It would be tough to talk about popular music, notably rock ‘n’ roll, without mentioning one of the most important musical figures of the 20th century: Elvis Presley. Dubbed the “King of Rock ‘N’ Roll,” Elvis wrote, recorded, and covered popular music from 1953 to 1977. His stardom was a global phenomenon and was the target of both laud and ire. Despite any controversy Elvis was subject to, his musical achievements were astronomical; he is regarded as the best-selling (in terms of claimed sales) solo musical artist ever. Elvis won three GRAMMY Awards, holds the record for most albums that charted on Billboard’s Hot 200, and is an inductee into pretty much every hall of fame related to the music he made. There’s no denying Elvis made some great hits.

If you’re eager to learn some of Elvis’ best songs, you’ve come to the right place! With some of JamPlay’s top educators, you can learn songs by Elvis note-for-note at a pace that’s right for you. Let’s take a look at some Elvis Presley song lessons!

“That’s All Right Mama” by Elvis Presley – Song Lesson – JamPlay

The song, “That’s All Right” was originally written and performed by blues performer, Arther Crudup in 1949. But, as the story goes, Elvis recorded his version of it on a whim while paying for studio time at Memphis Recording Service in 1953. A few days after it was recorded, a popular Memphis DJ, Dewey Phillips spun Elvis’ version for the first time, which resulted in calls flooding into the radio station. “That’s All Right” became Elvis and his trio’s debut single.

In this lesson, John Auker shows you how to play “That’s All Right” on guitar. For the full breakdown with tab & notation, check out John’s lesson on JamPlay!

“Heartbreak Hotel” by Elvis Presley – Song Lesson – JamPlay

Elvis has started his recording career with Memphis-based label, Sun Records. But in order to gain recognition on a national level, he needed partners that had the means to get him there. He signed with RCA Victor in 1955, and released his first breakthrough single, “Heartbreak Hotel” in January of 1956. Upon its debut, this smash hit spent seven weeks at the top of Billboard’s US Hot 100. Over its lifetime, “Heartbreak Hotel” earned its place in the GRAMMY Hall of Fame, made its way into Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Songs of All Time, and has gone double platinum in the US.

In this guitar lesson, Chris Liepe shows you how to play “Heartbreak Hotel” in its entirety. For the full breakdown, check out his in-depth lesson on JamPlay!

For more Song Lessons, check out JamPlay.com! JamPlay has over 450 guitar courses from 120+ instructors, and online guitar lessons tailored to every skill level, music genre, and playing style. Click here to learn more.

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