About | Sam Phillips Recording Search Sam Phillips is not just one of the most important producers in rock history, he is also one of the most important figures in 20th-century American culture. As owner and founder of his Memphis Recording Service Studio and Sun Record Company, he was the vital creative innovator at the epicenter of establishing rock n’ roll as the fresh, new, global music of the 20th-century era. He produced, recorded, inspired and launched the careers of the artists that originally defined this new musical sound…Elvis Presley, Carl Perkins, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, Roy Orbison, Charlie Rich, B.B. King, Ike Turner, Howlin’ Wolf, Little Milton, Rufus Thomas, and so many more. Sam first made his mark (and a very deep one) with electric rhythm and blues by African American black performers. He will always be remembered for all of the music he created, but probably most remembered for his difference-making rock n’ roll artists, particularly Elvis Presley. After successfully outgrowing his Memphis Recording Service/ Sun Studio, Phillips opened Sam Phillips Recording service in 1960.

1960 Local Newspaper Memphis Press-Scimitar Writes: Sam Phillips, who made $2 million in the record business without a desk, finally has one-and a new three quarters of a million dollar studios to go with it. As he leans back in an upholstered arm chair as white and billowy as the heavenly chariot, the white Formica top of the walnut desk slashes across in front of him like the wing of a jet. His left hand rests on the colorfully buttoned control panel of the huge stereophonic hi-fi- a juke box that requires no dimes-which sits at the other end of the office. “This is a little Cape Canaveral of the recording business,” he says, his eye taking in the two floors of studios, control rooms, mastering rooms, mailing rooms and offices which lie beneath the penthouse executive offices. “Woodshed recordings have had it. You’ve got to have the latitude today- all the electronic devices, built in high and low frequency equalization and attenuation, echoes, channel-splitting facilities, and metering on everything. “Each section of the building is structurally isolated from the rest, and there are exact humidity controls for the studios, control rooms, editing and mastering rooms.

Everything that has gone into this building”, Phillips continued, “has been custom built which is why it has taken us two and a half years to get it finished. We have built for the future. We are fully equipped to perform the finest recording techniques now, and we are prepared for any new innovation that may come along. In our experience, and in the opinions of many professional people who have already visited our new studio, we have one of the best equipped and most versatile recording studios, not just in the South or even in the nation, but in the world.” Formerly the Midas Muffler shop, the building at 639 Madison was stripped to it’s shell and completely rebuilt. William W. Bond Jr. was the architect and Denise Howard, of Decor by Denise, assisted in design phases of the front, and designed the mobile of brightly colored disks which keynotes it. She also handled interior designing and furnishing, including such luxury features such as an employees lounge, executive bar, and the roof top sun deck which, with potted plants and redwood fencing, provides an atmosphere of outdoor living, visible through the windows of the penthouse executive offices.

Over the years Sam Phillips Recording has recorded these artists: Jerry Lee Lewis How Recording Studios Work | HowStuffWorks How Recording Studios Work Liaison/ Getty Images In 1953, a skinny 18-year-old with slicked-back hair walked into Memphis Recording Service. He wanted to make a personal recording and was looking for owner Sam Phillips. Since Phillips wasn't in, the teen talked to secretary Marion Kiesker. When she asked what style of music he played, he responded, "I don't sound like nobody." Although few people ever heard that first $4 recording, Elvis Presley turned his personal style into worldwide fame with the help of Sam Phillips and that recording studio, which became the legendary Sun Studio. The studio was also home to Johnny Cash, Roy Orbison, Jerry Lee Lewis and B.B. King [source: Rockabilly Hall of Fame ].

Up Next How the RIAA Works Sun Studio may be what comes to mind when you think of recording studios, or the Beatles' Abbey Road in London -- or maybe even Chess Records in Chicago where artists such as Muddy Waters, Chuck Berry, Buddy Guy, Bo Diddley and Aretha Franklin produced recordings that introduced the blues, jazz and gospel to listeners far from the Mississippi Delta [source: Save America's Treasures ]. While recording artists still need some type of music studio for cutting and mixing music, the digital era has simplified the process. Plenty of large studios still exist to provide sophisticated, high-end services, but many musicians have turned to smaller studios using computers and digital sound equipment. How did recording studios start? And, what's involved with putting together a recording studio? Check out the next page to find out. 1 Sam Phillips | Sun Record Company Sam Phillips Biography Samuel Cornelius Phillips ( January 5 , 1923 – July 30 , 2003 ), better known as Sam Phillips, was an American record producer who played an important role in the emergence of rock and roll as the major form of popular music in the 1950s.

He is most notably attributed with the discovery of Elvis Presley , and is associated with several other noteworthy rhythm and blues and rock and roll stars of the period. Phillips was a native of Florence, Alabama and a graduate of Coffee High School. The “Memphis Recording Service” and Sun Records In the 1940s, Phillips worked as a DJ for Muscle Shoals , Alabama radio station WLAY (AM) . According to Phillips, this radio station’s “open format” (of broadcasting music from both white and black musicians) would later inspire his work in Memphis. On January 3 , 1950 , Phillips opened the “Memphis Recording Service” at 706 Union Avenue in Memphis, Tennessee , which also served as the studios for Phillips’ own label, Sun Records , through the 1950s. In addition to musical performances, he recorded events such as weddings and funerals, selling the recordings. Phillips recorded what some—notably music historian Peter Guralnick —consider the first rock and roll record : “ Rocket 88 ” by Jackie Brenston and his Delta Cats , a band led by 19-year-old Ike Turner , who also wrote the song.

The recording was released on the Chess/Checker record label in Chicago, in 1951. From 1950 to 1954 Phillips recorded the music of black rhythm and blues artists such as James Cotton , Rufus Thomas , Rosco Gordon , Little Milton , Bobby Blue Bland , and others. Blues legends such as B.B. King and Howlin’ Wolf made their first recordings at his studio. In fact, Phillips deemed Howlin’ Wolf his greatest discovery and he deemed Elvis Presley his second greatest discovery.

Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, Roy Orbison Although much has been written about Phillips’ goals, he can be seen stating the following: “Everyone knew that I was just a struggling cat down here trying to develop new and different artists, and get some freedom in music, and tap some resources and people that weren’t being tapped.” (The Rockabilly Legends; They Called It Rockabilly Long Before they Called It Rock and Roll by Jerry Naylor and Steve Halliday DVD, 22:00 ISBN-13;: 978-I-4234-2042-2) Elvis Presley , who recorded his version of Arthur “Big Boy” Cruddup’s “ That’s All Right (Mama) ” at Phillips’ studio, met that goal, and became highly successful, first in Memphis, then throughout the southern United States.

For the first six months, the flip side, “Blue Moon of Kentucky”, his upbeat version of a Bill Monroe bluegrass song, was slightly more popular than “That’s All Right (Mama).” While still not known outside the South, Presley’s singles and regional success became a drawing card for Sun Records, as singing hopefuls soon arrived from all over the region. Singers such as Sonny Burgess (“My Bucket’s Got A Hole In It”), Charlie Rich , Junior Parker , and Billy Lee Riley recorded for Sun with some success, while others such as Jerry Lee Lewis , BB King , Johnny Cash , Roy Orbison , and Carl Perkins would become superstars. Despite this popular regional acclaim, by mid 1955 Sam Phillips’ studio experienced financial difficulties, and he sold Presley’s contract in November of that year; RCA Records ‘ offer of $35,000 beat out Atlantic Records ‘ offer of $25,000. Through the sale of Presley’s contract, he was able to boost the distribution of Perkins’ song “ Blue Suede Shoes “, and it became Sun Records’ first national hit. Phillips is credited with teaching production to Presley who used this knowledge into his career with RCA Victor.

Although Steve Sholes was credited as the official producer of Elvis after his move to RCA, it was Elvis who in reality, produced most of the music, using what he had learned from Sam Phillips. Phillips had an open style and insightful guidance that seemed to allow musicians, especially Presley, to search and feel their way to a point to where they would perform beyond Phillips’ and their own expectations. He also seemed to have a sense for when the artist was about to reach the point of their best performance. Phillips recorded looking for a feel, not technical perfection. Phillips told Elvis that the worst thing he could go for was perfection. Phillips was always seeking what he called the perfect/imperfect cut. This meant that it was not technically perfect, but perfectly conveyed the feeling and emotion of the song to the listener and gave the song a living personality, partially due to it being technically imperfect. Phillips innovated while recording Elvis. Most recordings at the time gave substantially more volume to the vocals. Phillips pulled back the Elvis vocals, blending it more with the instrumental performances. Phillips also used tape delay to get an echo into the Elvis recordings by running the tape through a second recorder head.

RCA, not knowing the method that Phillips had used, was unable to recreate the Elvis echo when recording “ Heartbreak Hotel “. In an attempt to duplicate the Sun Records sound, RCA used a large empty hallway at the studio to create an echo, but it sounded nothing like the echo that Phillips had created at Sun Records. Elvis did not have a band when he arrived at Sun Records. It was Sam Phillips who decided that little was needed to augment Elvis’ vocals and rhythm guitar. Phillips chose two musicians, lead guitarist Scotty Moore and bassist Bill Black to perform with Elvis. This choice of musicians proved to be inspired as this group along with drummer D.J. Fontana produced some of the biggest hits in rock ‘n’ roll history, even after Phillips had sold the Presley contract to RCA Victor. These included “ Heartbreak Hotel “, “ Hound Dog “, and “ Don’t Be Cruel “. Phillips’ pivotal role in the early days of rock and roll was exemplified by a celebrated jam session on December 4 , 1956 which came to be known as the Million Dollar Quartet . Jerry Lee Lewis was playing piano for a Carl Perkins recording session at Phillips’ studio.

When Elvis Presley walked in unexpectedly, Johnny Cash was called into the studio by Phillips, leading to an impromptu session featuring the four musicians. Phillips challenged the four to achieve gold record sales, offering a free Cadillac to the first. The contest is commemorated in a song by the “ Drive-by Truckers “. WHER Phillips launched radio station WHER on October 29 , 1955 . Each of the young women who auditioned for the station assumed there would only be one female announcer position like other stations at that time. Only a few days before the first broadcast did they learn of the “All Girl Radio” format. Almost every position at the station was held by a woman. [1] Other business interests Through savvy investments, Phillips soon amassed a fortune. He was one of the first investors in Holiday Inn , a new motel chain that was about to go national; he became involved with the chain shortly after selling the rights to Elvis Presley to RCA for $35,000 which he multiplied many times over the years with Holiday Inn. He would also create two different subsidiary recording labels–Phillips International and Holiday Inn Records.

Neither would match the success or influence of Sun, which Phillips ultimately sold to Shelby Singleton in the 1960s. Rock and Roll Hall of Fame In 1986 Sam Phillips was part of the first group inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and his pioneering contribution to the genre has been recognized by the Rockabilly Hall of Fame . In 1987, he was inducted into the Alabama Music Hall of Fame . He received a Grammy Trustees Award for his lifetime achievements in 1991. In 1998, he was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame , and in October 2001 he was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame . Phillips died of respiratory failure at St. Francis Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee on July 30 , 2003 , only one day before the original Sun Studio was designated a National Historic Landmark. He is interred in the Memorial Park Cemetery, Memphis .

Sun Studio: The Birthplace of Rock ‘n’ Roll - Purdue Convocations Sun Studio: The Birthplace of Rock ‘n’ Roll Friday, December 13, 2013 Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window) It was on a tiny corner in Memphis, Tennessee, that Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins, and Jerry Lee Lewis came together for a legendary impromptu jam on December 4, 1956, at Sun Studio. When owner Sam Phillips called the media, the iconic photo and nickname that inspired the musical were born. But Sun Studio gave birth to something bigger: rock ‘n’ roll. Phillips, a radio engineer, opened this postage stamp-sized studio in 1950. Just one year later, “Rocket 88,” considered the first-ever rock ‘n’ roll song, was recorded there. It’s also where Presley cut his first-ever recording (“My Happiness”). After Phillips sold the studio in 1969, no recordings were made there until 1985, when Perkins, Cash, and Lewis reunited along with Roy Orbison for their Class of ’55 album.

Reopened as Sun Studio in 1987 and now a National Historic Landmark, it’s open both to the public for tours and artists for recording. Artists and acts such as Ringo Starr, Def Leppard, Bonnie Raitt, Tom Petty, Beck, John Fogerty, Matchbox 20, and Maroon 5 have recorded there. U2 recorded three songs for Rattle and Hum there, including radio hits “Angel of Harlem” and “When Love Comes to Town”—cramming the band, a horn section,background vocalists, and a film crew into the small studio. John Mellencamp cut a majority of his most recent studio album, No Better Than This, at Sun, praising the acoustical aptitude literally marked by Phillips’s X’s on the floor. In 2011, Chris Isaak recorded covers of Sun Studio classics there for Beyond the Sun—includ­ing “Ring of Fire,” “Great Balls of Fire,” “It’s Now or Never,” “Oh, Pretty Woman,” and more.

Plus, the PBS broadcast Sun Studio Sessions features intimate studio footage of Grace Potter and the Nocturnals, Jakob Dylan, Justin Townes Earle, the Walk­men, Ryan Bingham, and more. Before or after Million Dollar Quartet, be sure to make a pilgrimage to this musical mecca—a day’s drive down the road from West Lafayette—and walk the same floor as these legends! Nick Rogers, contributor Sam Phillips Sun Records Sam Phillips' Sun Records Sam Phillips is not just one of the most important producers in rock history. There's a good argument to be made that he is also one of the most important figures in 20th-century American culture. As owner of Sun Records and frequent producer of discs at his Sun Studios he was vital to launching the careers of Elvis Presley, Carl Perkins, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, B.B. King, Howlin' Wolf, Rufus Thomas and numerous other significant artists. Although he first made his mark (and a very deep one) with electric blues by Black performers, he will be most remembered for his rockabilly stars, particularly Elvis Presley.

Good News for those that like online gambling The Phillips Family 1916 (L to R: Charles, Irene, Horace, Madgie and Tom. Standing: Mary and Turner) Photo courtesy Sam Phillips Family (L to R: Sam and brother J.W. (Jud) Phillips) Photo courtesy Sam Phillips Family Sam and Aunt Emma Lovelace late 1955 or early 1956 Photo courtesy Sam Phillips Family Sam Phillips was born January 5, 1923, the youngest of eight children and was raised on a farm just outside Florence, Alabama. In high school Phillips conducted the school band. His onstage presence impressed the manager of local WLAY radio that he was hired as a part-time announcer. The Phillips were a typical middle class family until the Great Crash of 1929. Sam's father died in 1941 just after Pearl Harbor. He then dropped out of high school to help support his mother and deaf mute aunt. He worked first at a grocery and later a funeral home. It was while at the Brown-Service funeral home that Phillips learn how to handle people tactfully in emotional situations, a skill that later would serve him well.

Jim Connolly Photo courtesy Dot Connolly West WLAY Photo courtesy Sam Phillips Family Originally Phillips wanted to study law, but because of circumstances decided to go into radio. He went to Alabama Polytechnical Institute in Auburn, Alabama where he majored in engineering, including audio engineering for radio. In broke into radio in 1940 when he conducted and emceed the band for a college concert. This impressed Jim Connally the station manager at WLAY enough that he hired Phillips. Sam and Becky Phillips Phillips at his desk at WREC WMSL 1944 In 1942 he married Rebecca Burns. Phillips next radio job was for three years at WMSL in Decatur, Alabama, then to WLAC in Nashville, Tennessee and finally in June, 1945 to WREC. At WREC he hosted the "Songs of the West" show daily at 4 PM. There he was able to put his engineering skills into use. In those days many programs were prerecorded on 16 inch acetate discs which were often duplicated and passed to other stations. Thus the radio engineers were also recording engineers and thus Phillips was able to develop his recording skills.

He also took care of the station's sound effects and found records for its library. Skyway Ballroom Photo courtesy Sam Phillips family While at WREC he hosted "Saturday Afternoon Tea Dance" where he played jazz, blues and pop from the Skyway Room of the Peabody Hotel. The shows were broadcast nationally over the CBS radio network Memphis Recording Studio Photo courtesy Sam Phillips Family 706 Union Street Photo Courtesy Jim Cole In October 1949 Phillips signed a lease on a small storefront located at 706 Union Avenue near downtown Memphis. The rent was $150 a month. With the help of two year loan from Buck Turner, a regular performer at WREC, he installed recording equipment. The Memphis recording studio opened in January 1950 with the slogan "We Record Anything-Anywhere- Anytime." With a Presto five-input mixer board and Presto PT900 portable tape recorder in the trunk of his car, Phillips would whatever weddings, funerals or religious gatherings he could book. Most of his early commercial recordings were done onto acetate rather than than at that time unproven tape.

By 1954 he had upgraded his equipment and installed two Ampex 350 recorders: one a console model and another mounted behind his head for the tape delay echo, or slapback. Memphis Recording Studio's first paying job was transcriptions of Buck Turner's band for the Arkansas Rural Electrification Program. These were distributed to fifteen to twenty stations throughout the mid-South. It was probably five or six months later that Phillips decided to record artists to sell or lease masters. Phillips along with his friend Dewey Phillips decided to start their own record label. The new label was simply called Phillips - "The Hottest Thing in the Country." The first record was "Boogie in the Park" by Joe Hill Louis. On August 30, 1950 three hundred copies were pressed and shipped to Music Distribution in Memphis. Saul and Joe Bihari Photo courtesy Michael Bihari Phillips decided to get out of the manufacturing end of the business as his relationship the Biharis (Joe, Saul and Jules) Modern Records grew. The Biharis had started a subsidiary RPM Records for music with a down home feel.

At first Phillips sent them samples of Joe Hill, a local gospel group and jazz pianist PhineasNewborn, Jr . Riley (B.B.) King Photo courtesy B.B. King Museum In 1950 Jules Bihari signed B.B. King to a contract and placed him with Phillips. Working under Bihari's direct Phillips recorded King from mid-1950 until June 1951. The Biharis released five singles from the material Phillips sent, making King one of the first artists on their new RPM subsidiary.Phillips' involvement with King would later end a casualty of the dispute between the Biharis and Phillips over the placing of "Rocket 88" with Chess Records. Sam Phillips (by Adriaan Sturm) Rocking & Stomping / R&S Jerry Lee Lewis & Sam Phillips I am sure by now you must have heard the sad news about the passing of Sam Phillips, the owner and founder of the legendary SUN label. Sam passed away 7 o'clock Wednesday night, July 30, 2003 at St. Frances Hospital in Memphis Tennessee.

To the general public he will always be the man who discovered Elvis Presley but there was much more to Sam Phillips. Most European music lovers and record collectors learned about Sam and his Sun Recording studio during the mid sixties when records on the now famous yellow label appeared on various auction lists. I believe I bought my first Sun singles from "Breathless" Dan Coffey and they included such gems as "Rock Boppin' Baby" by Ed Bruce, "With Your Love With Your Kiss" by Johnny Powers, "Slow Down" by Jack Earls, "Red Hot" by Billy Lee Riley, "Rock & Roll Ruby" by Warren Smith, "Right Behind You Baby" by Ray Smith, "Red Headed Woman" by Sonny Burgess. Then one weekend a friend came by with an album which made me dig even deeper and further back into the Sun catalogue "The Blues Came Down From Memphis" featured some of the blues material Sam recorded prior to his discovery of Elvis and his ventures into Rockabilly. The album stayed on the record player all weekend as we listened and critiqued "The Boogie Disease" by Dr.

Ross, "Baker Shop Boogie" by Willie Nix, "Cotton Crop Blues" by James Cotton and "Bear Cat" and "Tiger Man" by Rufus Thomas. It eventually lead to the discovery of "Rocket 88" by Jackie Brenston (with Ike Turner on piano), the great Chess sides of Howlin' Wolf as well as Junior Parker's "Mystery Train" and "Red Hot" by Billy "The Kid" Emerson. In the early seventies I had the good fortune of being able to make two trips to Memphis. I never did meet Sam but I spent several days in the backroom of his brother Tom's "Selecto Hits" record store, digging through stacks of boxes with original Sun singles. The real great stuff, like albums by Charlie Rich, Carl Perkins and Frank Frost were gone but lots of Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis and Carl Perkins material was still readily available. Around that same time Sam struck a deal with Shelby Singleton in Nashville which resulted in the release of many albums with Sun recordings. Mostly reissues of previously released material but every now and then an unreleased track would appear. Then when Charly Records in England obtained the rights to the Sun catalogue the flood gates opened.

Compilations like "Sun Rockabillies Vol. 1 -3" and box sets covering the complete recordings of Jerry Lee Lewis, Johnny Cash and Carl Perkins showed the world how much great music was recorded at 706 Union during the late fifties. This barrage of unreleased material continued, on the new CD medium, into the eighties and nineties. It must have filled Sam with great pride to have the Sun Records building at 706 Union in Memphis declared a National Landmark recently. A tourist attraction by day, the studio is still used at night time to record any artist who is willing to pay for studio time. Billy Swan recorded his highly acclaimed Elvis tribute CD "Like Elvis Used To Do" as well as "Bop To Be" at Sun Studios during the nineties and also original Sun rockabilly cats Billy Lee Riley and Jimmy Van Eaton returned to 706 Union to record. Sam Phillips, through the music recorded on his labels, touched the hearts of millions of people all around the world.

The Sun catalogue is without equal in the world of the independent labels and fans of Rockabilly, Country and Blues music will always be thankful to Sam for providing the opportunity to record to so many artists who knocked on his door. May He Rest In Peace! Adriaan Sturm Scotty Moore - Sun Records Photo courtesy Elvis Presley Community added May 6, 2013 Taylor's Restaurant adjacent to the Memphis Recording Service - ca. 1950s Photo from Memphis Public Library courtesy Ana Fernï¿½ndez Sangil added May 6, 2013 On January 2, 1950 Sam Phillips opened the Memphis Recording Service at 706 Union Ave. in Memphis. The building, centrally located just east of downtown, had been the former home of a radiator repair shop. The storefront he rented cost him approximately $75 to $80 a month and shared the building with Mrs. Dell Taylor's restaurant next door on the corner. The space consisted of a small area in front upon entry that served as the office where Marion Keisker sat, the recording room (or studio) and then the control room in the rear. A wall with a large window separated each room.

North wall of studio with window to control room Photo ï¿½ James V. Roy Lacking in funds, Sam, with the aid of one carpenter, did most of the renovations himself. In an interview Sam said "I used the old 1-foot-square acoustic tiles, and I knew there were a lot of ways to approach it to make a live-er studio or deader studio. I never truly liked a dead room for what was I going to do with a very sparse number of people on the session - maybe two to four or five was a big band - so all that was taken into account." Northwest corner of Studio Photo ï¿½ James V. Roy West front wall and ceiling of studio with V-Type ceiling Photo ï¿½ James V. Roy The room itself measures 18' by 33' and Sam went about designing by going around the room clapping his hands to feel the vibe of the room trying to get a sound that he felt was natural. Jim Dickinson, who worked as a producer at both Sun and Phillips Recording Service, said "The room sound, even with the gear they have in there now, is still special.

It has to do with that old asbestos square acoustic tile, which covers everything but the floor. When you speak, you can feel the air pressure in the room. The more volume that you put into that room, the more the midrange compresses. It is sort of like the Phil Spector principle of putting in too much in too small of a space, and the whole room becomes a compressor."3 RCA 76D General Purpose Mixing console and Presto 6N lathe photo courtesy Gary Hardy - Sun Studio Most of his studio equipment at first was made by Presto Recording Corporation, which included a portable five input mixer with four microphone ports and a fifth with a multi-selector input/output toggle switch. This allowed him to record at various off site locations. His motto was "We Record Anything, Anywhere, Anytime." Presto Model 6N Lathe (portable model) similar to Sam's photo courtesy Alan Graves Prior to switching to magnetic tape in 1951 Sam did all of his recording directly to 16" acetate discs. He did them at 78 rpm to get the highest quality before making masters on his Presto 6N lathe and turntable.

"Acetates", or reference records, contain a "soft" surface on an aluminum base so they can be "cut". This is the same process as cutting masters for pressing. Masters are then electroplated to become stampers and then pressed to become the vinyl you buy in a record store. Masters are cut on oversize 16" discs; dubs are actual size (7, 10, or 12"). 1 Ampex 350 Tape Recorder (console) When he first switched to magnetic tape he used Crestwood and Bell Tape machines and then a Presto 900P recorder recording at 7 1/2 ips (inches per second) due to the high cost of tape at the time. By 1954 Sam had upgraded the tape machines to a couple of Ampex 350 recorders, one a console model and the other rack mounted and used primarily to achieve his signature slapback delay echo.2 He also acquired a used RCA 76D broadcast mixing console for $500 from a little station in South Carolina. He had to essentially rebuild and retube it but it had 6 inputs, all that he felt he needed.

Sam at the RCA 76D consol A mixing console is used to mix all the audio input signals (in this case microphones) adjusting for volume, tone and balance on to, in this case, a single output channel for recording. The RCA 76D was somewhat rare and is basically the same as a 76C with two VU meters. It is a mono mixer with 6 mic preamps, 1 program channel and output, and 1 audition channel with a monitor output. 1954 Memphis Phone Book listing Photo ï¿½ James V. Roy From 1950 to 1952 Sam recorded artists such as Junior Parker, Howlin Wolf, Jackie Brenston and Ike Turner (" Rocket 88 "). This was usually for such labels as Chess and Modern but in 1952 he started his own label, Sun Record Company. Scotty began his association with Sam in 1952 after leaving the Navy because he felt that for any band, even a local one to successfully get gigs he'd need a record. He would usually go by after work and he and Sam would have coffee in the restaurant next door and discuss what they thought would be the future of music.

He and Bill Black first recorded there in early 1954 with the Starlite Wranglers prior to auditioning Elvis and then were brought in on July 5 to accompany Elvis to see how he'd sound on tape. That turned into the first session and yielded the recording of "That's Alright Mama". RCA 44BX, Shure 55, 77DX and Altec 21B "coke bottle" microphones courtesy web and "All of the great recordings at Sun were literally made with five microphones," says Jim Dickinson, which included a RCA 77DX , Shure 55 , RCA 44BX and an Altec Lansing pencil mic (more likely a 21B "coke bottle"). The RCA 44-BX microphones and 77-DX (introduced in 1954) Poly-directional microphones are high-fidelity microphones of the ribbon type that are specially designed for broadcast studio use. The Shure 55 has all but become synonymous and easily identifiable as " the Elvis mic ." Most of these microphones at the time were bought in abundance for the military and could be picked up used as surplus very cheaply.

Sam worked with how each different vocalist would work the microphone. Some he'd have directly in front, maybe six inches back, others he would have work across the mic. Jim Dickinson said "even when Sam was using the RCA as a vocal mic, it was a room mic, if you get my point. The instruments were clustered around them, so the major character that you hear in those recordings is the room, or sometimes the room with slapback added."3 Sam in the control room with Presto 6N and Ampex 350 photo courtesy Gary Hardy - Sun Studio Sam never used EQ (equalization), which is adjustment of frequency response to obtain a desired quality of sound, until they got to the mastering stage. He had a homemade compressor that he made in case something got out of hand but he had very little limiting and compression. Compression is used to control or smooth the volume peaks of an input signal to deliver a more even signal while a limiter reduces the volume or gain of a signal to prevent overload. Though he did his own mastering early on he eventually would have Bill Putnam and his wife at Universal Recording in Chicago do most of the acetate mastering.

He felt that the one deep-cutting head on the Presto lathe that he had just wasn't adequate to get the level that he needed. 706 Union as Andy's Barber Shop - ca. 1970s The masters, or stampers, were sent to Plastic Products at 1746 Chelsea Ave. in Memphis for pressing. Robert "Buster" Williams had opened the record pressing plant in 1949, only a short time before Sam opened for business at 706 Union. They pressed records for most of the area's independent labels like Sun, Hi, Fernwood , Stax, Meteor, and other country, rockabilly and Soul labels. In July of 1954 Elvis went down to the plant to watch the first records of Sun #209 "That's All Right/Blue Moon of Kentucky" come off the press. By the time it was officially released on July 19, 1954 Sam already had 6,000 local orders. 706 Union Avenue - ca.

1978 Photo courtesy web Coupled with the cost to fill orders and distribute the ever-growing popularity of the recordings and the desire to produce other artists Sam sold Elvis' contract by November of 1955 and the band left Sun. In 1958 Sam began building a new studio almost around the corner on Madison Ave. and by 1960 had moved out of the location at 706 Union. It briefly became first a scuba shop and then a garage but then would remain empty for many years. 706 Union Avenue reopened as Sun Recording Studios - ca. 1980s Photo courtesy Ger Rijff 706 Union Avenue reopened as Sun Recording Studios - ca. 1980s Photo courtesy web A more contemporary look of 706 Union Avenue and former restaurant - ca.1990s Today a lot of Sam's original equipment like the RCA 76D mixer is on loan for display at the Rock 'N' Soul Museum in Memphis. In the mid '80s the building at 706 Union Ave. was restored for use as a studio and many bands have since recorded there.

Scotty returned there once again to record with Carl Perkins in 1992. It is now on the National Register as a historic landmark and a favorite attraction for the many Elvis fans that still flock to Memphis each year. Sun Studios at 706 Union Avenue - Aug. 14, 2001 James V. Roy February 2004 Sam Phillips donated the equipment from Sun pictured below to the Memphis Rock 'N Soul Museum where they currently are on display. We especially wish to thank Chuck Porter, the Curator of the Museum for his assistance and permission to photograph these items. Photo ï¿½ James V. Roy Photo ï¿½ James V. Roy Photo ï¿½ James V. Roy Photo ï¿½ James V. Roy photo by Sloppy Joe courtesy Juke 'n Jam As mentioned on the page above , Plastic Products pressed records for most of the Memphis area's independent labels including Sun and in July of 1954 Elvis was there to watch the first records of Sun #209 "That's All Right/Blue Moon of Kentucky" come off the press. copy of one of Sam Phillip's' Plastic Products receipts (enhanced) - Aug.

30, 1950 courtesy Colin Escott and Good Rockin' Tonight In January 1946 Robert E. "Buster" Williams and Clarence Camp had launched a record distributorship in Memphis and New Orleans called Music Sales. The major labels largely controlled their own distribution, but small distributors handled the indies. Music Sales distributed most of the R&B labels, such as Atlantic and Chess. In 1949 Williams started a pressing plant, Plastic Products, on Chelsea Avenue in Memphis. His intention was to press some product for the labels he distributed, thereby taking advantage of the shipping location of Memphis, in the center of the country. Williams found the major plants unwilling to share their technology, though, and, in a display of rugged individualism, he designed his own presses and compound (the shellac-based amalgam from which records were made). Williams and [Sam] Phillips became fast friends, and Williams supplied the manufacturing credit and local distribution that Phillips came to need after he started Sun, as well as supplying a warehousing and shipping point.

courtesy Good Rockin' Tonight by Colin Escott with Martin Hawkins The four Quonset huts that comprised the Record Plant in an industrial part of Memphis can easily be an overlooked landmark of Rock ï¿½n Roll history, but worth visiting even though they can only be viewed from the outside. On August 17th, during Elvis Week 2012 in Memphis there will be a dedication of a historical marker there for Plastic Products. It is free to attend. Here are the first images of the marker Photos ï¿½ Andrea Shaw Special thanks to Andrea Shaw for this addition section Billy Lee Riley at Sun Photos courtesy Martin Willis Multi-instrumentalist and Bill Black Combo alumni Martin Willis got his musical start as a fifth grader at Hollywood Jr. High in Memphis watching saxophonist John Henry (Ace) Cannon play for the class. Later he began a long musical association with classmate J. M. Van Eaton in a talent show at Memphis Tech. High School. They joined Conway Twitty's band in 56 and in 57 left to join Billy Lee Riley and the Little Green Men. These pictures of them in the studio at 706 Union Ave.

in 1958 or 1959* provide an excellent view of a working band in the studio during its "hay days" and are courtesy of Willis' Facebook page . Jimmy Wilson, Billy Lee Riley, Martin Willis and Pat O'Neil recording in the studio at Sun in Memphis - ca. 1958* Photo courtesy Martin Willis Billy Lee Riley and Martin Willis at Sun in Memphis - ca. 1958* Photo courtesy Martin Willis J. M. Van Eaton, Jimmy Wilson, Billy Lee Riley and Martin Willis recording in the studio at Sun in Memphis - ca. 1958* Photo courtesy Martin Willis J. M. Van Eaton and Martin Willis between takes at Sun in Memphis (different session) - ca. 1958* Photo courtesy Martin Willis Jimmy Wilson, Pat O'Neil and Billy Lee Riley recording in the studio at Sun in Memphis - ca. 1958* Photo courtesy Martin Willis Pat O'Neil, Billy Lee Riley and Martin Willis recording in the studio at Sun in Memphis - ca. 1958* Photo courtesy Martin Willis Billy Lee Riley, J. M.

Van Eaton, Jimmy Wilson and Martin Willis read the March '58 issue of MAD Magazine at Sun in Memphis - ca. 1958* Photo courtesy Martin Willis Jack Clement at Sun in Memphis - ca. 1958 Photo courtesy Martin Willis J. M. Van Eaton, Martin Willis, Pat O'Neil, Jimmy Wilson and Billy Lee Riley listening to a playback at Sun in Memphis - ca. 1958* Photo courtesy Martin Willis Martin went on to play with several combos and recorded with many artists before leaving music professionally in 1966 to pursue a career in the hotel and hospitality business. In 2006 he came out of retirement to perform again in Memphis with Riley and Van Eaton. section added March 20, 2015 *this is just a guess - but I'm thinking these pictures were taken on January 7th, 1959 for the "Down By The Riverside" session. You'll notice in this set that the curtain is pulled away from the furnace indicating that the furnace was probably on (a cold season.) The personnel is the same in the pictures as was on the Down By the Riverside session too.

Also note that Billy Riley's LP Custom is capo'd on the 3rd fret, so most likely the song being recorded is in G - like DBTR. I know these pictures are often dated as 1958, but Billy had left Sun during the early part of '58. I can't find a session on the books with the material in the key of G until this session on January 7, 1959. I need to look up Jerry Lee Lewis' touring schedule during that year. Roland Janes would have been out on the road with JLL, otherwise he would have been at this session - but he's not present in the photos. Might be another clue as to when these pictures where taken/ what session they were from. Hope this helps some what. I was very excited to see the rest of the pictures from this set! I'm currently working on a presentation proposal to the AES on the "Sun Sound" and these pictures will prove really handy in understanding mic placement and other things of that nature. - Carl DaCorte - March 21, 2015 Dell Taylor Carlos and Dell Taylor at the entrance to the restaurant - ca.

1948 Photo ï¿½ Carlos Holcomb Mrs. Dell Taylor's Restaurant - ca. 1950s Photo from Memphis Public Library courtesy Ana Fernï¿½ndez Sangil Here are a few pictures courtesy of Carlos Holcomb, the grandson of Mrs. Dell Taylor who was kind enough to share them with us. Dell owned and operated the restaurant adjacent to the studio at 706 Union Avenue from about 1948 to 1981. menu for May 31, 1957 Photo ï¿½ Carlos Holcomb "I was still working until mid afternoon, and then Iï¿½d drive by the studio a couple of times a week. If Sam wasnï¿½t busy cutting demos for somebody, weï¿½d go next door to Miss Taylorï¿½s Restaurant and have coffee and just sit and talk about music and stuff. Then one day, his secretary Marion Keisker came over and had coffee with us, and she says: ï¿½Sam, did you ever talk to that boy who was in here a few weeks back?

He had a real good voice.ï¿½ ï¿½A couple of weeks went by, and Sam still hadnï¿½t called him, so he asked Marion to give his number to me. I looked at it and I said: ï¿½Elvis Presley? What kind of a name is that?ï¿½ I called his house that afternoon, and his mother answered and said that he was at a movie and that sheï¿½d have him call me. ï¿½He called me when he got home, and I told him I was working in conjunction with Sam Phillips of Sun Records and that we were looking for new artists, and then I asked him if he was interested. I didnï¿½t realize this at the time, but in the back of my mind I was hoping to get some work in the studio from Sam with other artists.

So I asked Elvis if he could come over to my house the next day, which was actually the 4th of July." Scott Moore, in an interview with Jonathan Wingate Taylor's restaurant ashtray Photo ï¿½ Carlos Holcomb Plaque presented to Dell Taylor Photo ï¿½ Carlos Holcomb The Restaurant operated at least until the early 1980s after the studio reopened but according to Carlos' father, Dell sold the business around 1981. The restaurant at 710 Union Avenue - ca. 1980s Photo courtesy Ger Rijff Elvis Presley | Sun Record Company Official Website Biography Elvis Aaron Presley, in the humblest of circumstances, was born to Vernon and Gladys Presley in a two-room house in Tupelo, Mississippi on January 8, 1935. His twin brother, Jessie Garon, was stillborn, leaving Elvis to grow up as an only child. He and his parents moved to Memphis , Tennessee in 1948, and Elvis graduated from Humes High School there in 1953.

Elvis’ musical influences were the pop and country music of the time, the gospel music he heard in church and at the all-night gospel sings he frequently attended, and the black R&B he absorbed on historic Beale Street as a Memphis teenager. In 1954, he began his singing career with the legendary Sun Records label in Memphis. In late 1955, his recording contract was sold to RCA Victor. By 1956, he was an international sensation. With a sound and style that uniquely combined his diverse musical influences and blurred and challenged the social and racial barriers of the time, he ushered in a whole new era of American music and popular culture. He starred in 33 successful films, made history with his television appearances and specials, and knew great acclaim through his many, often record-breaking, live concert performances on tour and in Las Vegas. Globally, he has sold over one billion records, more than any other artist. His American sales have earned him gold, platinum or multi-platinum awards for 150 different albums and singles, far more than any other artist.

Among his many awards and accolades were 14 Grammy nominations (3 wins) from the National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences, the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, which he received at age 36, and his being named One of the Ten Outstanding Young Men of the Nation for 1970 by the United States Jaycees. Without any of the special privileges his celebrity status might have afforded him, he honorably served his country in the U.S. Army. His talent, good looks, sensuality, charisma, and good humor endeared him to millions, as did the humility and human kindness he demonstrated throughout his life. Known the world over by his first name, he is regarded as one of the most important figures of twentieth century popular culture. Elvis died at his Memphis home, Graceland, on August 16, 1977. June 3, 1953 Elvis graduates from Humes High School. 1953 Elvis works at Parker Machinists Shop right after graduation.

That summer he drops by The Memphis Recording Service, home of the Sun label and makes a demo acetate of “My Happiness” and “That’s When Your Heartaches Begin” for a cost of about $4.00. (The studio came to be known as Sun Studio though never officially named that until the 1980s. For simplicity this text uses the name Sun Studio.) The studio owner isn’t in, so his assistant, Marion Keisker handles the session. Elvis wants to see what his voice sounds like on a record and he has aspirations to become a professional singer. He takes the acetate home, and reportedly gives it to his mother as a much-belated extra birthday present. By the fall, he is working at Precision Tool Company, and soon changes jobs again, going to work for Crown Electric Company. At Crown, he does various jobs, including driving a delivery truck. He also goes to night school and studies to be an electrician. January, 1954 Elvis makes another demo acetate at Sun. Sam Phillips, the owner, is in this time and, like Marion Keisker, is intrigued by this unusual looking and sounding young man.

Summer 1954 At Marion Keisker’s suggestion, Sam Phillips calls Elvis into the studio to try singing a song Sam hopes to put out on record. The song is “Without You” and Elvis does not sing it to Sam’s satisfaction. Sam asks Elvis what he can sing, and Elvis runs through a number of popular tunes. Sam is impressed enough to team Elvis up with local musicians Scotty Moore (guitar) and Bill Black (bass) to see if they, together, can come up with something worthwhile. Nothing really clicks until July 5, when after a tedious session, Elvis and the guys break into a sped-up version of Arthur “Big Boy” Crudup’s “That’s All Right.” This song, backed with Blue Moon of Kentucky becomes the first of five singles Elvis will release on the Sun label. Elvis, Scotty, and Bill start performing together, with Scotty acting as the group’s manager. Elvis continues to work at Crown Electric as the group starts to play small clubs and other small time gigs locally and throughout the South, enjoying moderate success with the records and personal appearances.

Elvis’ one appearance on the Grand Ole Opry doesn’t go over particularly well, with one of the Opry officials reportedly suggesting that Elvis go back to driving a truck. The Opry is very important at this time. This is a painful disappointment in Elvis’ early career. Elvis, Scotty, and Bill continue to record and to travel. October 16, 1954 They appear for the first time on the Louisiana Hayride, a live Saturday night country music radio show originating in Shreveport, Louisiana, broadcast over KWKH Radio. The show is the Grand Ole Opry’s chief competitor, carried by 190 stations in thirteen states. This leads to regular appearances on the Hayride and, in November, Elvis signs a one-year contract for fifty-two Saturday night appearances. This is a great break, but as Elvis’ popularity grows, his commitment to the Hayride prevents him from traveling much outside the South to further his career on a larger scale. During Elvis’ association with the Hayride he meets “Colonel” Tom Parker, a promoter and manager connected with various acts, and connected with the Louisiana Hayride. Parker is also the manager for country star, Hank Snow.

A previous Parker client is country star Eddy Arnold. January 1955 Elvis signs a contract with Bob Neal, who becomes his manager. 1955 Elvis, Scotty, and Bill continue touring on their own and in package shows with various country stars, including package tours of artists from the Hayride. Colonel Parker is involved. This includes touring with Hank Snow. The regular Hayride appearances continue. Drummer D.J. Fontana joins Elvis’ band. In the spring, Elvis fails to be accepted on Arthur Godfrey’s Talent Scouts, a network television show. As always, Elvis’ live appearances have special appeal for the teenagers, especially the females. His unusual style, sexy moves, and good looks start to cause more and more excitement wherever he plays. Sometimes the crowds break through the barricades in near-riot behavior. Elvis gains more and more popularity and begins to receive national attention. Colonel Parker becomes more involved in Elvis’ career. August 15, 1955 Elvis signs a management contract with Hank Snow Attractions, which is owned equally by Snow and Colonel Tom Parker. Bob Neal remains involved as an adviser.

Colonel Parker is to be Elvis’ exclusive manager from this time on, and Snow is soon no longer connected to Elvis. November 20, 1955 Elvis signs his first contract with RCA Records. Colonel Parker negotiates the sale of Elvis’ Sun contract to RCA, which includes his five Sun singles and his unreleased Sun material. The price is an unprecedented $40,000, with a $5,000 bonus for Elvis. RCA soon re-releases the five Sun singles on the RCA label. At the same time Elvis signs a contract with Hill and Range Publishing Company, which is to set up a separate firm called Elvis Presley Music, Inc. Elvis will share with Hill and Range the publishing ownership of songs bought by Hill and Range for him to record. Elvis is the hottest new star in the music business. [Used with Premission – Source: Elvis.com ]

Question: Sam Phillips was owner of which legendary recording studio?
Answer: Sun