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Printable information sheet to attach to Americana Trackable: Sun Studios
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Current Goal
I started traveling again and have got to see much of the United States. My last travel I was able to visit Sun Studios in Memphis, TN. During my travels I have gained a deep appreciation of American culture and the things that have made the United States what it is.This trackable is part of a set of Americana trackables that I am releasing. Each one of these trackables has a cultural significance to the makeup of American Culture. Each one of these trackables is or represents a thing or icon that have contributed to America. I call this series of trackables Americana Trackables
About This Item
Sun Studios - Memphis, TN
Sun Studio is known worldwide as “The Birthplace of Rock’n’roll”. It is the discovery location of musical legends and genres of the 50’s from B.B. King and Elvis Presley to Johnny Cash and Jerry Lee Lewis; from Blues and Gospel to Country and Rock’n'roll. Today our goal is to spread the story of Memphis’ history and culture through the music that put Memphis on the map.
Stand in the very same spot that Elvis first recorded. Your tour guide will tell you the inside stories of B.B. King, Howlin' Wolf and Ike Turner before Elvis, Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins, Jerry Lee Lewis, & Roy Orbison who were all drawn to the new Sun Sound.
See the priceless memorabilia from the musical legends that blended blues and country music to explode in the "big bang" of Rock'n'roll.
Hear the voices of musicians that still haunt this studio, as you listen to outtakes from recording sessions and feel the energy of the music created here.
The studio is open for 45 minute guided tours every day from 10am to 6pm. The tour is $15 for adults, $13 for students and $10 for kids ages 5-11. After day time operations close down we begin recording nightly starting at $200 per hour.
About The Trackable:
In early 1952, Phillips once again launched his own record label, this time calling it Sun Records.[3] During his first year he recorded several artists who would go on to have successful careers. Among them were B.B. King, Joe Hill Louis, Rufus Thomas, and Howlin' Wolf. Despite the number of singers who recorded there, Phillips found it increasingly difficult to keep profits up. He reportedly drove over 60,000 miles in one year to promote his artists with radio stations and distributors. To keep costs down, he would pay his artists three percent royalties instead of the usual five percent that was more common at the time. Phillips turned to alcohol when it looked like his label would once again fail, and he was put into a mental hospital at one point, reportedly getting electric shock treatment.[3]
Rufus Thomas' "Bearcat", a recording that was similar to "Hound Dog", was the first real hit for Sun in 1953. Although the song was the label's first hit, a copyright-infringement suit ensued and nearly bankrupted Phillips' record label.
Despite this, Phillips was able to keep his business afloat by recording several other acts, including the Prisonaires, a black quartet who were given permission to leave prison in June 1953 to record their single, "Just Walkin' in the Rain", later a hit for Johnnie Ray in 1956.[9] The song was a big enough hit that the local newspaper took an interest in the story of its recording. A few biographers have said that this article, printed in the Memphis Press-Scimitar on July 15, influenced Elvis Presley to seek out Sun to record a demo record
What to do with this Trackable:
- Be gentle with it. It's semi delicate and handle it with care.
- Please take photos of the trackable. Take a photo if you ever go to Sun Studios.