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Roy Orbison
Roy Orbison
American singer-songwriter
1
Carl Perkins
Carl Perkins
American recording artist; rockabilly musician, songwriter
2
Scotty Moore
Scotty Moore
American musician
3
James Burton
James Burton
American guitarist
4
Billy Adams
Billy Adams
American musician
5
Sam Phillips
Sam Phillips
American businessman, record executive, record producer and DJ
6
Jody Reynolds
Jody Reynolds
American singer
7
Grady Martin
Grady Martin
American musician
8
Werly Fairburn
Werly Fairburn
American singer
9
Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley
American singer and actor (1935–1977)
10
Janis Martin
Janis Martin
American musician
11
Charlie Feathers
Charlie Feathers
American country music and rockabilly musician; songwriter
12
Leiber-Stoller
Leiber-Stoller
American songwriting and record producing duo
13
Fred Foster
Fred Foster
American record producer, songwriter, and music business executive
14
Jack Scott
Jack Scott
Canadian singer
15
Eddie Bond
Eddie Bond
American rockabilly singer and guitarist
16
Jerry Scheff
Jerry Scheff
American musician
17
Lee Denson
Lee Denson
American musician
18
Luther Dixon
Luther Dixon
American songwriter, record producer, singer, conductor
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Roy C. Bennett
Roy C. Bennett
American songwriter
20
The Brian Setzer Orchestra
The Brian Setzer Orchestra
American band
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Roy Brown
Roy Brown
American R&B singer, songwriter and musician
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Felice and Boudleaux Bryant
Felice and Boudleaux Bryant
American wife and husband country music and pop songwriting team
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Dale Hawkins
Dale Hawkins
American musician
24
Sonny Curtis
Sonny Curtis
American musician
25
Jimmy "Orion" Ellis
Jimmy "Orion" Ellis
American singer
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Roy Hall
Roy Hall
American musician, singer and pianist (1922-1984)
Claude Demetrius
American songwriter, musician

Claude Demetrius

Intro
American songwriter, musician
Music

Claude Demetrius (August 3, 1916 – May 1, 1988) was an American songwriter. He was known for his rockabilly songs, some of which were made famous by singers such as Elvis Presley. His name was also written Claude DeMetrius.

Demetrius was born in Bath, Maine, United States. By his early twenties he was in New York City writing music for and/or with Louis Armstrong. Demetrius wrote the 1945 musical comedy short film Open the Door, Richard. During the 1940s, he was closely associated with Louis Jordan. He wrote songs with Jordan that included material for the 1946 Black musical film Beware in which Jordan had the starring role. Some of Demetrius' best-known compositions from that era were co-written with Jordan's wife, Fleecie Moore, including the song "Ain't That Just Like a Woman (They'll Do It Every Time)."

For two decades, Claude Demetrius made a reasonably good living but in 1956 his income would change dramatically after he began writing for Gladys Music, Inc.. Newly formed by Jean and Julian Aberbach, the company owned the exclusive publishing rights to the music of Elvis Presley. Working for Gladys Music, Demetrius co-wrote a song called "I Was The One" that was the B-side to Presley's first RCA single, "Heartbreak Hotel." In 1957 he composed "Mean Woman Blues" for Presley's 1957 motion picture soundtrack, Loving You that was released on the record album of the same name as well as on Side 2 of a four-song EP record. The song was also the B-side of the European release of Jerry Lee Lewis' hit "Great Balls of Fire" on London Records. Demetrius topped off a successful year when he co-wrote with Aaron Schroeder the song "Santa, Bring My Baby Back (To Me)" which appeared on the 1957 Elvis' Christmas Album.

In 1958, Demetrius scored his biggest success of all with his composition of "Hard Headed Woman." The song became the first rock and roll single to earn the RIAA designation, gold record. Demetrius wrote it alone for Presley's 1958 film King Creole. Both songs were part of the record album but "Hard Headed Woman" was also released as a 45rpm single that went to No. 1 on the Billboard charts.

In 1963, "Mean Woman Blues" was recorded again, this time by Roy Orbison on a 45rpm single that went to No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and was part of Orbison's 1964 album, More of Roy Orbison's Greatest Hits. The timeless rock song was also sung by him on the 1989 HBO television special called Roy Orbison and Friends, A Black and White Night.

Claude Demetrius died in 1988 in New York City.