It Wouldn't Be The Same Without You as sung by Elvis on January 4, 1954 was the other site of his second (or third) private recording:
It was written by Fred Rose and Jimmy Wakely, probably in early 1950.
Fred Rose (August 24, 1898 – December 1, 1954) was an American musician, Hall of Fame songwriter and music publishing executive. Along with Hank Williams and the "Father of Country Music", Jimmie Rodgers, Fred Rose was one of the first three inductees of the Country Music Hall of Fame when it opened in 1961. He was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1970 and into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1985. Other songs he wrote, which Elvis recorded:
- Blue Eyes Crying In The Rain
- It's A Sin
It's remarkable that Elvis sang a Rose song in one of his first recordings (It Wouldn't Be The Same Without You) and in one one of his lasts (Blue Eyes Crying In The Rain).
James Clarence "Jimmy" Wakely (February 16, 1914 - September 23, 1982), was an American actor and country Western music vocalist, and one of the last singing cowboys. During the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s, he released records, appeared in several B-Western movies with most of the major studios, appeared on radio and television and even had his own series of comic books. His duet singles with Margaret Whiting from 1949–51 produced a string of top seven hits, including 1949's number one hit on the US country charts and pop music charts, "Slippin' Around." Wakely owned two music publishing companies in later years and performed at the Grand Ole Opry until shortly before his death.
Wakely was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1971 and the Western Music Association Hall of Fame in 1991.
Nice to know:
Wakely and Whiting also recorded Give Me More, More, More Of Your Kisses. It is said that Elvis performed this song during some of his early live gigs. The original is by Lefty Frizzell.
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Al Rogers recorded the original version of It Wouldn't Be The Same Without You on April 1, 1950 which was released on MGM 10709 as the B-side of "Shuffle Boogie Bellhop."
The original version as shared by colonel snow:
http://www108.zippyshare.com/v/UmCQYVTx/file.html
Read the whole article on: http://www.hillbilly-music.com/artists/story/index.php?id=14756AL ROGERS
Al Rogers was born July 24, 1926, in the small town of West Mifflin, Pennsylvania. His musical interest was sparked at the age of nine when his father bought him a banjo; Al was able to take lessons to help learn the instrument.
In a 1947 article, we learn that he formed his first band when he was just 12 years old. The boys would entertain the local folks with their young country music sounds at various community events as well as occasionally at theatres and parks.
Al was pretty confident of his talents, even at the age of fourteen. He wrote to Rusty Herman, an entertainer he had heard an Radio Station WKPA in New Kensington, Pennsylvania. To Al's surprise, Rusty showed up at his home for a personal audition. This resulted in an offer for Al to play in Rusty's band on weekends, subject to his father's consent.
Al's professional career in Country Music began at that time; with his rather driving his to and from his weekend gigs. By the time he was sixteen, he already had his own successful radio show, along with his sister, Millie, who sang and played Bass on Station WKPA in New Kensington.
During World War II, Al enlisted in the U. S. Air Force and was assigned to Special Services and entertained the troops in the South Pacific, the Philippines and Okinawa. After his discharge in 1946, he auditioned and was given a daily radio show on WJAS in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, playing his guitar and singing. His high ratings attracted a top sponsor from St. Louis, Missouri, Groves Laboratories. As a matter of fact, Al's ratings were higher than Arthur Godfrey, who followed Al on the station with his CBS Show. A member of his fan club, Mildred Stinner, wrote Floy Case to let her know that Al's shows over WJAS were on each morning at 7:15am.
While playing in a band at a high school prom, he net his future wife, Betty Ross, of Munhall, Pennsylvania. After a year of courtship, they were married on May 20, 1947. We should also point out that Betty also shared the stage with her husband at times using the stage name of Betty Pearl.
Al and Betty moved to WRFD in Worthington, Ohio, for a short time, but then went on to Louisville, Kentucky, where he landed a daily radio program and a weekly television show on WAVE Radio and Television.
While at WAVE, Al decided to try his luck at getting a recording contract. He went to Nashville and auditioned for Fred Rose of Acuff-Rose Publications. This was what he termed the break of his lifetime. Al auditioned for Fred and after singing only a few lines of a song, Fred stopped him and said, "I'll have you a contract within thirty days".
Two days later, Al got a telephone call from Fred Rose telling him that he was now an MGM Recording Artist.
Al's first recording session for MGM was the following Sunday—less than a week after his audition with Mr. Rose. He was elated; to him, this was one of the happiest times of his life. That first recording session included some of the greatest musicians in the business at the time—Chet Atkins on guitar, Harold Bradley on guitar, Owen Bradley on piano and Tommy Jackson on fiddle.
Among his popular recordings on MGM were, "Forever Isn't Long Enough To Love You", "Deep Water", "Gee But It's Loneomse Out Tonight", "It Wouldn't Be the Same Without You". His records were well received according to Billboard Magazine and the "Disc Jockey Pick" charts. Several of his recordings were on the hit charts at WWVA in Wheeling, West Virginia, WJJD in Chicago, Illinois, WPAT is Patterson, New Jersey, and WVOK in Birmingham, Alabama, as well as other cities across the nation.
His next move was to WMPS in Memphis, Tennessee, where he opened the "Hi Noon Roundup". That show would have guests such as the Blackwood Brothers and other artists.
Other Radio and Television Shows followed at KGNC in Amarillo, Texas, WOAI in San Antonio, Texas and KVOA in Tucson, Arizona.
Al and Betty decided to settle in Amarillo in 1950. In 1952 their first daughter, Joanne (Jodi), was born. In 1957, their second daughter, Kathy, was born. For the next thirty years Amarillo was home for the Rogers family. During those years he had a very popular TV series that he produced and starred in, called The Panhandle Barn Dance". The Amarillo audiences seem to adopt Al as one of their own native sons; the longevity of his show is testament to that as well as his ability to feature the famous acts of the day when they came through Amarillo such as Roger Miller, Brenda Lee, Little Jimmy Dickens and others.
In March of 1984, the Board of Directors of the Country Music Foundation elected Al to the Country Music Hall of Fame Walkway of Stars. The installation ceremony was held on June 15, 1984.
It's possible that Elvis heard Al Rogers in the early 50's at WMPS in Memphis, Tennessee, where Al opened the "Hi Noon Roundup". A show with guests such as the Blackwood Brothers. Bob Neal was a DJ at that radiostation from 1942-1958. In July of 1954 Bob was one of the local deejays that Sam Phillips gave an acetate of Elvis’ first record which he played on WMPS and later Sam contacted him and asked if he had a spot for Elvis, Scotty and Bill on his show in Overton Park at the end of that month. Bob added them but had to get Elvis in the union first.
Now was it Al Rogers' version of It Wouldn't Be The Same Without You that inspired Elvis to record it for his private acetate? Or was it - as suggested by George Smith as another possibility in this topic: http://www.elvis-collectors.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=59595 - Dude Martin and His Round-Up Gang's version from 1951?
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The in the same topic presented October 1952 version of Lily Ann Carol from the RCA Victor 20-4985 78 rpm:
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And Elvis' version:
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Which version, do you think, inspired Elvis?
Sources
http://stagebuddy.com/music/music-rock-history/today-rock-history-january-4
https://secondhandsongs.com/performance/65093/all
http://davidneale.eu/elvis/originals/list5.html#S1318
http://www.elvis-collectors.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=59595
http://www.hillbilly-music.com/artists/story/index.php?id=14756
http://scottymoore.net/BobNeal.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fred_Rose_(songwriter)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jimmy_Wakely
