James Burton plays with the TCB band in Paris at La Cigalle, September 23 at 20:00

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These ticket prices are gross.

I'm sorry but I think the original band of Elvis Presley was Scotty Moore, Bill Black, and DJ Fontana later on the drums. Don't know exactly when James Burton came on the scene but these were the original members first recorded by Sam Phillips at Sun records in Memphis Tennessee some time in the later 50's, and I feel it somewhat of an insult to these three key members to say Burton was an original.

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rob51
I'm sorry but I think the original band of Elvis Presley was Scotty Moore, Bill Black, and DJ Fontana later on the drums. Don't know exactly when James Burton came on the scene but these were the original members first recorded by Sam Phillips at Sun records in Memphis Tennessee some time in the later 50's, and I feel it somewhat of an insult to these three key members to say Burton was an original.

Elvis put the TCB Band together in '69 when he headed off to Vegas. I think Burton (and maybe John Wilkerson?) were only the two constant members through '77 - oh, with Charlie Hodge on harmony vocals, acoustic guitar, and scarf-supplying, of course. The other core guys were Ronnie Tutt, Jerry Scheff, and Glenn Hardin (though they came and went along the way), along with various back-up singers (Stamps, Voice, Sweet Inspirations, etc) and the orchestra.

So yeah, while the TCB Band wasn't Elvis' original band from '54-'57, James was an original member of Elvis' second band.

Hell, I'd love to see him just to hear him play the "Tiger Man" solo. Total Tele heaven.

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rob51
I'm sorry but I think the original band of Elvis Presley was Scotty Moore, Bill Black, and DJ Fontana later on the drums. Don't know exactly when James Burton came on the scene but these were the original members first recorded by Sam Phillips at Sun records in Memphis Tennessee some time in the later 50's, and I feel it somewhat of an insult to these three key members to say Burton was an original.

It wasn't the 'later 50's' He joined RCA in 1956, I think. Scotty Moore, Bill Black and DJ Fontana were with Elvis from 1954 through to the early 1960's.

Yes, Burton wasn't am original member of Elvis' backup, but he has plenty of genuine rock n' roll credentials: Dale Hawkins and Suzie Q, all those fabulous Ricky Nelson recordings, etc.

I knew Ricky Nelson and how exited he was about James Burton, then a young kid from Shreveport, LA. I believe that it was Rick's records where Elvis first heard Burton playing. Everyone who knew or worked in music recognized that Burton was really special.

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Big Al

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rob51
I'm sorry but I think the original band of Elvis Presley was Scotty Moore, Bill Black, and DJ Fontana later on the drums. Don't know exactly when James Burton came on the scene but these were the original members first recorded by Sam Phillips at Sun records in Memphis Tennessee some time in the later 50's, and I feel it somewhat of an insult to these three key members to say Burton was an original.

It wasn't the 'later 50's' He joined RCA in 1956, I think. Scotty Moore, Bill Black and DJ Fontana were with Elvis from 1954 through to the early 1960's.

Yes, Burton wasn't am original member of Elvis' backup, but he has plenty of genuine rock n' roll credentials: Dale Hawkins and Suzie Q, all those fabulous Ricky Nelson recordings, etc.

No: Bill Black left in 1957, to form the Bill Black Combo; one of the first acts to be signed to Hi Records. I think Buddy Harmon, or bob Moore, played bass on Don't, A Fool Such As I, A Big Hunk Of Love, Need Your Love Tonight. Scotty and DJ were with Elvis, on and off, until 1968.

On the Elvis Is Back album, Scotty and DJ were augmented by the Nashville Sound musicians, i.e. Boots Randolph and Floyd Cramer. For most of the movie soundtracks it was a combination of Scotty, DJ, Tommy Tedesco, Jerry Kennedy, The Jordanaires, and, sometimes, The Mello Men.

The How Great Thou Art album was recorded in Nashville, but it had a combination of The Jordanaires, The Imperials, Millie Kirkham, and Nashville Sound musicians. Elvis' cover of Bob Dylan's TomorroW Is Such A Long Time was recorded at the same time, and has Jerry Kennedy on dobro to brilliant effect. Guitar Man, US Male, Big Boss Man had Elvis augmented with Jerry Reed.

The 68 Comeback Special had the unplugged section with Scotty, DJ, Charlie Hodge, but the pre-recorded sections were LA based session musicians. With the 1969 Memphis Sessions, the American Studios band backed Elvis.

With regards James Burton and Elvis: James appeared also with Delaney Bramlett and Leon Russell as the Shindogs, the musicians on the Shindig television show. He also did an instrumental album with Ralph Mooney, he of Crazy Arms songwriting fame, and he was a well-known session musician: it's James that plays country licks on the Buffalo Springfield tune, A Child's Claim to Fame.

Why would you not go to see James. It befuddles the mind.
He's a true country gentleman...we're lucky he even performs for us bastards

Like Elvis used to emphatically say quite often...'Dig in James'

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Munichhilton
Why would you not go to see James. It befuddles the mind.
He's a true country gentleman...we're lucky he even performs for us bastards

Like Elvis used to emphatically say quite often...'Dig in James'

Gentleman or not, original member or not: the man still plays very good. And in case people forgot he was (together with Johnnie Johnson) inducted to the R&R Hall of Fame by KR: "I never bought a Ricky Nelson record I bought a James Burton record!"..."Leo Fender had no idea what he was making for the man that really knows how to play the Telecaster..."
"Sidemen? Call them what you will.. Best musicians in the world; James Burton, Johnnie Johnson."

"pick it for me, James", as Gram Parsons extolled on Return of The Grievous Angel.