MoonInfluence

MOON MULLICAN’S INFLUENCE:

From the start, Moon has been a big influence on the new genres that were created in the ‘40s and ‘50s. His earliest days with Western Swing bands like Cliff Bruner’s saw him bring that genre further towards its blues roots and indeed Mullican sang many pure blues with such bands ("New falling rain blues", "Kangaroo blues", "Pipeliner blues" & "Old Joe Turner blues" are examples). Other recordings by Moon during these years (notably "Sparkling blue eyes") were precursors to bluegrass.
In turn, these Western Swing blues recordings sowed the seeds for Mullican’s solo career. During his ‘40s - ‘50s King years, he recorded many a blues like again Pipeliner blues", as well as new ones like "Trifling woman blues", "What’s the matter with the mill", "I done it" & "Grandpa stole my baby". Basically, these gave voice to a new movement: country-boogie. Moon’s "Cherokee boogie", along with "Pipeliner blues" & The Delmore Brothers’ "Hillbilly boogie" were anthems of this genre.
Country boogie had a deep influence on what people would call rock ‘n’ roll and rockabilly. Although - like Jerry Lee Lewis - Moon was never a rockabilly, he was nevertheless a very important early 'rock ‘n’ roller' (early rock ‘n’ roll as distinct from the later poppier forms (Buddy Holly et al) was a blues form). The ‘50s artists that Moon influenced include Merrill E. Moore, Chuck Miller, Charlie Rich, Carl Perkins, Elvis Presley, Mickey Gilley, Sonny Burgess, Jim Reeves and - above all and often contoversially - Jerry Lee Lewis.
The debate to the extent that Lewis was influenced by Moon can be argued about forever. Not much evidence of Moon's songs appear in Lewis' official repertoire,but yet Lewis' style must owe a lot to Moon.Unlike Moon,Lewis was never allowed to be a prolific official recording blues artist,yet he was able to sing the blues as well as anyone when he chose to and did often on bootlegs,unreleased masters and the like.Moon's style stemmed first and foremost from blues while blues was also as important to Lewis but not as recognized by many.
Jerry Lee developed his own unique style, inspired by Moon. Unlike Moon, Jerry Lee’s style was never allowed to truly be exploited. Later in his career, Lewis would repay his debt to Moon by recording some of his songs ("I’ll sail my ship alone" (which was a major hit for Moon and a minor hit for Jerry Lee), "I was sorta wondering" & "I’ll keep on loving you", to name a few).However, pointing to the minute amount of songs Lewis recorded that were done by Moon doesn't make much of a case for those trying to research that Moon was a major influence on Jerry Lee.However,god only knows how many sonsg by Moon and others Jerry Lee truly recorded for Sun and the like that were passed over and dismissed by Sam Phillips and the like in favor of rock 'n' roll covers.
Moon himself would show what he could do in the rock ‘n’ roll era, too: "7 nights to rock", "I’m mad with you", "Moon’s rock", "Sweet rockin’ music" and so on are equal to any of the more famous rock ‘n’ roll classics. Also, a great cover version of Jerry Lee’s country ballad, "Fools like me" was recorded by Moon in the ‘60s. However, greatest of all were 1958s "Early morning blues" & "My baby’s gone" which are 2 of Mullican’s greatest blues recordings. These songs proved beyond doubt that Moon - along with Bill Monroe, Hank Williams, Jerry Lee and Jimmie Rodgers - was one of the premier white blues singers.
Rather tellingly,Moon never made a distinction between his first love,blues and his brand of rock 'n' roll.To Mullican,rock 'n' roll was just another excuse to record the blues. Listen to how Moon instructs his guitarist to play the blues on 1958's "Moon's rock" for instance while other tracks supposedly cut for the rock 'n' roll market had no rock 'n' roll credentials at all and were pure blues (1958's "Early morning blues" or "Pipeliner blues" for instance).
Moon was also a superb pure country singer - hits like "I’ll sail my ship alone", "I was sorta wondering" & "You don’t have to be a baby to cry" as well as rarities like "Mr.Tears", "This glass I hold" & "Quarter mile rows" prove beyond any doubt how influential Moon was on country stars. Jerry Lee’s country style probably owed more to Moon than to anybody else. Jim Reeves’ popular country ballads all go back to listening to Moon’s style when Reeves was a member of Moon’s band.
To this day, Moon has continued to be a big underground influence on many. BR549 recently did "Cherokee boogie" on one of their albums and many others continue to cover Mullican’s hits.
Patrick Wall,
August 8th, 1999.

Moon Mullican's influence

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