CHAPTER THREE CULTURE, AN UNEXPECTED HIT, AND THE IMAGINARY THEFT OF BLACK MUSIC "A SOLDIER'S STORY" (Movie Rental/Purchase) CHAPTER 3 (CONTINUES) "SOUL ON ICE" by Eldridge Cleaver (Book Purchase) "MY HAPPINESS" "THAT'S WHEN YOUR HEARTACHES BEGIN" "ELVIS THE BIOGRAPHY" by Jerry Hopkins (Book Purchase) Ray and Norma Pillow Interview First Recording Session At Memphis Recording Service on a Saturday in the summer of 1953 CULTURE, AN UNEXPECTED HIT, AND THE IMAGINARY THEFT OF BLACK MUSIC (CONTINUED) Page 72 - Robert Brown Interview (Location 00:10 to 01:11) Page 73 - Second Recording Session At Memphis Recording Service on Sunday, July 4, 1954: "IT WOULDN'T BE THE SAME WITHOUT YOU" ARTHUR "BIGBOY" CRUDUP CHAPTER THREE "I'LL NEVER STAND IN YOUR WAY" Pages 71 to 72 - Documentary On Sam Phillips (Video) PREVIOUS CHAPTER THREE CHAPTER 3 CRUDUP (CONTINUES) CULTURE, AN UNEXPECTED HIT, AND THE IMAGINARY THEFT OF BLACK MUSIC (CONTINUED) The Truth Behind Arthur "Big Boy" Crudup’s Royalty Theft There is a false narrative floating around certain elements of this nation that says Elvis not only stole Black music, but he was responsible for several Black composers and artists not receiving their proper royalties. Nothing could be further from the truth. Elvis was not the only artist to cover Arthur "Bigboy" Crudup's songs. Other recording artists such as Bobby “Blue” Bland, Paul Butterfield, Canned Heat, Elton John, B.B. King, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Rod Stewart, Big Mama Thornton, and Johnny Winter covered Crudup’s music as well. However, out of all the artists, Elvis is the only one accused of theft. "When you speak of a song being covered in the music industry, that means it is recorded by a singer or band who did not originally perform the song." "THAT'S ALL RIGHT" (Single Side A) Page 74 - Sun Record Company Recording Session on Monday, July 5, 1954: CHAPTER THREE CRUDUP (PREVIOUS) CRUDUP (CONTINUES) CULTURE, AN UNEXPECTED HIT, AND THE IMAGINARY THEFT OF BLACK MUSIC (CONTINUED) Arthur "Big Boy" Crudup was an American Mississippi Delta Blues songwriter, guitarist, and singer. His most famous songs were "THAT'S ALL RIGHT, MAMA," "MY BABY LEFT ME," and "SO GLAD YOU'RE MINE." The Truth Behind Arthur "Big Boy" Crudup’s Royalty Theft (Continued) When it came to royalties, many Black and non-Black artists received none or very little of what was owed to them. Crudup was a victim of this brand of theft from the recording companies as well. Crudup was under the Bluebird label which was founded in 1932 by RCA/Victor in part to capitalize on the growing market for urban blues singers. So when Lester Melrose managed Crudup for Bluebird Records in the 1940s, all Crudup ever received in royalties was a ten or fifteen dollar check here and there. Melrose arranged a publishing contract for Crudup with Melrose’s Wabash Music Publishing Company. Before Melrose retired, he sold his interests in the Wabash Music Company to Hill & Range Publishing Company. In 1968, Crudup hired Dick Waterman as his manager. Waterman enrolled Crudup in an organization called the American Guild of Authors and Composers (AGAC). The AGAC’s New York Office was headed by a gentleman named John Carter who worked to get Crudup back royalties. THAT'S ALL RIGHT MAMA - CLICK HERE MY BABY LEFT ME - CLICK HERE SO GLAD YOU'RE MINE - CLICK HERE CHAPTER THREE CRUDUP (PREVIOUS) CRUDUP (CONTINUES) CULTURE, AN UNEXPECTED HIT, AND THE IMAGINARY THEFT OF BLACK MUSIC (CONTINUED) The Truth Behind Arthur "Big Boy" Crudup’s Royalty Theft (Continued): In 1972, Carter contacted Waterman to let him know that an oral agreement had been reached with Hill & Range to cover past-due royalties. So Crudup, with his daughter and three sons drove all the way from Virginia to Hill & Range in New York to sign the agreement and receive a $60,000 check as an initial payment on royalties owed. ($60,000 in 1972 is equivalent to $473,072 in 2026.) CHAPTER THREE CRUDUP (PREVIOUS) CHAPTER 3 (CONTINUES) CULTURE, AN UNEXPECTED HIT, AND THE IMAGINARY THEFT OF BLACK MUSIC (CONTINUED) The Truth Behind Arthur "Big Boy" Crudup’s Royalty Theft (Continued): After the long drive to New York, Crudup signed the agreement. Hill & Ranges’s attorney went to get the check signed, but the executives refused to sign the check claiming $60,000 was far more than Crudup could hope for in litigation. Waterman explained to Crudup the only chance they had of getting any royalties was to sue. However, they’d never have a chance of successfully suing an elderly, Caucasian widow in Florida. Meaning, they would not win a lawsuit against Melrose’s surviving spouse who still resided in Florida. After Melrose sold to Hill & Range, he retired to Florida with his wife. With this news, Crudup felt he would never get what was owed to him, gave up, and thanked Waterman for his efforts. Crudup passed away on Thursday, March 28, 1974, and Hill & Range were still making big bank off Crudup’s music. After the funeral, Waterman went to New York to the lawyer’s office he used to negotiate Bonnie Raitt’s contract, and they strategized for Crudup’s estate. CHAPTER THREE CRUDUP (PREVIOUS) CHAPTER 3 (CONTINUES) CULTURE, AN UNEXPECTED HIT, AND THE IMAGINARY THEFT OF BLACK MUSIC (CONTINUED) 1955 Louisiana Hayride The Truth Behind Arthur "Big Boy" Crudup’s Royalty Theft (Continued): First, they got the record companies to cut off paying Hill & Range. Second, happened to be a godsend. Hill & Range was being sold to a publishing giant, Chappell Music. Big bucks!!! When Chappell found out about the dispute with Crudup’s estate, they refused the deal until the bone of contention was resolved. It gave the Crudup estate a much-needed boost in their favor. Hill & Range finally cried “uncle” and settled. The very first check was signed over to the Crudup estate for just over $248,000.00 and not the measly $60,000 check back in 1972. So $248,000 in 1974 is equivalent to $1,739,511 in 2026. The Crudup estate has received over three million dollars in royalties over the last several decades. It is heartbreakingly unfortunate that Arthur “Bigboy” Crudup never saw and enjoyed the financial rewards of his labor. CHAPTER THREE CRUDUP (PREVIOUS) BACK TO CHAPTER DIRECTORY CULTURE, AN UNEXPECTED HIT, AND THE IMAGINARY THEFT OF BLACK MUSIC (CONTINUED) Jay Thompson Interview (Click Here) In Wichita Falls, Texas, Jay Thompson asked Elvis about how his truck driving days in Memphis turned into a music career. For more information see Pages 80 - 81 of "THIRTY PIECES OF SILVER: THE BETRAYAL OF ELVIS PRESLEY" Page 76 - Sun Record Company Recording Session in July 1954: "BLUE MOON OF KENTUCKY" (Single Side B) Page 86 - First Louisiana Hayride Performance on Saturday, October 16, 1954 (Click Here)

Did Elvis Presley Steal from Arthur Crudup?

One of the most persistent claims in music history is that Elvis Presley unfairly profited from the work of blues artist Arthur “Big Boy” Crudup. While Elvis did record songs originally performed by Crudup, the idea that he personally withheld royalties reflects a misunderstanding of how the music industry actually operated.

Royalties are not paid from one artist directly to another. Instead, they are handled through contracts between songwriters, publishers, and record companies. During the 1950s, many artists—especially Black musicians like Crudup—were frequently taken advantage of through unfavorable publishing agreements and a lack of legal protection.

Elvis Presley was not the only artist to record Crudup’s songs. Numerous performers covered the same material, yet Elvis is often singled out in discussions about lost royalties. This has contributed to a misleading narrative that overlooks the broader systemic issues within the music industry at the time.

The real issue was not individual performers, but the structure of the business itself. Arthur Crudup’s financial struggles were the result of industry practices that affected many artists of his era, not the actions of a single recording artist.

This chapter examines the historical record to separate fact from assumption and to provide a clearer understanding of how royalties actually worked.