Sun Records facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Sun Records |
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| Parent company | Primary Wave |
| Founded | February 1, 1952 |
| Founder | Sam Phillips |
| Distributor(s) | Virgin Music Group |
| Genre | Rock and roll, country, blues, rockabilly |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Location | Memphis, Tennessee |
Sun Records is a famous American record company. It was started by a music producer named Sam Phillips. He opened it in Memphis, Tennessee, on February 1, 1952. Sun Records was special because it was the first company to record many legendary musicians. These included Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Carl Perkins. Before these stars, Sun Records mainly recorded African-American artists. Sam Phillips loved rhythm and blues music. He wanted more people to hear it. In January 2021, another company called Primary Wave bought Sun Records.
Contents
History of Sun Records
Starting the Studio
Sam Phillips first opened his studio on January 3, 1950. It was called Memphis Recording Service. The studio was located at 706 Union Avenue in Memphis. A person named Jim Bulliet helped Phillips with money to start the studio. Phillips had helped Jim Bulliet find artists before 1952.
In March 1951, Phillips produced a song called "Rocket 88". It was by Jackie Brenston and his Delta Cats. This group was actually Ike Turner and his Kings of Rhythm. Ike Turner helped Phillips find other talented musicians. He brought artists like Howlin' Wolf and Bobby "Blue" Bland to record.
Creating the Record Label
The success of "Rocket 88" helped Phillips create Sun Records. He officially started the record label in February 1952. Before this, Phillips would record music and then let other companies release it. But he had problems with these other companies. So, he decided to start his own label. Phillips said he was "forced into it" because other labels were taking his artists.
The first Sun Records logo was designed by John Gale Parker Jr. He was a high school friend of Sam Phillips. Sun Records shared the same building as the recording studio.
Discovering Music Stars
At Sun Records, Sam Phillips discovered and recorded many important musicians. These included Elvis Presley, Carl Perkins, Johnny Cash, Roy Orbison, and Jerry Lee Lewis. In 1955, Elvis Presley's recording contract was sold to RCA Victor. This helped Sun Records with its money problems.
In 1956, while Phillips was away, producer Jack Clement discovered Jerry Lee Lewis. He recorded Lewis's music. Other artists who recorded for Sun Records included Rufus Thomas and his daughter Carla Thomas. Also, Charlie Rich, Bill Justis, and Conway Twitty recorded there.
Later Years and Legacy
In 1969, a producer named Shelby Singleton bought Sun Records from Sam Phillips. Singleton's company re-released many of Sun's old recordings. These were put into new collections in the early 1970s.
Today, the company is still in business as Sun Entertainment Corporation. It lets other companies use its brand and classic songs. Many of these songs have been put on CD collections. Sun Entertainment also owns other record labels. Its website sells items with the original 1950s Sun logo.
Sun Records is now located in Nashville, Tennessee. It mostly re-releases old music. However, in 2013, it signed a new country musician named Julie Roberts.
The music from Sun Records artists helped create rock and roll. It also inspired many famous bands, like The Beatles. In 2001, Paul McCartney was on a tribute album for Sun Records. It was called Good Rockin' Tonight: The Legacy of Sun Records.
The Million Dollar Quartet
A famous photograph shows Carl Perkins, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Elvis Presley together. They are gathered around a piano. This happened on December 4, 1956, at Sun Records' studio. The four musicians had an unplanned jam session. This group became known as the "Million Dollar Quartet". A musical based on this event, called Million Dollar Quartet, was created in 2008.
Recent Events
A TV series about the record label aired from February to April 2017. It was shown on CMT.
In August 2022, Sun Records released a special album. It was to celebrate their 70th Anniversary. The album included songs from many artists in the Sun catalogue. These included James Cotton, Linda Martell, Roy Orbison, and Johnny Cash.
In November 2022, two authors, Peter Guralnick and Colin Escott, released a book. It is called The Birth of Rock ‘N’ Roll: The Illustrated Story of Sun Records and the 70 Recordings that Changed the World. This book tells the history of Sun Records.
See also
In Spanish: Sun Records para niños
- List of record labels
- Elvis Presley's Sun recordings
- Johnny Cash's Sun recordings
- Roy Orbison's Sun recordings
