Tension hit breaking point right after the September 1957 sessions for Presley's first Christmas album. Moore and Black had been promised an opportunity to jam with Elvis after the session, on Presley's studio time. Yet when the session was over, they were told to pack up and leave. That same evening, the duo wrote a letter of resignation. They had only had one raise in two years and with the lack of personal appearances had to live off $100 a week, which was getting to be too difficult.