Elvis’s First Guitarist, Scotty Moore, Dies at 84

“I started out on an acoustic guitar, then I heard Scotty Moore and I went electric,” said Keith Richards, Rolling Stones.
Elvis’s First Guitarist, Scotty Moore, Dies at 84
Musician Scotty Moore meets with the press at the 50th Anniversary of Rock 'N Roll Reunion celebration on July 5, 2004 at Sun Studio in Memphis, Tennessee. Mike Brown/Getty Images
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Scotty Moore, the lead guitarist on all the Elvis Presley Sun Records recordings, passed away on June 28. He was 84.  

Moore had been struggling with deteriorating health before he died in his Nashville home on Tuesday, according to the Memphis Commercial Appeal. The news of Moore’s death was confirmed by friend and Phillips Recording Service engineer Matt Ross-Spang, via Instagram.

“We lost one of the finest people I have ever met today,” Ross-Spang captioned a photo of the pair. “I was lucky to call you a friend and I’m very glad I got to see you just a few days ago. The guitarist that changed the world... especially mine; I hope you don’t mind if I keep stealing your licks. Love you Scotty.”

Moore, whose full name is Winfield Scott Moore III was born on Dec. 27, 1931, in Tennessee and began playing the guitar at 8 years old. After he was discharged from the Navy in 1952, he resided in Memphis, where he, Doug Poindexter, and future Elvis bassist Bill Black formed the country band, Starlite Wranglers. Subsequently, he became friends with Sam Phillips of the Memphis Recording Service, commonly referred to as Sun Studios.

Moore was introduced to Elvis Presley via Phillips at Sun Records. Moore ended up working with Presley for 14 years, even serving as his first manager in the beginning stages of Presley’s career. During the span of his illustrious career, Moore collaborated with Charlie Rich, Jerry Lee Lewis, Tommy James, and Ringo Starr.

Elvis Presley performs on tour in the summer of 1957, with Scotty Moore on guitar, left, and Bill Black on the stand up bass, right. (AP Photo/File)
Elvis Presley performs on tour in the summer of 1957, with Scotty Moore on guitar, left, and Bill Black on the stand up bass, right. AP Photo/File