I've never been a big Elvis fan, so I'll let 'The Colonel' (his manager) say it for me: "If I can find a white boy who can sing black music, I'll make him a big star!"

Until Elvis, white suburban America had no idea what kind of music was happening in the black community. It couldn't be heard until it was recorded by someone who could get airplay on 'white' radio. That early 'rockabilly' stuff does not appeal to me personally, but I readily acknowlege the key role Elvis played in making it possible for later generations of rock musicians to thrive.

The Beatles were not unique when they started out. The first recordings to be released in Canada and the US sounded a whole lot like stuff we had been hearing from groups like the Everley Brothers. What made them break big stateside was their appealing freshness. They were from England, so they were just different enough to get attention, without being so different that they risked rejection. It took a couple of years for people to notice just how inovative and deeply talented they were. These guys could write intelligent, catchy material in just about any genre. That ability was magical then, and it is sadly missing now.