Scotty Moore, the pioneering rock ‘n’ roll guitarist whose fluid picking propelled Elvis Presley’s first recordings for Sun Records, died Tuesday in Nashville.

He was 84. Moore was a member of a local country combo in Memphis when he was drafted by Sun owner Sam Phillips to support with the young, untested teenage singer on his debut recordings.

His crisp, flowing, melodic guitar lines, heavily influenced by Chet Atkins’ early work but also infused with deep blues feeling, highlighted the singles issued by Sun during Presley’s rise to fame in 1954-55.

Moore went on to work behind Presley after he moved to major label RCA in 1956, appearing on such major hits as “Heartbreak Hotel” and “Blue Suede Shoes.” He also took supporting roles in several of Presley’s early feature films, and took a key instrumental role in his 1968 “comeback special.”

He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2000.