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Tag Archives: Sam Phillips
“If I don’t feel it, I can’t play it.” — James Cotton
Blues-harmonica legend James Cotton was born on this day in 1935 on a cotton plantation. He was a working musician by the time he was 10 years old. He toured with Howlin’ Wolf. Eventually he hooked up with Muddy Waters … Continue reading
“I couldn’t do no yodelin’, so I turned to howlin’ and it’s done me just fine.”– Howlin’ Wolf
Chester Burnett, who would eventually become the legendary Howlin’ Wolf, was born on this day in 1901. He is in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in the “early influences” category. He is in the Memphis Music Hall of … Continue reading
Posted in Music, On This Day
Tagged Howlin' Wolf, James Burton, Sam Phillips, Sun Records, The Rolling Stones
3 Comments
Dynamic Duo #33
Sam Phillips and Johnny Cash
Where It All Began: The Overton Park Shell, July 30, 1954
Overton Park Shell. All pictures taken by yours truly Overton Park is a beautiful park to the east of downtown Memphis. The Memphis Zoo is there, as well as a war memorial, and a golf course. There’s an arts center, … Continue reading
On This Day: July 5, 1954 – Elvis Presley Recorded “That’s All Right”
All photos of Sun Studio in this post were taken by me. “That’s All Right”, what would be the first single, which went off like a bomb (at least in Memphis, although other regions of the South would follow) was … Continue reading
Two Obsessives: Pat McCurdy and I Discuss Elvis
Pat McCurdy and I go way WAY back. He’s a brilliant songwriter and performer in the Milwaukee/Chicago area. I first saw him play in Chicago. (Well, actually, this isn’t true. I first saw him when I was 12 or 13 … Continue reading
Posted in Music
Tagged Chuck Berry, David Bowie, Elvis Costello, Elvis Presley, friends, Lester Bangs, Little Richard, Sam Phillips, The Beatles
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“Milk Cow Blues Boogie”: From Estes to Elvis to Eddie
Wrote this a while back. Posting because today is Eddie Cochran’s birthday. In the earliest sessions at Sun Records (known then as “Memphis Recording Service,” at least that was – and still is – the neon sign in the front … Continue reading
Posted in Music
Tagged Eddie Cochran, Elvis Presley, Little Richard, Robert Johnson, Sam Phillips
5 Comments
Elvis’ Hair Discussed By Those Who Knew Him
This conversation took place in a restaurant in Memphis in 2000. All of these guys now grizzled old geezers, looking back on 1955/56. Sam Phillips [owner/founder of Sun Records]: [Elvis] tickled me when we got into Shrevesport, Louisiana going on … Continue reading
Carl Perkins’ “Honey Don’t”: The Chord Change That Shook the World
Below is an exchange from the documentary “Good Rockin’ Tonight,” a celebration of Sam Phillips and Sun Records, featuring interviews with many of the Sun artists (Rufus Thomas, Billy Lee Riley, Scotty Moore, Sonny Burgess). The “gimmick” of it was … Continue reading