From left: Scotty Moore and Elvis Presley

Winfield Scott "Scotty" Moore III (December 27, 1931 – June 28, 2016)

(Variety) – Scotty Moore, the pioneering rock ‘n’ roll guitarist whose fluid picking propelled Elvis Presley’s first recordings for Sun Records, died Tuesday in
Nashville, according to Memphis newspaper the Commercial Appeal.

Moore was a member of a local country combo in Memphis when he was drafted
by Sun owner Sam Phillips to support with the young, untested teenage singer
on his debut recordings.

His crisp, flowing, melodic guitar lines, heavily influenced by Chet Atkins’ early
work but also infused with deep blues feeling, highlighted the singles issued by
Sun during Presley’s rise to fame in 1954-55.

Moore went on to work behind Presley after he moved to major label RCA in
1956, appearing on such major hits as “Heartbreak Hotel” and “Blue Suede
Shoes.” He also took supporting roles in several of Presley’s early feature
films, and took a key instrumental role in his 1968 “comeback special.”

Scotty Moore was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2000.

Scotty Moore’s 1956 Gibson Super 400.