Introduction
B.B. King and Elvis Presley: A Legacy of Integrity Beyond the Rumors
For decades, B.B. King faced the same persistent question about Elvis Presley: Did the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll steal Black music and ride it to the top? B.B. knew Elvis personally, having watched his rise from the very beginning in Memphis and played private guitar sessions with him at the Las Vegas Hilton. When B.B. finally addressed the issue in his autobiography, his answer surprised many: he called Elvis a man of integrity who never stole anything from anyone.
Their relationship began in the early 1950s at Sam Phillips’s Sun Studio in Memphis. B.B., already a well-known DJ on Beale Street, frequently ran into a shy teenager with a thick Southern accent. Though Elvis was polite—always addressing B.B. as “sir”—B.B. initially thought his singing and guitar playing were just decent. However, Elvis possessed a unique habit: he sat quietly in the corner, intently absorbing every detail from the musicians around him.
By December 1956, Elvis was a massive star, yet he attended the WDIA Goodwill Review—an all-Black charity event in Memphis raising money for children in need. After being unexpectedly called onstage, the auditorium erupted. B.B. later noted that for a young white man to show up at an all-Black event in the 1950s South took real courage, demonstrating genuine pride in his musical roots.
Despite their mutual respect, a damaging rumor circulated claiming Elvis made racist remarks about Black people. In 1957, Jet magazine investigated the claim. Elvis explicitly denied it, giving credit to Black artists like Fats Domino and acknowledging that Rock ‘n’ Roll existed long before him. Fellow Black musicians supported Elvis, and Jet concluded the rumor was completely false. B.B. agreed, explaining that music belongs to the world; Elvis was simply so talented that everything he played became a hit.
Their bond extended far beyond public statements. In 1972, Elvis helped B.B. secure a gig at the Las Vegas Hilton lounge. After their respective shows, B.B. would bring his guitar, Lucille, up to Elvis’s suite. Late into the night, with no cameras or press, the two played blues songs together. B.B. fondly joked that they were the original “Blues Brothers,” noting that Elvis knew more blues songs than almost anyone in the business.
When B.B. King declared in his autobiography that Elvis was a man of integrity, it carried profound weight. Coming from a legend who endured segregation and built his career from scratch, B.B.’s verdict was clear: Elvis did not steal Black music—he simply honored the roots that shaped him.