Liberace, Elvis controversial

I knew I was right last month pegging Liberace as the first rock 'n' roller! On the eve of "Don't Be Cruel"/"Hound Dog" hitting number one on the pop, country& western, and r&b charts, a July 21, 1956 Billboard item called "That Thar Gold Still A'Showers" describes Elvis Presley as "the most controversial entertainer since Liberace [and he] continues to be red-hot at the box office in spite of an unusually irate, cold-shoulder treatment from the press" (23). That's what the "still" refers to: ASCAP/Tin Pan Alley types were assuming/praying that the demon rock 'n' roll would just evaporate on a raft of Mantovani strings. But the shock is that they were praying Liberace, an ASCAP/TPA type himself, would go away too! Didn't happen, natch, although Mantonvani didn't go away either. Still, enjoy your golden showers, Elvis (and Liberace!).