The late 1960s Memphis music scene was a melting pot of talent, and nestled within it was a young, ambitious Ronnie Milsap. Having set up shop in the city and joined forces with legendary producer Chips Moman at American Sound Studios, Milsap found himself on the cusp of major experiences. By the decade’s end, this journey led him to an unforgettable session, tickling the ivories for the King of Rock and Roll himself, Elvis Presley. One of the standout moments from this era was when Milsap got the chance to play Elvis’ Kentucky Rain, contributing an iconic piano part that still resonates today.
From Blind School Prodigy to Memphis Session Player
Born with a congenital defect that left him nearly blind, Ronnie Milsap’s early life was challenging. Given to his grandmother to raise shortly after his first birthday, he was sent to the Governor Morehead School for the Blind in North Carolina at age six. It was here his musical talents blossomed. Instructors noticed his gift early on, leading to formal classical music studies. However, Milsap was also drawn to the sounds pouring from the radio – country, gospel, rhythm and blues, and rock and roll, citing Ray Charles and Little Richard as key influences. By his teens, he was playing in rock bands. After a brief stint in college, Milsap pursued music full-time, landing his first professional gig with J. J. Cale. He released early singles and, crucially, moved to Memphis in the late 1960s, connecting with producer Chips Moman. This move put him in the orbit of American Sound Studios, a hub of creativity that would soon lead to an encounter with Elvis.
Ronnie Milsap smiling alongside the legendary Ray Charles, highlighting Milsap’s early musical influences.
An Unexpected Call to American Sound Studios
Milsap’s involvement in the recording of “Kentucky Rain” happened somewhat by chance. As he recounted in a 2019 Goldmine Magazine interview, the session needed a piano player. “That session with Elvis for ‘Kentucky Rain’ came about because there was no one else there to play piano,” Milsap explained. “It came about because there was nobody else there at American Studios that night to do it.” Chips Moman, producing the Elvis sessions alongside Elvis’s regular producer Felton Jarvis, knew Milsap was nearby. “Chips Moman… said, ‘Ronnie Milsap’s here in the building, bring him in’. He introduced me to Elvis. ‘Elvis, this is Ronnie Milsap’. And that was about it.” Just like that, Milsap found himself part of a historic recording session.
Recording “Kentucky Rain”: Freedom and Thunder
Playing on the track was an incredible experience for Milsap. “I played grand piano on ‘Kentucky Rain’ while Elvis was cutting his vocal live. It was just incredible,” he recalled. Despite Elvis’s stature, Milsap felt a surprising amount of artistic liberty. “Oh, I was given total (artistic) freedom (on Kentucky Rain),” Milsap stated. Elvis offered only one piece of guidance: “The only suggestion I got from Elvis was that he wanted to hear thunder roll on the piano. He made that comment, and beyond that, he didn’t say anything. He basically said, ‘Play what you feel’.” This freedom allowed Milsap to craft the distinctive, driving piano part that defines the song.
The Link Between “Kentucky Rain” and “Smoky Mountain Rain”
Listeners familiar with both Elvis’s hit and Ronnie Milsap’s own chart-topper, “Smoky Mountain Rain” (released years later in 1980), often notice a similarity in the powerful piano chords. This wasn’t accidental. Milsap acknowledged the connection, reflecting on the success of the piano style on the Elvis track: “I thought, ‘It worked on Elvis’ record. . . . It will work on mine the same way, and it certainly did’.” The “thunder” Elvis requested clearly left a lasting impression on Milsap’s musical approach.
More Than Just Piano: Adding Vocals for the King
While his piano contribution to “Kentucky Rain” is widely recognized, Milsap’s involvement with Elvis’s American Sound sessions extended beyond the keyboard. He also contributed vocals. “I played on that record and sang on that record, too,” Milsap confirmed regarding “Kentucky Rain”. He also lent his voice to another major hit from that era, “Don’t Cry Daddy.” Milsap noted, “I did that as an overdub; Elvis wasn’t in the studio for that session. It was a wonderful experience singing along to Elvis. He loved it and was very supportive.”
Inside the Studio: Milsap’s View of Elvis at Work
Being part of these sessions gave Milsap a front-row seat to Elvis’s professionalism and creative process. He remembered Elvis as being deeply knowledgeable about recording. “He was fun to be around and very experienced about recording,” Milsap said. “I mean, he had recorded so long, he knew the songs he wanted to record and he knew how he wanted them.” Milsap observed Elvis’s meticulous nature: “He’d try them in one key, and if that didn’t work, he’d try them in another. If he didn’t like them slow, he’d try them fast… He’d experiment with a song until he found something that he felt really was him.” For Milsap, this dedication was central to Elvis’s enduring appeal.
Beyond the Studio: A New Year’s Eve with Elvis
Milsap’s interactions with Elvis weren’t confined to the studio. He recalled playing a New Year’s Eve party as 1970 turned into 1971 at a Memphis club called TJ’s, which Elvis had leased for the night. “Elvis wanted to pick a place where the band was already in place and they could do the job. So he wanted to come hang out down at TJ’s,” Milsap shared. Knowing Milsap played there regularly, Elvis chose it for his private celebration.
Milsap, starstruck but bold, asked the King if he might sing a song. “I said, ‘Elvis, I know you’re probably gonna say no but I know every song you’ve ever recorded. Any possibility you might come up and sing one tonight? … I know them all’.” Elvis politely declined, preferring to relax. “He said, ‘Ronnie, I would prefer to just hang out here with my friends’. I said, ‘Okay, I understand that but I had to ask you’.” Milsap observed Elvis’s famous generosity firsthand, hearing how Elvis would readily help strangers, sometimes writing checks on the spot for needs like surgery. “Elvis was great at the party,” Milsap concluded. “Everything you think Elvis would be that’s exactly what he was.”
A Lasting Connection: Elvis and Milsap’s Music
The respect between the two artists was evident. Elvis appreciated Milsap’s contributions to his records. For Milsap, Elvis was profoundly influential: “He was the voice of my generation . . . the voice in my radio speakers.” Years later, after Elvis’s passing in 1977, Milsap heard a poignant detail that underscored their connection. “When Elvis passed in 1977 I heard that on his turntable was a copy of my album called ‘It Was Almost Like A Song by Ronnie Milsap’. That was on his turntable so he knew what I was doing.” This discovery deeply touched Milsap, confirming that the King he had admired and worked with had also been following his subsequent success.
Ronnie Milsap’s experience getting to play Elvis’ Kentucky Rain remains a significant anecdote in music history. It highlights a moment where a talented session musician contributed significantly to an iconic track, receiving creative freedom from one of the world’s biggest stars. Milsap’s recollections offer valuable insights into Elvis’s studio methods, his personality, and the vibrant Memphis music scene that brought them together, cementing Milsap’s small but crucial role in the vast tapestry of Elvis Presley’s legacy.
