Stan Kesler facts for kids

Stanley Augustus Kesler (born August 11, 1928 – died October 26, 2020) was a talented American musician, songwriter, and record producer. His amazing career started at the famous Sun Studio in Memphis, Tennessee.

Stan Kesler helped write some of Elvis Presley's first songs. These included "I'm Left, You're Right, She's Gone" and "I Forgot to Remember to Forget". He also played guitar and bass on hit songs for stars like Carl Perkins and Jerry Lee Lewis. As a producer, he helped create the huge hit song "Wooly Bully" by Sam the Sham and the Pharaohs.

Early Life and Musical Start

Stan Kesler was born in Abbeville, Mississippi. When he was a child, he learned to play the mandolin and guitar. Later, while serving in the United States Marine Corps, he learned to play the steel guitar.

Joining Bands and Songwriting

After leaving the Marines, Stan formed a band with his brothers. He then joined Al Rodgers' band, playing music around Amarillo, Texas. Around 1950, Stan moved to Memphis. There, he played in different country and Western swing bands. One of these was the Snearly Ranch Boys.

Stan started writing songs for his band to record. Soon, other singers at the Sun Studio, run by Sam Phillips, began to record his songs.

Stan Kesler's Big Hits

Stan Kesler wrote songs that became hits for famous artists.

Writing for Elvis Presley

Two of Stan's songs were recorded by Elvis Presley.

• "I'm Left, You're Right, She's Gone" was written by Stan with William E. (Bill) Taylor. When Sun Records released it in 1954, it reached #5 on the country music charts.
• "I Forgot to Remember to Forget" was written by Stan with Charlie Feathers. Elvis's version of this song hit #1 on the country charts in early 1956!

Playing for Music Legends

By 1955, Stan Kesler became a regular session musician at Sun Studio. This meant he played instruments on many different artists' recordings. He played with the studio's house band for Carl Perkins and others. He later switched to playing bass guitar.

He played bass on Jerry Lee Lewis's 1957 hit song "Great Balls of Fire". He also played on records by Roy Orbison. Stan also worked as a recording engineer at Sun Studio, helping to make the songs sound great.

Producing and New Ventures

In the late 1950s, Stan Kesler started his own record label called Crystal. He later started two more labels, Penn and XL.

The Success of "Wooly Bully"

In the mid-1960s, Stan found great success with his XL label. He produced the song "Wooly Bully" for Sam the Sham and the Pharaohs. This song became a huge hit! He also produced several other successful songs for the band. Stan also worked as a producer with blues musician Willie Cobbs. He recorded the first version of "You Don't Love Me".

Working with Studio Musicians

Stan also engineered recording sessions for Quinton Claunch's Goldwax Records label. He worked with soul singer James Carr. Stan put together a group of talented session musicians for these recordings. This group included guitarist Reggie Young and drummer Gene Chrisman.

This band later left to join Chips Moman's new American Sound Studio in Nashville, Tennessee. There, they became known as the "Memphis Boys" and had even greater success. Stan then formed a new recording group at Sounds of Memphis Studio. This group also became very popular and was later called the "Dixie Flyers."

Later Career and Legacy

Eventually, Stan Kesler stopped working as an independent producer. In 1978, he returned to work at the Sun Studio as an engineer.

The Sun Rhythm Section

Later, he formed a touring band called the Sun Rhythm Section. This group included other famous musicians like guitarists Paul Burlison and Sonny Burgess. The band traveled around the world, performing their music. In 1987, they recorded an album called Old Time Rock 'n Roll on Flying Fish Records.

Personal Life

Stan Kesler retired from the music industry in the early 1990s. He lived in Bartlett, Tennessee. He passed away on October 26, 2020, in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, from bone cancer.