Introduction
JAMES BURTON BREAKS SILENCE: THE TRUTH ABOUT ELVIS HE NEVER TOLD UNTIL NOW
After decades of silence, guitar legend James Burton—now 85—has opened up about the most important musical and personal partnership of his life: his years with Elvis Presley. Burton wasn’t just another musician in Elvis’s band—he was the guitarist the King called on when it mattered most. Whenever Elvis shouted, “Play it, James!” on stage, it was Burton who delivered unforgettable solos with precision, grace, and heart. Now, the man behind the strings is finally revealing what it was like being beside Elvis in his final years.
James’s journey began in the small town of Dubberly, Louisiana. Born with a gift for music, he taught himself to play guitar by ear and quickly stood out. Before he was 18, he had already written the iconic riff to “Suzie Q,” a cornerstone of rock history. His career skyrocketed when he became the lead guitarist for teen idol Ricky Nelson. But it was his work with Elvis Presley that would cement his legacy in music history.
In 1969, Elvis invited James to lead his band for his Las Vegas comeback. Burton agreed—and ended up playing hundreds of shows with Elvis until the King’s death in 1977. More than a colleague, James became a trusted friend. He recalls Elvis not as a distant star, but as a warm, caring man who always looked after his band. “He cared,” Burton says. “He’d ask about your family. He’d make sure you were okay.”
James remembers Elvis’s passion for gospel music, the joy he found performing live, and the deep sadness that lingered in his final days. That final show in Indianapolis in June 1977 still haunts him—he didn’t know it would be the last. “He gave it his all,” James recalls. “And when he turned to me and said ‘Play it, James’… I didn’t know that would be goodbye.”
Now, with age and reflection, James Burton is finally sharing these untold stories—offering fans a deeper, more personal look at Elvis Presley: not just the legend, but the man behind the music.