CATS

       When I was five, my dad worked at an appliance store. In the 1950's, the portable record player with detachable speaker was a new invention. Available in the colors of the day, pink,white turquoise and black. Since the appliance store also sold records,he would occasionally bring home a player and a few of the latest 45's. That's when I first heard Elvis. Sun label Elvis. The brown haired, pre-teeth cap Elvis. The guitar bangin', hip shakin' Elvis! Pure mix of Delta blues, hillbilly abandon, and a gospel grind that shook up the straights. But not just Elvis. Also leftover southern rebels, Sun label brothers Carl Perkins, Jerry Lee Lewis and Johnny Cash. Even at five, I lost my mind. I went crazy. How could these sideburn southeners know what I felt in my soul but not a clue how to express it; until I heard them. Trailblazin' for me and every other child that was destined to pick up a guitar,follow it wherever it lead you, like it or not and never put it down. In the iconic original Sun recording of "Blue Suede Shoes", at the guitar ride, Carl Perkins yells out "....ah, Go Cat!" At that moment, white boys bendin' guitar strings became cats! We were the Cats.