Sun Studio

Lore & Background

The Sun Studio sessions produced five tracks that ended up on Elvis Presley's debut album: "I Love You Because", "Just Because", "Tryin' to Get to You", "I'll Never Let You Go (Little Darlin')", and "Blue Moon". These were added to seven RCA Victor session tracks to bring the album to an acceptable length. The Sun tracks were mostly country-styled, so Elvis and RCA Victor leavened the album with covers of recent rhythm and blues songs. Sam Phillips produced the Sun sessions, and no producer was officially listed for the RCA Victor sessions, leading to the belief that Presley himself produced them. The source also notes that a promise by RCA's Steve Sholes to Sam Phillips to protect the career of Sun artist Carl Perkins kept "Blue Suede Shoes" from being released as a single initially.

In Their Own Story

On July 5, 1954, Elvis Presley walked into Sun Studio for a session that would change music history. The source records specific dates: July 5, August 19, and September 10, 1954, and July 11, 1955. These sessions yielded tracks like "Tryin' to Get to You" and "Blue Moon". Sam Phillips, who had signed Presley to Sun Records, produced these recordings. The raw energy of those sessions—the slap of Bill Black's bass, the twang of Scotty Moore's guitar, and Presley's vocal delivery—created a sound that would define early rock and roll. When RCA Victor bought Presley's contract from Phillips for $40,000 on November 21, 1955, the Sun tapes came with it, and five of those tracks were used to fill out Presley's debut album.

Reader's Guide

Sun Studio in Memphis, Tennessee, was the recording home of Elvis Presley before he signed with RCA Victor. The source specifies that sessions occurred on July 5, August 19, and September 10, 1954, and on July 11, 1955. Sam Phillips, the head of Sun Records, produced these sessions. The tracks recorded there—"I Love You Because", "Just Because", "Tryin' to Get to You", "I'll Never Let You Go (Little Darlin')", and "Blue Moon"—were included on Presley's debut album after RCA Victor purchased his contract. The source also mentions that a promise by Steve Sholes to Sam Phillips to protect the career of Sun artist Carl Perkins kept "Blue Suede Shoes" from being released as a single initially, though it became the opening track on the album.

Did You Know?

• Elvis Presley recorded at Sun Studio on five specific dates: July 5, August 19, and September 10, 1954, and July 11, 1955.
• Sam Phillips, the head of Sun Records, produced the Sun Studio sessions that yielded tracks for Presley's debut album.
• RCA Victor purchased Presley's contract from Sam Phillips for $40,000 on November 21, 1955, which included the rights to the Sun Studio tapes.
• Five Sun Studio tracks—'I Love You Because', 'Just Because', 'Tryin' to Get to You', 'I'll Never Let You Go (Little Darlin')', and 'Blue Moon'—were added to Presley's debut album.
• A promise by RCA's Steve Sholes to Sam Phillips to protect the career of Sun artist Carl Perkins kept 'Blue Suede Shoes' from being released as a single initially.