The 1950s may have been dominated by the dynamic sounds of rock'n'roll, but music's new kid on the block would never have arrived without the blues traditions from which it developed. This emotionally wrought Kokomo Arnold track was one of the blues numbers covered by Elvis Presley on his 1955 Sun session, widely credited with kick-starting the rock'n'roll craze. Presley's 'Milk Cow Blues' was an energized revamp of the song, much in the same vein as his more popular cover of Arthur 'Big Boy' Crudup's 'That's Alright Mama'. 'Milk Cow Blues' had previously been adapted by Robert Johnson as 'Milk Cow Calf Blues' and has been covered by a wide range of other artists, including Bob Wills, Eddie Cochran, Bob Dylan, Willie Nelson and the Kinks.

Links

http://www.earlyblues.com/essay_some_blues_roots.htm
Interesting information on the blues roots of rock/n/roll music.

http://www.thebluehighway.com/
Useful blues resource, with essays, radio, links, photos and blues chat.

http://www.rootsandrhythm.com/
International US-based mail order record catalogue, specializing in roots music.

http://www.jazznblues.co.uk/
UK-based jazz and blues record specialists.