A somewhat understated figure in '50s country music, Charline Arthur was a trailblazing woman and--as his mother's favorite singer--a big influence on Elvis Presley. Backed by her band's swinging hybrid of hillbilly boogie, honky-tonk, and blues, Charline Arthur had a brassy voice and a highly charged presence. Jumping off amplifiers, rolling on stages, wearing pants, growling, and hollering suggestive lyrics--such as those to "I'm Having A Party All By Myself" or "He Fiddled While I Burned"--Arthur was never an easy fit with the prevailing image of her gingham dress wearing contemporaries. While never cracking the charts, she kicked up a brief flurry on RCA, toured with Presley, and inspired a generation of early woman rock and rollers from Brenda Lee to Wanda Jackson.