On November 3rd in music history, one significant event took place in 1956. On this day, the legendary Carl Perkins, known for his rockabilly style and hit song "Blue Suede Shoes," was involved in a serious car accident near Wilmington, Delaware. Perkins and his band were on their way to New York to appear on "The Perry Como Show" when their driver fell asleep at the wheel, causing the car to hit a pickup truck and plunge into a creek.
Perkins suffered a broken neck, fractured skull, and severe concussion in the accident. His brother Jay, who played rhythm guitar in the band, also sustained serious head injuries. The crash nearly ended Perkins' career and life.
Interestingly, Perkins had written "Blue Suede Shoes" just a few months earlier, and the song had already become a hit. Elvis Presley, who was a rising star at the time, recorded his own version of the song, which eventually overshadowed Perkins' original recording.
Despite the setback from the accident, Carl Perkins went on to recover and continue his music career. He is considered one of the pioneers of rockabilly music, alongside artists like Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Johnny Cash. His influence can be heard in the works of countless musicians who followed, including The Beatles, who were big fans of Perkins and even recorded some of his songs.
The car accident on November 3rd, 1956, could have been a tragic end to a promising career, but Carl Perkins' resilience and talent ensured that his legacy would live on in the annals of music history.