Sun Studio

Memphis, Tennessee - April 21st 2004

Written by Mark Wright

Photography: Kathleen Bethel

History

In 1954 Elvis Pesley recorded his first ever single in Sun Studios, Memphis, Tennessee. The song was called 'That's Alright Mama' and was the spark that launched the career of Elvis Presley...the rest, as we know, is history.

I guess you could call that moment the 'Big Bang' of rock and roll; the singularity from which everything that followed has come. It doesn't matter if you are Paul McCartney, Bruce Springsteen, Mark Knopfler, Noel Gallagher, Bob Dylan or U2; without Elvis none of their music would exist. It's as simple as that.

Back in the early part of 1954 Elvis had been working with fellow musicians Scotty Moore, Bill Black and producer Sam Phillips at Sun Studios for several weeks trying to capture the vision Sam Phillips had of the young, raw Elvis. For weeks they tried to find the sound, the vision that Sam Phillips had in his head for the young singer; nothing seemed to sound right. He wasn't quite sure what he was waiting to hear; all he knew was that when he heard it he would know.

It was during a break in recording that Elvis decided to try out an old Arthur Crudup song called 'That's Alright Mama'. Rather than follow the original version's straight rhythm and blues feel Elvis, Scotty and Bill started leaning towards more of a country feel to the arrangement with Elvis strumming his guitar in a style that country stars such as Hank Williams might have used if they'd been recording the song.

But 'That's Alright Mama' was not a country song, it was a black rhythm and blues song. Black and white did not mix. At least not until that moment. And that moment changed the face of popular music forever. That torch is still carried today by the likes of Eminem. But Elvis was the first. And that moment occurred in that room in that studio...

In 2004 I walked into that room in that studio to record some songs.

The Studio

There are many places to visit in the world if you are a music fan but none have quite the resonance of walking into Sun Studios for the first time. The amazing thing is that the studio is literally unchanged since Elvis, Johnny Cash, Roy Orbison, Carl Perkins, Jerry Lee Lewis etc. were recording there some 50 years ago. And when I say unchanged I don't mean 'restored'. The fact remains that although the room has been many things other than a recording studio in the years since Sam Phillips rented the building, subsequent owners have taken exceptional care of the interior. The original flooring, soundproof tiles and walls are exactly as Elvis would have seen them all those years ago.

Warming up at Sun Studios - April 21st 2004