The Tragic Life of Roy Orbison Roy Orbison Songs Roy Orbison the gifted songwriter and singer, that some of his critics refer to his style as being operatic and giving him the nick name of “the Caruso of Rock”. Roy Orbison made famous such classic hits as; Oh Pretty Woman, Only the Lonely, Crying, Running […]
Sam Phillips
by bensurgeon
Sam Phillips, Elvis and the invention of rock ‘n’ roll
By Todd Leopold, CNN
Updated 12:10 PM ET, Wed November 18, 2015
(CNN)Sun Records founder Sam Phillips relished imperfections.
A phone going off in the middle of a recording session? No matter; that’s a take. Carl Perkins telling Phillips that he missed some notes? Too bad: It had the best feel. A damaged speaker cone making the guitar sound distorted? Exactly the sound he’s looking for.
As long as the feel was right, Phillips wanted it: “perfect imperfection,” he called it.
“In many ways, (to Phillips,) a flawless record was a record without soul,” said Peter Guralnick, author of the new Phillips biography, “Sam Phillips: The Man Who Invented Rock ‘n’ Roll.”
His instincts served him well. That last example, for instance, became the hit “Rocket 88,” often touted as the first rock ‘n’ roll record.
And that was, literally, just the beginning. As demonstrated in Guralnick’s biography, Phillips’ discoveries reshaped the boundaries of popular music: Perkins, Johnny Cash, Howlin’ Wolf, Jerry Lee Lewis, Charlie Rich and the king of them all, Elvis Presley.
In establishing Sun Records and the Memphis Recording Service (“We record anything — anywhere — anytime,” noted the sign), Phillips gave musical opportunities to African-Americans who had generally been ignored by mainstream recording companies, as well as rural whites whose raw sound wasn’t accepted by the big labels.
“He believed in the democratic dream. That was his deepest-rooted belief,” said Guralnick, author of highly regarded Elvis Presley and Sam Cooke biographies.
Phillips’ roster shows just how innovative, wide-ranging and sympathetic he was:
Howlin’ Wolf
Chester Arthur Burnett, better known as Howlin’ Wolf, was already in his early 40s when Phillips first heard him. Phillips was smitten immediately.
“THIS IS WHAT I’M LOOKING FOR,” he said, capital letters and all, according to Guralnick’s biography.Read More: