Sun Studio
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Sun Record Company, Memphis Recording Service | |
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| (U.S. National Historic Landmark) | |
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| Location: | 706 Union Avenue Memphis, Tennessee |
| Designated as NHL: | July 31, 2003 |
| Added to NRHP: | July 31, 2003 |
| NRHP Reference#: | 03001031 |
Sun Studio was opened by rock pioneer Sam Phillips at 706 Union Avenue in Memphis, Tennessee, on January 3, 1950. It was originally called Memphis Recording Service, sharing the same building with the Sun Records label business. Reputedly the first rock-and-roll single, Jackie Brenston and his Delta Cats' "Rocket 88" was recorded there in 1951 with song composer Ike Turner on keyboards, leading the studio to claim status as the birthplace of rock & roll. Blues and R&B artists like Howlin' Wolf, Junior Parker, Little Milton, B.B. King, James Cotton, Rufus Thomas, and Rosco Gordon recorded there in the early 1950s.
Rock-and-roll, country music, and rockabilly artists, including unknowns recording demos and others like Johnny Cash, Elvis Presley, Carl Perkins, Roy Orbison, Charlie Feathers, Ray Harris, Warren Smith, Charlie Rich, and Jerry Lee Lewis, signed to the Sun Records label recorded there throughout the latter 1950s until the studio outgrew its Union Avenue location. Sam Phillips opened the larger Sam C. Phillips Recording Studio, better known as Phillips Recording, in 1959 to take the place of the older facility. In 1969, Sam Phillips sold the label to Shelby Singleton, and there was no recording-related or label-related activity again in the building until the September 1985 Class of '55 recording sessions with Carl Perkins, Roy Orbison, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Johnny Cash, produced by Chips Moman.
In 1957, Bill Justis recorded his Grammy Hall of Fame song "Raunchy" for Sam Phillips and worked as a musical director at Sun Records.
In 1987 the original building housing the Sun Records label and Memphis Recording Service was reopened as "Sun Studio", a recording business and tourism attraction that has attracted many notable artists including U2, who recorded tracks for Rattle and Hum there on newer equipment Sun had purchased from producer Terry Manning.
Sun Studio was designated a National Historic Landmark on July 31, 2003.
[edit] References
- Edwards, David and Callahan, Mike (July 18, 1999). The Sun Records Label Story. Accessed Mar. 7, 2005.
- Escott, Colin and Hawkins, Martin. Sun Studios Entertainment Corp. history at Rockabilly Hall of Fame website. (Cites Good Rockin' Tonight by same authors). Accessed Mar. 7, 2005.
[edit] External links
- Official site
- Official site of Sun Records
- Great Sun Sessions Albums
- Profile of Sun Studio
- National Historic Landmark information
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