Carl Lee Perkins (Tiptonville (Tennessee), 9 april 1932 - Jackson (Tennessee), January 19, 1998) was a pioneer in the rockabilly-music, a combination of rhythm and blues and country music released at Sun Records in Memphis. In 1985, he was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame.
Born in Tiptonville, Tennessee, if tenancy farmer, Perkins grew and became under the influence of the southern gospel music by blacks who worked in the cotton fields.When he was seven years old, his father gave him a guitar by himself, made from a cigar box, a broomstick and baling wire. At the age of 13 he won a talent contest with a self-penned song "Movie Magg". Ten years later convinced the song Sam Phil lips to Perkins a contract letting signs at Sun Records.
In 1955 wrote a poor and lonely Perkins the song Blue Suede Shoes. Produced by Sam Phil Lambert was the plate a very great success. In the United States it became the # 1 on the BillBoard Magazine Country chart, the # 4 on the Pop-musiclijst and the # 3 on the Rhytm & Blues hit list. In England the number came in the Top 10. It was the first album by an artist at Sun, of which there are more than 1 million were sold. However when the success was at its height, Perkins became involved in a near-fatal car accident. Later Elvis Presley made a hit with the cover version of Blue Suede Shoes, which was an even bigger success.
Perkins was an important source of inspiration for many artists. The Beatles played its "Matchbox", "Honey Don't", and "everybody's Trying To Be My Baby". In 1968Johnny Cash sang Perkins ' "Daddy Sang Bass" to the first place of the American July 1968, ensued. Perkins would be a decade in Cash ' backing band play.
Perkins died at the age of 65 from complications of throat cancer.