Sun Sounds: “Blue Moon Of Kentucky”- Elvis Presley. “Blue Moon Of Kentucky” was first written and performed by the King of Bluegrass- Bill Monroe back in 1945. It is the official state song now of the state of Kentucky.

Elvis was looking for a song to put on the b-side of “That’s All Right” in the summer of 1954- and came up with a cover of “Blue Moon Of Kentucky” which was a lot different from Bill Monroe’s original which was a slow waltz- Elvis was encouraged by Sam Phillips to make it more an upbeat song. How did Bill Monroe feel about Elvis’s version- he didn’t like it- until the first royalty check came in for $15,000.