Marion Keisker

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Marion Keisker MacInnes (September 23, 1917 – December 29, 1989), born in Memphis, Tennessee, was a radio show host, station manager, U.S. Air Force officer, and assistant to Sam Phillips at Sun Records. She is best known for being the first person to record Elvis Presley on July 18, 1953.

Keisker was alone in the office of Sun Records, which also served as recording studio named "Memphis Recording Service", when Presley recorded two songs "My Happiness" and "That's When Your Heartaches Begin" for a fee of $3.25, ostensibly as a gift for the birthday of his mother Gladys. Her exchange with Presley on that occasion has since become part of Elvis lore: I said, "What kind of singer are you?" He said, "I sing all kinds." I said,"Who do you sound like?" He said,"I don't sound like nobody."[1]

[edit] References

• Peter Guralnick: Last Train to Memphis — The Rise of Elvis Presley, New York: Little, Brown 1994 (ISBN 0316332208).