Introduction
For decades, one of the most damaging stories surrounding Elvis Presley was a racist remark he was allegedly supposed to have made about African Americans. According to the rumor, Elvis supposedly claimed that Black people were only good for buying his records and shining his shoes. The accusation was explosive, especially because Elvis became famous by performing a style of music deeply influenced by Black artists.
But there was one problem: nobody could prove he had ever said it.
No recording, newspaper transcript, reliable witness, or contemporary document could be produced to establish that Elvis had actually made the statement. Nevertheless, the story spread rapidly during the 1950s, becoming accepted as fact through repetition.
B.B. King offered a very different perspective.
Long before Elvis became a global superstar, King was already an important figure in Memphis. He arrived in the city in 1946 and later became a radio personality at WDIA, one of the first stations in America created specifically for a Black audience. From that position, King was deeply connected to Memphis’s Black community and its vibrant musical culture.
He also encountered Elvis before the young singer became famous.
In his autobiography, King remembered seeing Elvis around the Memphis Recording Service, where both musicians spent time working on music. King described Elvis as quiet, polite, and somewhat shy. Rather than behaving arrogantly, Elvis appeared more interested in listening and learning. King did not portray him as a close friend at that stage, but his memories gave an unusually personal glimpse into Elvis’s early years.
One of the strongest moments came in December 1956, when Elvis attended WDIA’s Goodwill Revue in Memphis. The event raised money for Black children and featured major African-American performers. Elvis was invited onto the stage, where he stood alongside B.B. King in front of a huge Black audience. For King, Elvis’s presence and respectful behavior offered little support for the ugly image created by the rumor.
The following year, Jet magazine investigated the accusation directly. Elvis denied making the statement, and Black musicians who had worked with him also rejected the claim. The magazine concluded that the rumor had no factual foundation.
King’s own opinion remained remarkably clear. He rejected the idea that Elvis had stolen Black music, arguing instead that music was a shared cultural heritage. Elvis had absorbed the blues and gospel traditions he encountered growing up and transformed them through his own personality and performance style.
Their relationship continued long after Elvis became famous. In 1972, Elvis reportedly helped King secure a prestigious engagement in Las Vegas. Later, the two musicians spent hours playing blues together privately.
B.B. King’s testimony does not erase the complicated racial history surrounding rock and roll. But it reminds us that history should be examined through evidence, not repetition. Sometimes, the most powerful challenge to a famous rumor comes from someone who was actually there.