Sun Records

Sun Records is an American independent record label founded by producer Sam Phillips in Memphis, Tennessee on February 1, 1952. Sun was the first label to record Elvis Presley, Charlie Rich, Roy Orbison, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, and Johnny Cash. Prior to that, Sun had concentrated mainly on African-American musicians because Phillips loved rhythm and blues and wanted to bring it to a white audience.

On January 28, 2021, Sun Records was acquired by Primary Wave for $30 million.

(Read more at Wikipedia.)

Links To Peel[]

"I've paid silly money for records before now but my highest ever has been 10 pounds for a Charlie Feathers 78 on Sun (which arrived broken through the mail)."
(John Peel, Sounds column, 1974-01-26.)

“The only time I’ve ever bid in a serious auction was when an Elvis 45 on Sun was up for sale. Mind you, this wasn’t just any old Sun 45. It was one signed by Elvis’s band. Here was Scotty Moore (guitar), Bill Black (bass), DK Fontana (drums), and Elvis had signed his corner of the sleeve, ‘Elvis Presley (singer)’. That record, I reckoned, belonged in my house.”
[In the event, the bidding went “way beyond” the 3,000 pounds limit Peel had set for the friend acting on his behalf.]
(John Peel, Margrave Of The Marshes (hardback, 2005, p48).)

With its groundbreaking role in the history of rock and roll, bringing together black blues/r&b and white country, Sun Records had an enormous influence on generations of rock musicians, laying the foundations for much of the music played on Peel’s show over many years. Before the seismic arrival of Elvis, Sun founder Sam Phillips had recorded in his Memphis studio black artists later favoured by Peel including Howlin’ Wolf and Ike Turner, whose ‘Rocket 88’ is often cited as the first rock and roll record.^[1] Sun also released future country stars featured by the DJ such as Johnny Cash and Charlie Rich.

It's not known when Peel obtained his first Sun record; it may have been one of the singles issued under licence to a British label (maybe one of Elvis Presley's records) before he left for America in 1960,^[2] or he might have found Sun originals during his early years in Dallas. At any rate, when Peel started his radio career in the USA, "Beatlemania" was at its height and Sun Records was no longer the musical powerhouse of some years before, its celebrated roster of rock and roll pioneers having long since departed to bigger rivals.

The music recorded by the label was still influencing newer artists, however, not least the Beatles themselves^[3]; the Lovin' Spoonful's hit "Nashville Cats", issued in 1966 when Peel was working at KMEN, had lyrics by John Sebastian which namechecked the label. It describes how the singer, when "just thirteen", was "blasted...sky high" by hearing "yellow Sun record(s) from Nashville"[2] rather than Memphis (Wikipedia sees this as "poetic licence" rather than a mistake).

By the time Peel arrived back in the UK in 1967, the situation was similar, with pre-Beatles pop being out of fashion, but the late '60s saw various attempts to revive early rock'n'roll, and Peel was sympathetic to them, revisiting early Sun tracks from time to time. There was also an increase in interest in the roots of modern pop and rock, expressed by articles in magazines such as Rolling Stone and Let It Rock, and a growing collectors' market catered for by specialist record shops and dealers, with original Sun singles being especially sought after.

Even if Peel was unsuccessful in attempts to acquire high-priced original Sun artifacts for his Record Collection, he continued to play the artists and music of the label's golden era in later decades, especially favourites such as Elvis Presley, Roy Orbison and Jerry Lee Lewis, Regular airtime was given to UK reissues of vintage material by labels such as Charly, reflecting the life-changing experience of his own exposure to early rock and roll via the Memphis imprint.

Peelenium[]

Elvis_Presley_AI_4K_Colorized_Enhanced_-_Baby,_Let's_Play_House_1956 — Elvis Presley AI 4K Colorized Enhanced - Baby, Let's Play House 1956

(Tracks selected for the Peelenium that were released originally on Sun Records.)

Peelenium 1954: Doctor Ross: Boogie Disease
Peelenium 1955: Elvis Presley: Baby Let’s Play House
Peelenium 1957: Jerry Lee Lewis: It All Depends

Compilations[]

Junior_Parker........._Mystery_Train_1953 — Junior Parker......... Mystery Train 1953

(Peel plays of various artist (v/a) compilations of Sun Records material. Please add more information if known.)

(LP - Sun: The Roots Of Rock: Volume 1: Catalyst) Charly

01 March 1976: Junior Parker: Mystery Train

(LP - Sun: The Roots Of Rock: Volume 10: Sun Country) Charly

03 November 1976: Clyde Leoppard Band: Split Personality

(9xLP Box Set - Sun Records - The Blues Years 1950-1956) Sun Record Company

15 January 1986: Howling Wolf: Come Back Home
28 January 1986: Jackie Brenston: My Real Gone Rocket
29 January 1986: Billy Love: Drop Top
04 February 1986: Johnny London: Drivin' Slow
11 February 1986: Prisonaires: Just Walkin' In The Rain
12 February 1986: Doctor Ross: Left Job Boogie
25 February 1986: Walter Horton: Easy

(CD - Blow It 'till You Like It: Memphis Harmonica 1951-1954) Sun

04 November 1990: Coy "Hot Shot" Love: Harmonica Jam
10 November 1990: Hot Shot Love: Wolf Call Boogie
18 November 1990: Woodrow Wilson Adams: Train Time

Links[]

References[]

↑ The track came from a Turner session for Phillips, was credited to band member Jackie Brenston and put out by Chess.[1]
↑ In the UK, Sun releases often came out on local labels such as London American.
↑ In particular, George Harrison was a huge fan of Carl Perkins, taking lead vocal on the band's cover of 'Everybody's Trying To Be My Baby' on 'Beatles For Sale' (1964), with Ringo Starr singing Perkins' 'Honey Don't' on the same album. Later, John Lennon covered the Elvis hit 'Blue Suede Shoes' (written by Perkins) with the Plastic Ono Band on 'Live Peace In Toronto 1969'. In 2001, Paul McCartney channeled early Elvis for 'That's All Right (Mama)' on the tribute album 'Good Rockin' Tonight - The Legacy Of Sun Records'.

[1] The track came from a Turner session for Phillips, was credited to band member Jackie Brenston and put out by Chess.[1]

[2] In the UK, Sun releases often came out on local labels such as London American.

[3] In particular, George Harrison was a huge fan of Carl Perkins, taking lead vocal on the band's cover of 'Everybody's Trying To Be My Baby' on 'Beatles For Sale' (1964), with Ringo Starr singing Perkins' 'Honey Don't' on the same album. Later, John Lennon covered the Elvis hit 'Blue Suede Shoes' (written by Perkins) with the Plastic Ono Band on 'Live Peace In Toronto 1969'. In 2001, Paul McCartney channeled early Elvis for 'That's All Right (Mama)' on the tribute album 'Good Rockin' Tonight - The Legacy Of Sun Records'.

[1]

[2]

[3]