Sun Records Collection
Sun Records andElvis Presleywill always be linked in the minds of music lovers, but Sam Phillips's storied label had a rich history before the arrival of the hillbilly cat (it all started July 5, 1954, with "That's All Right") and it continued to flourish after Phillips sold Presley's contract to RCA in late '55. Rhino's three-disc label anthology naturally hinges on Presley's recordings, swinging back to the gutbucket blues Phillips loved and forward to the rockabilly and country that became the foundation of the Sun sound in the late '50s. We Record Anything was Sun's motto, but Phillips had a finely honed ear for music that was authentic, energetic, and direct, an aesthetic that embraced everyone fromHowlin' WolfandB.B. KingtoJerry Lee LewisandJohnny CashtoCharlie RichandRoy Orbison. The stable's leading lights are all represented in this package, but there's great fun to be had discovering the lesser-known likes of thePrisonaires,Sonny Burgess, andBilly Lee Riley. A 34-page booklet that includes an interview with Phillips rounds out this overview of what is arguably the most important imprint in rock & roll history.--Steven Stolder