Other than Carl’s book this is the only other book that focuses on Perkins, which is deeply needed. I found this book very informative. It was also the perfect length. I’m not an expert on Carl Perkins, but the book seemed well research. Although, he did mention that Elvis was 300lbs, which is totally inaccurate. Anyway, if you love music, especially early R&R, than you will enjoy this book.

This is an extremely well-researched biography of Carl Perkins that looks not only at his life growing up, but at his music and even some individual concerts. His relationships with and influence on Elvis and the Beatles are also explored, as well as his friendship with Johnny Cash.

Carl's struggles with alcohol are well known, but we also learn of his rock-solid marriage and a wife who stood by him always. I was interested to learn about his ups and downs in the music business, and his influence on so many legends.

All in all, this is a very interesting biography. It could get too detailed at times, and a little dry. Overall, though, this is a great story.
Recommend.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. My review is voluntary and the opinions expressed are my own.

If you think you know rock and roll, Carl Perkins’ story will blow your mind! *Mr. Blue Suede Shoes* dives into the life of the King of Rockabilly himself, the guy whose music inspired legends like the Beatles and Johnny Cash. From his humble Tennessee beginnings to becoming a Sun Studio icon and part of the “Million Dollar Quartet,” Perkins’ journey is packed with triumphs, heartbreaks, and unforgettable hits. This book not only celebrates his trailblazing talent but also sheds light on his personal struggles and friendships with rock legends. A must-read for music lovers and history buffs alike!

This was a quick read. What a gift the Beatles gave him when they recorded three of his songs. They made him and his music famous. A humble and unpretentious musician, Carl wrote probably three of the most lasting rock n roll songs in history. Anyone who loves music will love this book! Carl Perkins, what a great artist and musician.

I loved! this book!

While this was not a brilliant piece of literature, it was a fascinating look at the life of Carl Perkins. Carl was quite a humble genius and made friends throughout the music industry. Too many to mention, but I loved learning about his collaboration and friendship with The Beatles. Recommended.

“’I had only three childhood idols,’ John [Lennon] would tell a friend. ‘Elvis, Carl Perkins, and Jerry Lee Lewis.’ Paul McCartney would go one step further: ‘If there were no Carl Perkins,’ he’d state, ‘there would be no Beatles.’”

When I saw this book, I felt a slight buzzing at the back of my mind. Huh. Carl Perkins. Have I heard of him? Sounds familiar, but...? And then I read the synopsis, which said that he wrote Blue Suede Shoes, and was the first one to perform it. I went to my streaming service and typed it in; since he wasn’t the one to have made the song iconic, I figured his rendition of it would sound lame. But no! No, it didn’t. So now I knew that I had to read this biography.

My thanks go to NetGalley and Kensington Books for the review copy. This book will be available tomorrow, November 26, 2024.

Perkins was born in 1932, grew up the son of a Tennessee sharecropper, and starting at age 6, he worked in the cotton fields with his family all day, “from can to can’t.” Had he not, he and his family might have starved. This was a time when no governmental safety net existed, nor did child labor laws. The man who would become his closest friend, John Cash—who would perform and record as Johnny—lived in nearly identical circumstances across the Mississippi River in Arkansas. The only good aspect of this grueling life was the singing. His family sang with the other field laborers, who were mostly African American, and while still a child talked his father into purchasing a guitar.

Perkins was 21 years old when he went to Memphis, where Sam Phillips, founder of Sun Records, had advertised that he would record anyone, anywhere, any time. He had some original music that Phillips liked; not long afterward, he and his wife, Valda, heard his record on the radio. Perkins said, “Valda, she dropped the baby, and I like to fainted.”

Phillips had three other promising musicians signed, and they got to know one another well, sometimes performing together. The other men were Johnny Cash, Elvis Presley, and Jerry Lee Lewis. The first two became Carl’s lifelong friends; Lewis was unpredictable, sometimes violent, and Perkins avoided him when he could. But on one occasion, when the four were together, Lewis complained that the three men with guitars could move around, whereas he was stuck at his piano. Perkins asked him whether he could play standing up, and suggested he “make a fuss” while he did it, advice which altered and improved Lewis’s career.

Perkins’s hit original song, “Blue Suede Shoes,” sold millions, and Perkins was on his way; but just as his momentum was growing, he and his brothers were in a serious car wreck and hospitalized. Once Perkins was able to play again, he felt that loyalty demanded he wait for his brothers—his bandmates—to heal. By the time they could play again, Elvis had also recorded the song, and his career was catapulted into the stratosphere. For a while it appeared that Perkins’s career was finished, but soon help came from an unlikely source: The Beatles wanted to meet him. They wanted to record his songs. They looked up to him as a mentor, and became his lifelong friends.

Reading about Perkins, I am amazed at his capacity to remain grounded and retain the values with which he was raised. Some men would have resented Elvis, but Perkins was delighted for him—and enjoyed the royalties when Presley recorded and performed Perkins’s music. How many men, raised in such horrifying poverty, would place family loyalty over fame and fortune? How many could be so reasonable? Perkins later said that when he saw Elvis perform, he could see why the man was rising so quickly. Elvis was immaculately turned out, and the girls went crazy for him. Perkins wasn’t much to look at, and he knew it, and he would never flirt with his audience, because “I was a married man.” And indeed, he remained faithful to Valda for all the decades of their lives together, and he counted himself lucky to have her. Meanwhile, the royalties from the Beatles, Elvis, and others enabled him to buy a modest but much loved house for himself, Valda, and their growing family, and later he would be able to do the same for his parents. And as it happened, his career as a performer was not dead, only sleeping.

I have read many musicians’ biographies and memoirs, and all of them had greater name recognition than Perkins; but from what I can see, Perkins was the most decent person among them. This is not to detract from others, but seriously…what a nice guy!

Meanwhile, author Jeff Apter writes in an intimate, conversational way that makes this book surprisingly hard to put down, and his research is beyond reproach. Highly recommended.

An in-depth biography of Carl Perkins, the man who "invented" rock and roll. Not only does it cover Carl's life but many stories and anecdotes of the other musical legends of that time; Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, Roy Orbison and Little Richard. There are also many fond memories invoked of the Beatles especially George Harrison. An excellent book which would make a great stocking filler at this time of the year.

My thanks to Net Galley and Kensington for allowing me this arc.

I really enjoyed this. Very well researched. Enjoyed the nostalgic stories of Elvis, Jerry Lee, Johnny, Roy, and the Beatles!! Highly recommended.

Carl Perkins, a member of the Million Dollar Quartet, lived a life many readers probably think they know but will be surprised as they turn the pages of this in depth book. I had no idea that he had been such an influence on so many musicians from so many different genres.
Not only was he respected as a musical artist and song writer but also an upstanding human who came from humble beginnings and never forgot his roots. In fact, he lived his whole life in one corner of Tennessee among friends and neighbors he grew up with. Never one to seek the spotlight, the stage was one of his homes - where he played music with his contemporaries, his sons and many more stars. His life seems to have been a story of 'the best of times and the worst of times '. Carl Perkins was a man of great inner strength and definitely deep love.
This spotlight on the REAL Carl Perkins sets a high bar to which we all should strive. A great book.

As the first expansive biography of Carl Perkins, this book does not disappoint. The author recounts Mr Perkins life in an engaging and easy to read style that makes the reader feel as though they are walking alongside the man through his life. The book shows Perkins to have been a kind and decent man who’s career was overshadowed by his flashier peers. Despite his personal and career struggles Perkins remains easy to root for throughout the book due to his fundamental decency that shines through in every chapter via the words of those who knew him.
The only thing that kept this book from rating 5 stars for me was the sometimes unnecessary repetition of information relayed earlier in the book, sometimes only pages apart.
Overall this was a fine account of the life of a man who despite his esteem among his peers never found sustained popular success. Highly recommended.

My thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for an advance copy of this biography on an unfairly overlooked musician who was at the beginning of a movement, a man who influenced many, dealt with many tragedies, and yet continued to be a man who helped others, loved others and kept on being true to himself and his music.

The Gods who oversee rock n' roll music can be very fickle. Some become famous and stay famous. Some fade away. Some die early, and some hang on, performing wherever and whenever they can, singing louder over the talking crowds, but still keeping real. Others have an almost Schrödinger's cat existence, famous to other musicians, still popular to tour, but not really thought of as being around. And then you get Carl Perkins. Perkins career was a little bit of everything, highs, lows, bad luck, bad labels, strong and influential fans, and a friends. Perkins also had something that many lack. A strong family, and a strong feeling of what was right, in his life, for his family and for his music. Carl Perkins: The King of Rockabilly by writer and music historian Jeff Apter is a look at this talented performer, a musician whose unique style helped to forment a musical revolution, even if he was left behind.

Carl Perkins was born in Tennessee in a house that kept out neither cold nor water. His parents were sharecroppers and Perkins grew up working in the cotton fields picking and harvesting with many African Americans, who broke up the monotonous days with songs. Songs that touched Perkins in ways that he couldn't describe but gave him a love for music, and rhythm, for with music anything can be done. Perkins surfed the radio his parents owned at night to hear music from far away places, blues songs, jazz, music that would stay in his head and show later in his playing. Perkins learned guitar on a cheap two string, and took lessons from another sharecropper, who taught him blues licks and volume. Perkins drafted his brothers into playing honky tonks, dodging bottles taught him to move, and how to play to keep the fighting down, the dancing high, and the beer flowing. Running out of cover songs to perform Perkins began to write songs, and with his wife's encouragement, traveled to Sam Phillips and Sun Records to record his songs. Soon a song about shoes "Blue Suede Shoes" in fact, became a huge hit, but just as things were going right, tragedy in a car accident changed Perkins career.

I knew about Cark Perkins, but never knew much about the man, nor the influence he had on others. A man who Paul McCartney said "If there were no Carl Perkins, there would be no Beatles." I really had no idea about the influence nor the many songs that Perkins did. Nor that he was a part of Johnny Cash's band for so long. This is a very well-written and really well-researched biography. There is a real you-are-there scenes in the book, both happy, recording songs, and sad, the car accident that derailed his career, the loss of his brothers. What comes across most is that no matter what, Perkins was a man who loved his family, and loved being able to help others. Numerous charities, helping bandmates, building a house for his parents. A very wonderful biography about a man with love in his heart, and rock n roll to his soul.

Kensington Publishing provided an early galley for review.

Apter is no stranger to writing about the world of music. He has worked on over thirty titles, many biographies ranging from the Bee Gees to Angus Young. With such a track record, I felt like I was in good hands when checking out his latest that dives back into the roots of rock 'n' roll.

I appreciate that the author sticks to the facts and only embellishes the details when needed to set the mood and tone. Like rockabilly itself, this telling of Perkins' story moves fast while keeping the reader engaged. I know I certainly learned a lot of music history here, especially about the interconnected paths of Perkins and so many other music legends.

Well researched biography of one of the unsung heroes of early rock'n'roll. Expertly balancing Carl's personal life and his music, Jeff Apter paints a vivid picture of this Rockabilly pioneer. I've been a Carl Perkins fan for decades, owning nearly every album and compilation but it had been a while since I'd listened to his music. Not only did I listen to a Carl Perkins playlist while I read, the book also inspired me to again watch "Blue Suede Shoes: A Rockabilly Session" available on YouTube. This biography is well worth the time for fans of early rock'n'roll, Carl Perkins, The Beatles or any of the stable of early Sun Records artists. Highly Recommended

Thanks to NetGalley and Citadel for an advanced reader copy.

Finally a biography worthy of the legend himself:

Other than Carl Perkins' autobiography written in the 1980's, there is no mainstream book in the Perkins canon. Longtime music writer Jeff Apter changed that with his biography on the life of Carl Perkins.

While Perkins only had a few hit singles and could never rekindle that success on future albums, he is mostly remembered for creating the "Rockabilly Sound" at Sun Records along with influencing so many future bands and musicians. Most notable are the Beatles, who covered a number of his songs in the early 1960s. Perkins is in every music Hall of Fame imaginable, His most notable songs are "Blue Suede Shoes," "Matchbox," and Everybody's Trying to Be My Baby," which were successful in sales for him, but even more so for other bands who covered him.

In interviews, Perkins sometimes never let the truth get in the way of an amusing embellished story, but Apter has a comprehensive bibliography and does note on several occasions of inaccuracies.

Perkins comes across as a humble man, who arose from abject poverty, endured his share of tragedies, but remained grounded in his faith, family, and his wife of over 40 years. He also was involved in humanitarian work through fundraising as well.

I do concur with another reviewer that the prose is somewhat dry. The book also drags at times when Apter becomes repetitive about who all Perkins influenced. I will concede it is hard to capture Perkins' greatness in prose for those who have never listened to him.

This book is a must read for any fan of Carl Perkins, rockabilly music, or the early days of country music. Kudos to Kensington Books for green-lighting the project. A biography for Carl was way overdue.

I received this ARC from Kensington Books in exchange for an honest review.

4 stars.

As a music fan, I knew who Carl Perkins was and was interested in learning more about him. Plus, The Beatles covered some of his songs and The Beatles were my favorite band for a very long time. I am 47 years old, and after I turned 13 years old, I purchased all there albums with some of Bar Mitzvah money! I added books, memorabilia, and posters to my Beatles collection throughout the years. As I have gotten older, I am not as big as a fan as I used to be. I still like music, don’t get me wrong, especially 60’s, but I tend to skip over Beatles songs. Maybe I am just Beatled Out!

I rarely stop and screenshot quotes from books, but this one had two that popped out to me:

“If there were no Carl Perkins, there would be no Beatles.” – Paul McCartney.

“If it hadn’t been for your daddy, I would have never picked up the guitar.” – George Harrison to Stan Perkins, Carl’s son.

I really enjoyed learning more about his life and how some of his hit songs came to be. Carl was one of the first major stars from Sun Records and Sam Phillips, the founder. Yes, also on that short list is Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Johnny Cash. It was Carl who suggested to Lewis to not just sit still at the piano! It was a Carl recording session with Jerry Lee Lewis playing on a song, and Elvis was just hanging in the control room. Elvis then moved to the studio to jam and Sam Phillips called Johnny Cash to come in asap, and that was how the million dollar quartet came to be!

Carl had some bad things happen to him (car accidents, drinking, and close friends and family dying), but he never gave up. He was also totally dedicated to his wife and kids.

Unfortunately, after he recorded Blue Suede Shoes in 1955, he never had another hit and he also switched record companies a few times. Despite that, he did get back by playing with Johnny Cash, and later Carl turned solo with his own group, The CP Express, which his son’s were in! How awesome is that! When he first started, Carl’s bandmates were his brothers.

Overall, I enjoyed it and it was a quick and easy read for me.

I LOVED this book! I don’t normally read biographies but how could I resist the story of the man who wrote “Blue Suede Shoes”?
Wow. I didn’t know anything about him and I’m glad that I read this. He had a difficult life but he left such an impact on music.
Many thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for a complimentary copy of the book. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

Jeff Apter's Carl Perkins: The King of Rockabilly is an essential read for anyone interested in the roots of rock 'n' roll and the profound impact of one of its earliest pioneers. Perkins, often overshadowed by his contemporaries like Elvis Presley and Johnny Cash, is finally given his due in this detailed and insightful biography.

Born into a poor sharecropping family in Tennessee, Carl Perkins' rise to fame is nothing short of extraordinary. From learning blues guitar from a fellow field hand to penning the iconic "Blue Suede Shoes," Perkins' story is one of perseverance, talent, and an unwavering love for music. Apter expertly chronicles Perkins' early days performing in honky-tonks, his time at Sun Studio in Memphis, and his place in the legendary "Million Dollar Quartet" alongside Elvis, Cash, and Jerry Lee Lewis.

The book delves deep into the triumphs and tragedies of Perkins' life, painting a vivid picture of the man behind the music. His career was not without its challenges, including a devastating car crash that nearly derailed his burgeoning success. Despite these setbacks, Perkins' influence on the music world remained steadfast, with artists like The Beatles, Bob Dylan, and Eric Clapton citing him as a major inspiration.

Apter's narrative is rich with insider details, exploring not only Perkins' musical achievements but also his personal battles and humanitarian efforts. This biography offers readers a comprehensive look at the man who, as Paul McCartney famously said, played a pivotal role in the birth of rock 'n' roll.

For those interested in the history of Rock 'n' Roll Highway 67, Carl Perkins: The King of Rockabilly is a must-read. The book's in-depth exploration of Perkins' career and life provides valuable insight into the legacy of a man whose influence helped shape the sound of rock 'n' roll. Perkins' story is not just a tale of music; it's a testament to the enduring spirit of an artist who, despite the odds, left an indelible mark on the world.