Sun Studio facts for kids
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Sun Record Company, Memphis Recording Service
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Sun Studio
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 Location in Tennessee
Location in the United States
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| Location | 706 Union Avenue, Memphis, Tennessee, U.S. |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1950 |
| NRHP reference No. | 03001031 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | July 31, 2003 |
| Designated NHL | July 31, 2003 |
Sun Studio is a famous recording studio in Memphis, Tennessee. It was opened by a music pioneer named Sam Phillips on January 3, 1950. At first, it was called Memphis Recording Service. This studio is super important because it played a big part in the early days of Elvis Presley's career.
Many people say the first ever rock and roll song, "Rocket 88" by Jackie Brenston and his Delta Cats, was recorded here in 1951. This makes Sun Studio known as the "birthplace of rock & roll." Famous Blues and R&B artists like Howlin' Wolf, B.B. King, and Rufus Thomas also recorded their music at Sun Studio in the early 1950s.
Later in the 1950s, many other music stars recorded here. These included Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins, Roy Orbison, and Jerry Lee Lewis. Sun Studio became too small as it got more popular. So, Sam Phillips opened a bigger studio in 1959. In 1987, the original Sun Studio building was reopened. It is now a recording studio and a popular place for tourists to visit. Many famous bands like U2 and Def Leppard have recorded there since it reopened.
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The Start of Sun Studio
In January 1950, Sam Phillips, who was an engineer for a radio station, opened the Memphis Recording Service. His friend, Marion Keisker, helped him. Sam had always wanted to have his own recording studio. To make money at first, he recorded many different things. He recorded weddings, choirs, and even funerals.
Sam also had an "open door" policy. This meant anyone could come in and record their own song for a small fee. His studio's motto was "We Record Anything, Anywhere, Anytime." In June 1950, Sam and a friend started their own record label called Phillips Records. They wanted to record Black artists from the South who didn't have a place to record. But this label didn't do well and closed after only one song was released.
The First Rock and Roll Song?
After his first record label failed, Sam Phillips worked with other record companies. He made demo recordings and master tapes for their artists. During this time, he recorded "Rocket 88" by Jackie Brenston and his Delta Cats. Many people believe this was the first rock and roll song.
Some say Sam Phillips was very creative and made the song sound unique. Others think the special "fuzzy" sound happened because the amplifier used was broken. The tour guides at Sun Studio often say the amplifier was stuffed with newspaper, which made the sound fuzzy.
Sun Records: A New Beginning
In 1952, Sam Phillips started a new record label called Sun Records. In its first year, he recorded several artists who became very successful. These included B.B. King, Rufus Thomas, and Howlin' Wolf. Even with these great artists, Sam found it hard to make enough money. He drove thousands of miles to promote his artists to radio stations.
Rufus Thomas's song "Bearcat" was the first big hit for Sun Records in 1953. This song helped the label, but it also led to a lawsuit. This lawsuit almost made Sam's record label go out of business. But Sam kept his business going by recording other acts. One famous group was the Prisonaires, a quartet who were allowed to leave prison to record their song "Just Walkin' in the Rain." This song was a big hit. A newspaper article about this recording might have made Elvis Presley want to record at Sun Studio.
Elvis Presley's Start
In August 1953, Elvis Presley, who was 18 years old, walked into Sun Studio. He wanted to pay to record a two-sided record. He said it was a gift for his mother, or that he just wanted to hear what he sounded like. But some people think he hoped to be discovered.
When the receptionist, Marion Keisker, asked him what kind of singer he was, Elvis said, "I sing all kinds." When she asked who he sounded like, he kept saying, "I don't sound like nobody." After he recorded, Sam Phillips told Marion to write down Elvis's name. She wrote, "Good ballad singer. Hold." Elvis recorded another song in January 1954, but nothing happened with it.
Sam Phillips was looking for a white singer who sounded like Black musicians. He often said, "If I could find a white man who had the Negro sound and the Negro feel, I could make a billion dollars." In June, Sam heard a song called "Without You." He thought it might be good for Elvis. Elvis came to the studio but couldn't sing it well. Even so, Sam asked Elvis to sing other songs he knew. Sam liked what he heard and invited two local musicians, Scotty Moore (guitar) and Bill Black (bass), to play with Elvis.
Their recording session on July 5 was not going well until late at night. As they were about to leave, Elvis started singing an old blues song, "That's All Right" by Arthur Crudup. Scotty Moore remembered that Elvis, Bill, and he just started playing around and having fun. Sam Phillips heard them from the control room. He quickly started recording. This was the special sound he had been looking for!
Three days later, a popular Memphis DJ named Dewey Phillips played "That's All Right" on his radio show. People started calling in, wanting to know who the singer was. The interest was so big that the DJ played the song many times. He even interviewed Elvis on the radio to tell listeners that Elvis was white, as many thought he was Black. Soon after, the group recorded another song, "Blue Moon of Kentucky." A record was made with "That's All Right" on one side and "Blue Moon of Kentucky" on the other.
Elvis Becomes a Star
Within a few months, Sun Records grew a lot because of how many Elvis records were sold. Radio stations and stores everywhere wanted to play his music. As Elvis became more famous, Sam Phillips realized Sun Studio was not big enough for him to become a national star.
In February 1955, Sam met Colonel Tom Parker, a manager known for his skills. Parker convinced Sam that Elvis needed a bigger record label. After a few months, Sam agreed to sell Elvis's contract. He asked for a lot of money, $35,000, which was a huge amount for a singer's contract back then.
Elvis didn't want to leave Sun, but Sam Phillips sold his contract to RCA Victor in November 1955. Sam used some of the money to help his other artists, like Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Roy Orbison.
The Million Dollar Quartet
On December 4, 1956, something amazing happened at Sun Studio. Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, and Johnny Cash all ended up there at the same time. They had an unplanned jam session, just playing music together.
Carl Perkins was recording new songs that day. Sam Phillips had brought in Jerry Lee Lewis to play piano on Carl's session. Later that afternoon, Elvis Presley came to visit. He was already a huge star. At some point, Johnny Cash also stopped by.
Jack Clement, who was working as an engineer that day, decided to record what was happening. He thought it was too special not to. After playing many songs, Elvis and his girlfriend left. Jerry Lee Lewis kept playing the piano.
Sam Phillips saw a great chance for publicity. He called a local newspaper, the Memphis Press-Scimitar. A reporter and a photographer came to the studio. The next day, an article about the session was published with the title "Million Dollar Quartet". The article included a famous photo of Elvis at the piano, surrounded by Lewis, Perkins, and Cash.
Sun Studio Changes Over Time
After Elvis left, Sam Phillips had success with other artists for several years. Sun Studio became known as a place that helped new talent grow. In 1959, Sam moved Sun Studio to a bigger building. By the mid-1960s, Sam was more interested in radio stations than recording music. Sun Studio lost its fame as a groundbreaking studio. In 1968, Sun Records released its last record.
In 1969, a record producer named Shelby Singleton bought the Sun label from Sam Phillips. Singleton moved the company to Nashville. The original Sun Studio building was sold to a plumbing company, and then to an auto parts store. The famous recording studio was used to store car parts!
Sun Records Studio has also been used as a setting for movies about famous musicians. These include Walk the Line (about Johnny Cash) and Great Balls of Fire (about Jerry Lee Lewis).
Sun Studio Reopens
In 1987, ten years after Elvis Presley passed away, the original Sun Studio at 706 Union Avenue was opened again as a recording studio. It quickly became a popular place for Elvis fans and music lovers to visit. Many famous bands and artists have recorded there since it reopened. These include U2, Def Leppard, and John Mellencamp. In 2003, it was officially named a National Historic Landmark.
In 2009, Canadian blues artist JW-Jones recorded there. John Mellencamp also recorded nine songs for his album No Better Than This at the studio in July 2009. In 2011, Chris Isaak released "Beyond the Sun," an album of songs recorded at Sun Studio. Many of these were cover versions of songs first released on Sun Records.
Sun Studio also shares its history through podcasts on YouTube and a TV series called Sun Studio Sessions on Public Television.
See also
In Spanish: Estudio Sun para niños
