Alias as “the birthplace of rock ‘n’ roll,” Sun Studio is a legendary destination where the first rock song in the world was recorded in the early 1950s. Sun Studio has it nurtured the careers of several young and upcoming artists who later became big names in the industry. The most notable personalities to have started their journey here include Johnny Cash and Elvis Presley.
Today, Sun Studio is among Memphis’ major points of interest. If you would like to soak up some rock music history, be sure to take a tour of the studio, seeing as tours are available every single hour. While here, you get to see former B.B. King recordings as well as the microphone that was used by the then 18 year old Elvis Presley to male his early day hits. When you have had enough sightseeing, be sure to head down to the vintage gift shop for a souvenir or two.
Sun Studio’s goal today is spreading the story of the culture and history of early 1950s music that helped in putting Memphis, TN on the global map. With the tons of memorabilia from the early day music legends, you will get to understand how blues and country were blended, creatively giving birth to the Rock ’n’ roll genre! As you walk through the studio, the voices of the greatest of Memphis based musicians somehow still haunt the studio. As you listen to the outtakes from various recording sessions, you will most definitely experience the full energy of all the awesome music that was created in this very studio.
The founding father of Rock ‘n’ Roll, Sam Phillips opened this recording studio at 706 Union Avenue, Memphis TN in January 1950. Originally known as Memphis Recording Service, the studio was located in the same building as the Sun Records Label business. With a reputation of having recorded the first ever rock n roll single, ‘Rocket 88’ in 1951, the studio claimed the status of being the ‘Birthplace of Rock n Roll’
County, Rock and roll, and rockabilly artists, including Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Roy Orbison, Carl Perkins, Ray Harris, Charlie Feathers, Charlie Rich, Warren Smith, and Jerry Lee Lewis, all recorded her all through mid-to-late 1950s until the studio outgrew its Union Avenue location. Sam Phillips opened a larger studio, the Sam C. Phillips Recording Studio, also known as Phillips Recording, in 1959, replacing the older facility. In 1969, Phillips sold the record label to Shelby Singleton. Unfortunately, there was no label related or recording related activity in the building until September 1985 when the Class of ’55 recording sessions with Roy Orbison, Carl Perkins, Johnny Cash and Jerry Lee Lewis, produced by Chips Moman commenced. 1987 then saw the launching of Sun Studio by Gary Hardy in the original building that housed the Memphis Recording Service and Sun Records.
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While in the area you should also visit: Southland Casino, West Memphis