Scotty Moore, Elvis’s Iconic Guitarist, Dies at 84

Scotty Moore, the rock pioneer who was Elvis Presley’s first guitarist, died in his Nashville home Tuesday at the age of 84. Moore, who backed the King on “That’s Alright Mama,” “Hound Dog,” “Heartbreak Hotel,” “Blue Suede Shoes,” and “Jailhouse Rock,” among many others, was widely considered a rock groundbreaker, and many credit him with pioneering Elvis’s sound and inspiring future generations of guitarists. Priscilla Presley issued a statement Tuesday saying Moore was a “legend in his own right” and that the music he made would “live forever.” Other friends and fans echoed those sentiments. Moore was the last survivor of the original team surrounding Presley, which included bassist Bill Black and producer Sam Phillips.