Roots of Rock: Sun Studio, Memphis

That’s all right, Mama!

‘Cause I walk the line….at the home of rockabilly and rock n’ roll, tiny Sun Studio in Memphis, Tennessee.

Kids who have only known music in digital formats downloaded from a computer are often intrigued by a visit here.

They’ll learn how producer and Sun Records owner Sam Phillips found amazing talent all over the South, then brought it to the microphone to record genre-busting music.

Even his use of drums in recordings was revolutionary for that time, because Deep South radio stations often would not play any songs that included drums because that made the music “too black.”

Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Roy Orbison, Howlin’ Wolf, Carl Perkins and Jerry Lee Lewis all spent some of their early days recording at Sun.

Visitors can take a guided tour and learn all about it:

“Sun Studio is open seven days a week from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm daily. Tours are given at the bottom of every hour on the half hour starting at 10:30 and ending at 5:30. Sun Studio requires at least 1 to 1.5 hours. The tour ticket price is $9.50 per person, & children under 12 are free. We apologize, but due to the nature of our guided performance tour, children 3 & under are not allowed to take the tour. No reservations are necessary.”

Goodness gracious, great balls of fire.