James Burton: Still taking care of business

James Burton.

Guitar legend James Burton is in town to help John Rowles sing Elvis. He talks to Graham Reid.

He answers the phone in his Louisiana home with shout of "JB! Rock 'n' roll!" then bursts out laughing. And if anyone's allowed to say that, it's JB - legendary guitarist James Burton - who co-wrote the classic Suzie Q in 1957 with Dale Hawkins, played with Ricky Nelson for years, and was in the studio band for the groundbreaking American TV rock show Shindig! in the 60s.

Burton, now 75, was one of the famous Wrecking Crew session musicians who played for Phil Spector, the Beach Boys and more names than we can count; and then in 1969, at the invitation of The King himself, formed the backing band for Elvis Presley's Las Vegas and touring shows until Presley's death.

But it didn't stop there: another Elvis hooked him in to play on his album King of America in 1986.

"The phone rang and this voice said, 'Hi, this is Elvis ...'," he pauses briefly to let that sink in, "then he says, 'Elvis Costello'. I couldn't imagine why he would call me, then he told me about T-Bone Burnett producing an album for him and five albums later I was still working and playing a lot of shows with him."

He also toured with John Denver for years and counts among his friends and those he's worked with the late Johnny Cash and everyone in country music from Buck Owens and Merle Haggard to Gram Parson and Emmylou Harris.

This month he's in the band behind John Rowles on a national tour doing Rowles' songs as well as many of Presley's greatest hits.

The Presley catalogue is second nature for Burton, "But when you do it with different artists you have to change the music to fit. I'm not sure John would want to do Hound Dog as fast as Elvis."

The TCB Band - the Taking Care of Business Band - that Presley had Burton pull together became legendary, and that's who's touring with Rowles. Alongside Burton and drummer Ronnie Tutt, is piano player Glen D. Hardin. Bassist and producer Norbert Putnam, also touring, played with Presley in the mid-60s.

Burton says none of the TCB Band saw the decline in Presley, aside from the obvious: "The only thing was Elvis gained weight when he had a few weeks off, then he'd go on a crash diet and lose 50 pounds in a week to get ready for the next shows. But he constantly did that.

"We all know now that's hard on your body. [Presley's death in 1977] was a big shock to me and most everybody else."

He remembers hearing the news while on a plane going to their next show with Presley, a man he considered a close friend.

"When I went to work for him I became family straight away. When we'd go to Memphis or Nashville we'd always just go visit at Graceland. Working in Vegas, he'd want us to come up to his suite and he liked to tell stories about being in the army and driving tanks and that stuff."

Burton carries a lot of stories - but he travels light.

"I only carry one guitar, that's all I need. If I break a string John'll have to go ahead and sing a capella."

Who: Guitar legend James Burton
What: Elvis Presley's TCB Band on tour with John Rowles
When: Bruce Mason Centre, Takapuna, tonight

- TimeOut