D.J. Fontana, Elvis’ drummer in their earliest days, who played on “Heartbreak Hotel,” “Jailhouse Rock” and more, has died. He got his start (like so many did – like Elvis did, really) on the Louisiana Hayride radio show, broadcast out of Shreveport. Here’s an obituary for Fontana in the Commercial Appeal (I had to go to Read Only because the ads are just nuts on that page). He was inducted into the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame in 2009. He had a busy career as a session musician in Nashville after the Elvis Years. He played with everyone. But, of course, as is the case with so many people, he will always be associated with Elvis.
Here’s Fontana’s interview with the press at his 2009 induction into the Rock ‘n Roll Hall of Fame. “I’m just glad it happened before I died.”
On “Jailhouse Rock” I love the bluntness of those opening double drum-beats – repeated. Classic! And he just keeps going with it. The underlying structure is really firm – necessary because in that song Elvis is on a rager. Fontana helps to allow him to do that.
Famously, in the “informal” parts of Elvis’ explosive 1968 “comeback special” on TV – DJ Fontana beat his drumsticks on a guitar case throughout.
The drumming on “Heartbreak Hotel” is a soft shuffle. The song does explode – later – but up until then it’s this eerie pared-down wasteland, and Fontana’s drumming helps that happen.
The song is still somewhat sui generis; it was then too. George Harrison was asked about his musical roots. He said he had none, except for hearing “Heartbreak Hotel” out of an open window as a kid.
Scotty Moore died in 2016 So they’re all gone now. Bill Black, Elvis, Scotty Moore, and DJ Fontana.
R.I.P. DJ Fontana!
