- Perkins and Johnny Cash gave each other the ideas for two of their biggest songs. Perkins got the inspiration to write his best known song "Blue Suede Shoes" from Cash, who told Perkins stories of soldiers on leave while Cash was in the military who would start a fight with anyone who got near their blue suede shoes. Cash got the idea for "I Walk the Line" when Perkins commented on all the groupies that they had access to now that they were famous and Cash countered, "Not me, brother, I walk the line." Perkins immediately responded, "Hey, I walk the line...that would be a great title for a song.".
- Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. (1987)
- Injured in road accident on the way to appearing on The Ed Sullivan Show (1948). (1956)
- Perkins' version of "Blue Suede Shoes" (not Elvis') was the bigger hit in 1956.
- He was one of Johnny Cash's best friends, the two having became close when they were both on Sun Records' roster, and they even wrote songs for the other perform at the time. In unison, Cash developed his addiction to speed and Perkins developed his to alcohol, and (after a car crash ended Perkins career) Cash took him on as part of his touring band.
- In spite of the fact that he nearly stole his thunder with his cover of "Blue Suede Shoes", Elvis Presley idolized him.
- Along with Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash and Jerry Lee Lewis was a member of celebrated "The Million Dollar Quartet". So named because they were moneymakers for Sam Phillips's Sun Records Label.
- Author of the Elvis Presley hit "Blue Suede Shoes".
- Inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame. (1985)
- He was voted the 69th Greatest Rock 'n' Roll Artist of all time by Rolling Stone.
- In 1991, he was forced to stop touring to undergo treatment for lung cancer and later successfully battled throat cancer. He endured surgery on a blocked artery in his neck in June 1997 and subsequently suffered a series of strokes.
- Is portrayed by country artist John Holiday in Walk the Line (2005).
- Founded the Exchange Club Carl Perkins Center for the Prevention of Child Abuse in 1980. Owned and operated the Suede Club in Jackson, Tennessee.
- Last album "Friends, Family & Legend" in 1992
- Biography in: "American National Biography". Supplement 1, pp. 479-480. New York: Oxford University Press, 2002.
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