Fontana) to play drums. I boldly asked why he didn’t have a drummer, and Elvis said, “Man, if I did, I’d sound just like Bill Haley.” Buddy wanted to be like Elvis so badly that he made me sit out sometimes, just so he, Sonny and Don Guess would sound more like the records. Along came D.J., and things were back to normal.
Mauldin: Buddy and J.I. were the opening act on a concert headlined by Elvis before I ever became a member of the Crickets. I was at the concert, but not yet part of the group.
A-J: How did your music change after hearing Elvis? What sort of influence did he have?
Mauldin: I played mostly country music. But after I saw and heard Elvis, that was the only kind of music I wanted to play.