Person · Male
Carl Perkins
American pioneer of rockabilly music
- From
- Tiptonville, United States
- Active
- 1932–1998
- Rating
- ★ 4.35
- Releases
- 385
- rockabilly
- country
- rock
- rock and roll
- singer-songwriter
About
Carl Lee Perkins (April 9, 1932 – January 19, 1998) was an American country and rockabilly guitarist, singer and songwriter. A rockabilly great and pioneer of rock and roll, he began his recording career at the Sun Studio in Memphis in 1954. Among his best known songs are "Blue Suede Shoes", "Honey Don't", "Matchbox" and "Everybody's Trying to Be My Baby".
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According to fellow musician Charlie Daniels, "Carl Perkins' songs personified the rockabilly era, and Carl Perkins' sound personifies the rockabilly sound more so than anybody involved in it, because he never changed". Perkins's songs were recorded by artists (and friends) as influential as Elvis Presley, the Beatles, Jimi Hendrix, Johnny Cash, Ricky Nelson, and Eric Clapton, which further cemented his prominent place in the history of popular music.
Nicknamed the "King of Rockabilly", Perkins was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the Rockabilly Hall of Fame, the Memphis Music Hall of Fame, and the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame. His recording of "Blue Suede Shoes" was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.
Member of
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The Tennessee Three electric guitar
Discography
Albums
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Dance Album of… Carl Perkins
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Whole Lotta Shakin’ Apple Music
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Country Boy’s Dream
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Carl Perkins on Top
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Boppin’ the Blues
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My Kind of Country
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Cane Creek Glory Church Apple Music
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Ol’ Blue Suede’s Back: Carl Perkins’ Tribute to Rock and Roll
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Country Soul
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This Ole House
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Born to Boogie
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Presenting Carl Perkins
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King of Rock’n Roll, 5
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Rockin an’ a Boppin’
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Gospel
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The Man * The Legend
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Carl Perkins
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Class of ’55: Memphis Rock & Roll Homecoming
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Dixie Fried
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Born to Rock Apple Music
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706 ReUnion: A Sentimental Journey
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The Real Rock Master, Vol 1
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The Real Rock Master, Volume 2
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Friends, Family & Legends
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Blue Suede Shoes Apple Music
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Tennessee
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Let It Rock! The Rock’n’Roll Album of the Decade
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Go Cat Go!
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The Best
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Rock Right Now With the Guitar Man
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The Unforgettable Music Of... Carl Perkins
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Introducing Carl Perkins Apple Music
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Tennessee
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All Shook Up
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Lonely Street
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Dixie Fried
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I Care
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Put Your Cat Clothes On!
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Honey Don't
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Midnight Reverie
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Some Things Never Change Apple Music
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Only You
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Carl Perkins: Greatest Hits
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Bird Dog
EPs
Singles
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Cat Clothes / All Mamas Children
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Because You're Mine / Where the Rio de Rosa Flows
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Honey Don’t!
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Honey, Don’t!
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The Lost Acetate
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Pointed Toe Shoes
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Her Love Rubbed Off / Problem Child
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Put Your Cat Clothes On / Stop the World
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Half the Time
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Pink Cadillac
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Blue Suede Shoes / Boppin’ the Blues
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Charlene / Love Makes Dreams Come True
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Hambone / Love Makes Dreams Come True
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Blue Suede Shoes / Raunchy
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Sixteen Candles / Rock and Roll (Fais-Do-Do)
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Class of ’55 / We Remember the King
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Birth of Rock and Roll / Rock and Roll (Fais Do Do)
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Boppin’ the Blues / Matchbox
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Blue Suede Shoes / Born to Boogie
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Giants of Rock
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Rock-A-Billy Fever
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We Did in 54 / I Don’t Want to Fall in Love Again
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Blue Suede Shoes Apple Music
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Blue Suede Shoes Apple Music
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The Elvis Presley Express
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Caldonia / Sweethearts a Stranger
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Standing in the Need of Love / Georgia Court Room
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The Monkeyshine
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Mustang Wine / The Whole World Misses You (Elvis We Love You)
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Take Me Back
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Little Tear Drops
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Low Class / You’ll Always Be a Lady to Me
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The E.P. Express
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Sing My Song / Ruby, Don’t Take Your Love to Town
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Help Me Dream / You Tore My Heaven All to Hell
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(Let’s Get) Dixiefried / One More Loser Goin’ Home
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The Trip
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High on Love
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Cotton Top
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Me Without You
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My Son, My Sun / State of Confusion
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Ballad of Little Fauss and Big Halsy / Little Man
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All Mama’s Children / Step Aside
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Blue Suede Shoes / Only You
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Restless / 11-43
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C. C. Rider (You’re So Bad) / Soul Beat
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Lake County Cotton Country / It’s You
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Blue Suede Shoes / Dixie Fried
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Blue Suede Shoes / Matchbox
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My Old Home Town / Back to Tennessee
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You Can Take the Boy Out of the Country / Without You
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Shine, Shine, Shine / Almost Love
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Country Boy’s Dream / If I Could Come Back
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Mama of My Song / One of These Days
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After Sundown / I Wouldn’t Have You
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The Monkeyshine / Let My Baby Be
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Big Bad Blues / Lonely Heart
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Help Me Find My Baby
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For a Little While / Help Me Find My Baby
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Forget Me (Next Time Around) / I’ve Just Got Back From There
Live
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Let's Rock Again (Live 1982)
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Live in Paris
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Live
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Live on the Big “D” Jamboree
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Live at Gilley’s
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Carl Perkins Live! (Silver Eagle Cross Country Presents)
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Blue Suede Shoes: A Rockabilly Session
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The Survivors
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Live at Austin City Limits
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The Carl Perkins Show
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1972-02-26: Niewe Rai, Amsterdam
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1978: Rotterdam, Netherlands
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1978‐10‐26: My Father’s Place, Roslyn, NY
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1981: Hippodrome, Paris, France
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Live at the Bottom Line
Compilations
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The King of Rockabilly Apple Music
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The Complete Carl Perkins On Sun Apple Music
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Discovering Carl Perkins: Eastview, Tennessee, 1952-1953
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The Complete 1955–1962 Singles, Sun, Flip & Columbia Sides
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Blue Suede Shoes Apple Music
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Best of the Sun Records Sessions
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Whole Lotta Shakin’ / King of Rock / Greatest Hits / On Top
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Twist And Shout: – 60 Songs That Influenced The Beatles
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Rockabilly Legends
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The Legends of a Million Dollar Quartet
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The Absolutely Essential 3 CD Collection
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Put Your Cat Clothes On
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Carl Perkins the Rockin’ Guitar Man
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The Sun Singles Collection
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The Complete Singles & Albums 1955-62
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The Sun Singles Collection
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The Rockabilly Years: 40 Original Rockabilly Classics
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Playlist: The Very Best of Carl Perkins Sun Sessions
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The Sun Era Outtakes
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Dance Album Of... + Whole Lotta Shakin'
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Blue Suede Shoes Apple Music
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A Million Dollar Quartet
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A Tribute to the Million Dollar Quartet
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Be Bop a Lula
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Carl Perkins
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Boppin’ & Rockin’
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Elvis in Tribute to the King
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Whole Lotta Shakin’ & On Top: Two Original Albums on One (CD)
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Carl Perkins
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Carl Perkins
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The Fabulous Carl Perkins
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The Very Best of Carl Perkins
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American Legend, Vol. 3
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American Legend, Vol. 1
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Blue Suede Shoes - His Greatest Hits
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Rock ’n’ Roll Legend
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American Legend, Vol. 2
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Heroes of Rock ’n’ Roll
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Rock-A-Billy Fever
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Blue Suede Shoes Apple Music
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Golden Legends
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The Million Dollar Four
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Tennessee Bop
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The Legendary Sun Recording 1954 - 1958
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Carl Rocks
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Honky Tonk Babe
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Blue Suede Shoes Apple Music
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Matchbox: Featuring the Albums “Blue Suede Shoes” and “Caldonia”
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Caldonia
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Ultimate Collection
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Boogies and Ballads
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The Ultimate Collection
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Sun Record Company - Orby Records Spotlights: Carl Perkins
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His Greatest Hits
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Blue Suede Shoes Apple Music
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The Legendary Songs of Carl Perkins
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Blue Suede Shoes Apple Music
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Carl Perkins
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Blue Suede Shoes (The Best of Carl Perkins) Apple Music
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Rock ’n’ Roll Forever
Links
Listen
Concerts
Collaboration
Parent
Sibling
Tribute
Also known as
Cark Perkings · Carl Lee Perkings · Carl Lee Perkins · Perkins · カール・パーキンス
Tags
- american
- rock & roll
Identifiers
- MusicBrainz
- 068bd7ab-c38e-4fae-8ed2-cb0c153ed68f
- ISNI
- 0000000118446199
- IPI
- 00040556500
- IPI
- 00040556699
Data from MusicBrainz, saved 8 Nov 2026. Photo from Wikimedia Commons, covers from the Cover Art Archive and Apple Music.