FEATURES

The King’s Country Roots: Elvis was a hip-swinging boy on the Ed Sullivan Show, a Hollywood charmer who got the girl, a leather-clad crooner and a bloated Las Vegas ham. The real Elvis was even more complex, and for his 75th birthday, we salute the country star

Never Forget: They may not have sold millions of records or have been household names, but many unheralded artists contributed to our favorite music

DEPARTMENTS

From our two Editors: Ali Green departs, and Levi Davis takes the helm, navigating by the same stars

Kickin’ in Your Stall: Carl Gustafson believes that if audiences paid their dues, more great musicians would get theirs

Influences: Mavis Staples started singing gospel and soul in a family band, while Sharon Jones hit later in life. Both have God-given talent

Pet Sounds: Plowing through the CMJs to find new talent

On the Record: The Noisettes go wild, the Doors reopen in NY, Mark Knopfler gets lucky, Dave Keyes spreads his roots, Christine Ohlman goes off the deep end, Steve Conte (truthfully) goes crazy, Jim Weider’s got a pulse and DADDY is a Daddy for a second time. We could do worse

Ear Candy: It took three CDs to capture two epic nights when Eric Clapton joined the Allman Brothers Band at the Beacon Theater

Re.Issues: Bert Jansch’s ill-fated leap from folk to pop; from the high camp Fabulous Poodles to the highbrow Art Tatum, with Nils Lofgren, Ray Charles and James Brown filling in the gaps

Get a Grip: This just in: Steve Walbridge kicks self in ass, vows to go shopping

What’d I Say: Cockburn, Sebastian, Grisman and two Muldaurs, jugheads all

Also Appearing: Joan Baez on DVD and Juliette Lewis singing on stage; P!NK unplugged at Madison Square Garden and Yeasayer in a museum. Plus more Alternate Universe happenings

Collecting: Arnie Goodman claims Rory Gallagher is one of the best guitarists of all time, and offers the records to back it up