Elvis Presley was a massive presence, both live and in the studio. There's a husky quality, very domineering but still graceful, especially early in his career. Consequently, the idea that anyone could possibly sing behind him and stand out feels impossible. Any additional vocals would act as layering, stacking harmonies to really make Presley stand out in the foreground.
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This is how "Blue Moon of Kentucky" can come across too. The recording was a star studded event at the time, from Bill Monroe to Carl Perkins, to maybe the most surprising of all, Johnny Cash. Like Elvis, Cash holds a distinct tone in his voice that is unmistakable. It's really hard to blur out where he would appear on a song, the defining trait of a superstar. Consequently, it's incredibly surprising that he played an integral part on "Blue Moon of Kentucky." Thankfully, Johnny Cash is happy to explain why we can't immediately tell.
Johnny Cash Sings on Elvis Presley's "Blue Moon of Kentucky"
In a June 1988 interview, Johnny Cash spoke with Creem, where he opens up about being among rare company at Sun Records. Between Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins and himself, they were a star-studded quartet. Consequently, you could expect Cash to be in the orbit of the King of Rock and Roll. One such instance sees him at a session with Perkins when all of a sudden, Presley comes in. Everything stops on a dime and he approaches the piano. This is where "Blue Moon of Kentucky" is born.
"Elvis had recorded 'Blue Moon Of Kentucky' and I started challenging him to sing Bill Monroe songs and Louvin Brothers songs. When I was a kid, before my voice dropped, I'd sing the real high part — I'd sing tenor," Johnny Cash explains.
"And I was singing those high parts on the Bill Monroe songs and Louvin Brothers songs on the quartet. And there are a lot more of them that are not on the album. You don't hear my voice — I hear it myself when I've listened to it a couple times, but I don't sound like Johnny Cash, 'cause I'm not singing the low part. Elvis was singing the bass and I was singing really high, but I was so far away from the mike that you hardly ever hear me. But I was there for the whole thing," Cash adds.
