Elvis's First Hit Has Fiftieth Birthday

Fifty years ago, Elvis Presley, guitarist Scotty Moore, and bass player Bill Black made music history when they recorded what would become the "king of rock n' roll's" first hit, "That's All Right." Over 1,250 radio stations celebrated Monday by simultaneously broadcasting the influential song to listeners throughout the United States.

Of course, the day was especially festive in Elvis's hometown of Memphis, where Scotty Moore kicked off the celebration at 11 AM CDT when he switched on an old reel-to-reel tape in the legendary Sun Studio. When Moore was asked if he knew he was making music history when he recorded "That's All Right," he laughed and said, "You gotta be kiddin'...My only ambition was to play music."After playing the recording, Moore performed alongside songwriter Billy Swan, country musician Ronnie McDowell, and D.J. Fontana, who was Elvis's first drummer. Many influential Memphis musicians and general music stars, including Justin Timberlake, attended the event.