Sun Record Company, Memphis Recording Service
Posted by: 
cgeek
N 35° 08.349 W 090° 02.271
15S E 769883 N 3892491
Quick Description: The old Sun Records building is located in Memphis, Tennessee and is a place rich in musical history.
Location: Tennessee, United States
Date Posted: 4/29/2008 8:23:44 AM
Waymark Code: WM3PC2
Views: 92
Long Description:About Sun Records:
Sun Records was a record label based in Memphis, Tennessee
starting operations on March 27 1952. Founded by Sam Phillips, Sun
Records was known for giving notable musicians such as Elvis
Presley, Carl Perkins, Roy Orbison, and Johnny Cash their first
recording contracts and helping to launch their careers. Before
those days Sun Records had mainly been noted for recording
African-American artists, as Phillips loved Rhythm and Blues and
wanted to get black music recorded for a white audience. It was Sun
record producer and engineer, Jack Clement, who discovered and
recorded Jerry Lee Lewis, while owner Sam Phillips was away on a
trip to Florida. The original Sun Records logo was designed by John
Gale Parker, Jr., a resident of Memphis and high school classmate
of Phillips.
The music of many Sun Records musicians helped lay part of the
foundation of late 20th century popular music and rock and roll,
plus it influenced many younger musicians, particularly the
Beatles. In 2001, Paul McCartney appeared on a tribute compilation
album titled Good Rockin' Tonight: The Legacy Of Sun Records.
In 1969, Mercury Records label producer Shelby Singleton — noted
for producing the Ray Stevens' hit "Ahab The Arab" in 1962, and
later Jeannie C. Riley's 1968 hit single "Harper Valley PTA" on his
Nashville based Plantation Records label — purchased the Sun label
from Phillips. Singleton merged his operations into Sun
International Corporation, which re-released and re-packaged
compilations of Sun's early artists in the early 1970s. It would
later introduce rockabilly tribute singer Jimmy Ellis in 1980 as
Orion taking on the persona of Elvis Presley. The company remains
in business today as Sun Entertainment Corporation, which currently
licenses its brand and classic hit recordings (many of which have
appeared in CD boxed sets and other compilations) to independent
reissue labels. Sun Entertainment also includes SSS International
Records, Plantation Records, Amazon Records, Red Bird Records, Blue
Cat Records among other labels the company acquired over the years.
Its website sells collectible items as well as compact discs
bearing the original 1950s Sun logo.
About The Building:
In October 1949 Phillips signed a lease on a small storefront
located at 706 Union Avenue near downtown Memphis. The rent was
$150 a month.
Today the building serves as a popular tourist destination.
The phone number for Sun Studio is (800)441-6249 or
(901)521-0664.