That's All Right

Elvis Presley, 1954, from Non-album single. Solo by Scotty Moore.

Cut on a break at Sun Studio.

Scotty Moore's guitar playing on 'That's All Right' helped define the sound of early rock and roll. With no drums on the session, his guitar and Bill Black's slapped bass carry the rhythm, and his short solo mixes country picking with blues phrasing in a way that felt new. The tone is clean and bright, and the playing is loose and lively, perfectly matching Elvis's youthful energy. It's a reminder that the roots of rock guitar lie in this fusion of styles. Listen for how Moore blends bass-note rhythm with melodic lead lines, sounding like two guitarists at once in a sparse, three-piece setting.

That's All Right by Elvis Presley is ranked #175 in our consensus of 79 guitar-solo lists. The solo is played by Scotty Moore and the song was released in 1954. It appears on 2 lists, placing as high as #41 (Rolling Stone).

In our lists

• The 25 Greatest Rock and Roll Guitar Solos — #5
• The 25 Greatest Rockabilly Guitar Solos — #2
• Short & Perfect — #17
• Rolling Stone vs. Everyone — #18
• The Best Elvis Presley Guitar Solos — #3

Sources

• Rolling Stone: The 100 Greatest Guitar Solos of All Time — #41
• Magazyn Gitarzysta: 100 solówek wszech czasów [100 solos of all time] — #59