Scotty Moore was only a singer.
Winfield Scott `` Scotty '' Moore III ( December 27 , 1931 -- June 28 , 2016 ) was an American guitarist and recording engineer . He is best known for his backing of Elvis Presley in the first part of his career , between 1954 and the beginning of Elvis 's Hollywood years . Rock critic Dave Marsh credits Moore with the invention of power chording , on the 1957 Presley song `` Jailhouse Rock '' , the intro of which Moore and drummer D.J. Fontana , according to the latter , `` copped from a '40s swing version of ` The Anvil Chorus ' . ''