A fascinating look at the history of Sun Records, the label that
started Rock n' Roll, told through 70 of its iconic recordings.
In Memphis, Tennessee, in the 1950s, there was hard-edged blues playing
on Beale Street, and hillbilly boogie on the outskirts of town. But at
Sam Phillips' Sun Records studio on Union Avenue, there was something
different going on - a whole lotta shakin', rockin', and rollin'.
This is where rock 'n' roll was born.
Sun Records: the company that launched Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis,
Johnny Cash, Roy Orbison, and Carl Perkins. The label that brought the
world, "Blue Suede Shoes," "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On," "Breathless,"
"I Walk the Line," "Mystery Train," "Good Rockin' Tonight."
The Birth of Rock 'n' Roll: 70 Years of Sun Records is the official
history of this legendary label, and looks at its story in a unique way:
through the lens of 70 of its most iconic recordings. From the early
days with primal blues artists like Howlin' Wolf and B.B. King to long
nights in the studio with Elvis and Jerry Lee Lewis, you will see how
the label was shaped and how it redefined American music. Accompanying
the recordings is the label's origin story and a look at the mission of
the label today, as well as "Sun Spot" sidebars--a fascinating dive into
subjects such as how the iconic logo was created, the legendary Million
Dollar Quartet sessions, and how the song "Harper Valley, PTA" funded
the purchase of the label.
Written by two of the most acclaimed music writers of our time, Peter
Guralnick and Colin Escott, and featuring hundreds of rare images from
the Sun archives as well as a foreword by music legend Jerry Lee Lewis,
this is a one-of-a-kind book for anyone who wants to know where it all
started.
