Much has been made of the 50th anniversary of the first recording by Elvis Presley, That's All Right, on July 5, 1954. I have, however, seen no publicity regarding an equally significant anniversary on this side of the Atlantic.
A week after Elvis's Memphis recording, on July 13, 1954, Lonnie Donegan made his first recording, Rock Island Line and his few recordings on the Decca label remained as obscure as Elvis's Sun recordings until 1956, when both artists exploded onto the international scene.
Rock 'n' Roll and the short-lived skiffle craze were born.
As one who played in skiffle and rock groups at the time, I consider both artists almost equally influential on those who formed the early rock groups in this country in the late Fifties and early Sixties, including the Beatles.
Being British, Lonnie was more accessible than Elvis in this country, Elvis never having appeared in the UK.
Although Lonnie's career at the top was far shorter than that of Elvis, he sold millions of records and his place in pop history should not be forgotten.
Nigel Enever
-Neville Road, Peacehaven
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