The influence of gospel, blues, country, and tradition has always informed the music of Elvis…and while we’re not digging too far into the later works, we’ll go sit with Elvis on the sofa with our ears to the Victrola and the crackling of WDIA Memphis and the smattering of black blues and gospel over the air. We’ll hear The Carters, Jimmy Reed, Smiley Lewis, Little Junior Parker, Mahalia Jackson, and a couple dozen more in this episode. Keep an ear out for some rare recordings including those whose meager popularity evaporated once Elvis went on to cover them. Names like Joe Dowell, The Eagles (not the LA band), Deacon Tom Foger, and Charlie Blackwell bely their contributions to the Elvis catalog.

No.	Artist	Title	Album	Buy
1	Big Mama Thornton	Hound Dog	Blues Classics '27_'69 [Disc 2]
2	Bill Monroe And His Bluegrass Boys	Blue Moon Of Kentucky	Columbia Country Classics Volume 1: The Golden Age
3	Ernest Tubb	I Love You Because	The Texas Troubadour ([Disc 2] – Slippin' Around (The Hits Vol.2)
4	Gene Austin	Love Letters In The Sand	A Time To Relax
5	Eddy Arnold	It's a Sin	Country & Western Hit Parade 1947
6	Red Foley	Old Shep	Tennessee Saturday Night
7	The Lone Star Cowboys	Just Because	East Virginia Blues (When The Sun Goes Down Series)
8	The Carter Family	I'm Working On A Building	The Carter Family: 1927-1934 [Disc 5]
9	Deacon Tom Foger & The Camp Meeting Choir	Working On The Building	Powerhouse Gospel
10	Kokomo Arnold	Milk Cow Blues	Blues Classics: '27_'69 [Disc 1]
11	Arthur Gunter	Baby Let's Play House	The Best Of Excello Records
12	Jimmy Reed	Big Boss Man	The Very Best of Jimmy Reed
13	Jimmy Reed	Baby What You Want Me To Do	The Very Best of Jimmy Reed
14	Arthur Big Boy Crudup	So Glad You're Mine	Rock Me Mama (The Blues Collection Vol.47)
15	Arthur Big Boy Crudup	So Glad You're Mine	Rock Me Mama (The Blues Collection Vol.47)
16	Little Junior Parker	Mystery Train	Bob Dylan Presents: Cover to Cover – The Originals
17	Little Richard	Long Tall Sally	Specialty Profiles: Larry Williams
18	Chuck Berry	Promised Land	The Chess Box Disc 2
19	Lloyd Price	Lawdy Miss Clawdy	Doctors Professors Kings & Queens: Box New Orleans
20	The Eagles	Trying To Get To You	Mercury R+B '46-'62 [Disc 1]
21	Smiley Lewis	One Night	I Hear You Knocking: 1947-1962 Disc 3
22	Clyde McPhatter & The Drifters	Money Honey	Bob Dylan – Radio Radio – Theme Time Radio Hour Volume Four
23	Roy Brown	Good Rockin' Tonight	Gettin' Funky [Disc 3] – The Hitmakers
24	Ivory Joe Hunter	I Need You So	The Chronological Ivory Joe Hunter : 1947 – 1950
25	Billy Bunn & His Buddies	That's When Your Heartaches Begin	Money Honey – Rise of the Black Vocal Group 51-53
26	Charlie Blackwell	The Girl of My Best Friend	Gems from the Warner Brothers Vault (Pt. 1)
27	Big Joe Turner	Shake, Rattle & Roll	Loud, Fast & Out of Control: The Wild Sounds of the '50s [Box] Disc 1
28	Sister Rosetta Tharpe	I Believe	Sister Rosetta Tharpe
29	The Golden Gate Quartet	Joshua Fit The Battle Of Jericho (1946)	Vol. 5 (1945-1949) (Complete Recorded Works In Chronologial Order, Vol. 5, 1939-1949)
30	Sam Cooke And The Soul Stirrers	Peace In The Valley	The Complete Specialty Recordings [Disc 1]
31	Mahalia Jackson	How Great Thou Art	Gospels, Spirituals, & Hymns, Vol.2 [Disc 1]
32	Sister Rosetta Tharpe	Precious Memories	Sister Rosetta Tharpe and the Spirit of Gospel (Vol. 4)
33	Joe Dowell	Wooden Heart	Easy Listening Gold 1960-1961
34	Glen Gray & The Casa Lorne Orchestra	Blue Moon	Bob Dylan Presents: Cover to Cover – The Originals