Drake Milligan from CMT's Sun Records (Elvis) interview and more! Rockabilly N Blues Radio Hour 03-13-17

Drake Milligan as Elvis on CMT's Sun Records
photo by Kevin Lynch

Drake Milligan, from CMT's Sun Records series, joins the show this week.  We chat about his early love for Elvis, filming Sun Records in Memphis, his friendship with fellow cast mates, an Elvis request and more!  We also hear new tunes from Imelda May, Lance Lipinsky & The Lovers, Roy Orbison (from the newly released Black & White Night 30) and rockers from BR5-49, Dale Watson, Carl Perkins, Kristyn Harris, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, B.B. King, Wanda Jackson and Kim Lenz!

Hear episode here:

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Intro Voice Over- Rob "Cool Daddy" Dempsey
Intro Music Bed:  Brian Setzer- "Rockabilly Blues"

Lance Lipinsky & The Lovers- "Move, Move, Move"
BR5-49- "Little Ramona (Gone Hillbilly Nuts)"
Dale Watson- "Drive, Drive, Drive"
Kristyn Harris- "Travelin' In My Boots"
Wanda Jackson- "Baby Loves Him"

Drake Milligan interview:
Elvis Presley- "You're A Heartbreaker"
Segment 1
Elvis Presley- "Good Rockin' Tonight"
Segment 2
Elvis Presley- "That's When Your Heartaches Begin"
Segment 3
Elvis Presley- "My Baby Left Me"

B.B. King- "She's Dynamite"
Jerry Lee Lewis- "Breathless"
Johnny Cash- "Next In Line"
Imelda May- "Black Tears"
Kim Lenz- "Shadows On The Old Bayou"
Roy Orbison- "Claudette" (live)
Carl Perkins- "Honey Don't"

Outro Music Bed:  Link Wray- "Heartbreak Hotel"

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Cast of CMT's Sun Records/ photo by Kevin Lynch

Johnny Cash hits #1 with "I Walk The Line"

Johnny Cash tops the country chart this day in 1956 with one of his signature tunes- "I Walk The Line".  This is his 3rd Sun Records single and 1st #1 chart success.  It remained on the chart for over 43 weeks and sold 2 million copies.  See a 23 year old cash performing this live on The Tex Ritter Show here...

Sam Phillips gives Elvis' "That's All Right" to DJ Dewey Phillips

July 6, 1954- Sam Phillips takes an acetate recording of Elvis' "That's All Right" (recorded the previous day) over to Memphis DJ Dewey Phillips to play on his "Red, Hot & Blue" radio show on WHBQ a couple of days later.  This was the first time Elvis was played on the air.  He ended up playing the song 14 times due to the calls coming in requesting it.  Hear an alternate take of "That's All Right" recorded by Sam Phillips at Sun Records studio.

Jerry Lee Lewis records "Great Balls Of Fire" after lengthy religious discussion with Sam Phillips

Jerry Lee Lewis records "Great Balls Of Fire" this day in 1957 at Sun after a lengthy religious discussion with Sam Phillips.  Sam had let the tape keep rolling.  Hear the discussion here...

Billy Lee Riley was born this day in 1933

Rockabilly artist Billy Lee Riley was born this day in 1933.  He's most widely known for some of his early Sun Records singles from 1957 like "Red Hot", "Flyin' Saucers Rock 'n' Roll" (which featured Jerry Lee Lewis on backing piano), etc.  In the early 60's he became a studio musician again (after playing on several other fellow Sun artist singles in the 50's like Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, Roy Orbison and others).  While in LA, he worked with Dean Martin, The Beach Boys, Sammy Davis Jr. and others.  He also recorded under other aliases like Lightnin' Leon, Skip Wiley, Darren Lee and in bands like The Megatons, The Spitfires, The Rockin' Stockins and more.

He released several instrumental albums featuring his amazing Harmonica skills like Harmonica And The Blues and Harmonica Beatlemania.  He retired from music in 1973 but decided to join in a "Memphis In May" celebration and continued playing music until the time of his death in 2009.  Bob Dylan claims Riley as one of his idols and countless of others have covered his songs including Robert Gordon (with Link Wray) and Brian Setzer.

Here's some select videos of Billy along with covers from those he influenced....

Billy Lee Riley- "Flyin' Saucers Rock 'n' Roll" and "Trouble Bound" (with Billy Burnette and Lee Rocker in the band)

Brian Setzer- "Flyin' Saucers Rock 'n' Roll"

Billy Lee Riley- "Red Hot"

Robert Gordon & Link Wray- "Red Hot"

JD McPherson- "Abigail Blue" live at Sun Studio Sessions

Check out JD McPherson on Sun Studio Sessions doing "Abigail Blue".  It originally appeared on the Starkweather Boys album with JD and then as a B-side to a 45 Rounder released of "North Side Gal".

Sun Records Founder Sam Phillips was born this day in 1923

Sam Phillips was born this day in 1923.  He was best known for his legendary Sun Records label that he founded in 1952.  Sam had produced such blues acts like B.B. King, Howlin Wolf, Jackie Brenston (with Ike Turner) and many more for other labels up until he opened his own label.  The Memphis Recording Service served as the studio for the projects released on his label.  His biggest discovery at Sun was of course Elvis Presley but close behind were Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, Roy Orbison and more.  Although Sam died in 2003, his legacy and music vision continues to live on.

Here's my son Connor from one of our many trips to Sun.  This one was from December, 2011.  It still looks the same today as it did back when Sam was running things!

Happy Birthday Jerry Lee Lewis!

"The Killer" Jerry Lee Lewis was born this day in 1935 in Ferriday, LA.  The original "wild man" of rock & roll continues to thrill audiences to this day!  He signed to Sun Records in 1956 releasing "Crazy Arms" as his first single.  He was also the studio's piano player later that year for other artist sessions including among them Carl Perkins' "Matchbox", "Your True Love", "Put Your Cat Clothes On" and others as well as Billy Lee Riley's "Flying Saucers Rock 'n' Roll".  Here's a look through the years at "The Killer"...

From the 2008 Grammy Awards, here's Jerry Lee with Little Richard and John Fogerty:

19 year old Jerry Lee Lewis records first demos at Sun in 1956

Wild man Jerry Lee Lewis (then only 19 years old) arrives at Sun Studios hoping for an audition with Sam Phillips this day in 1956.  Sam was away on vacation but Jerry Lee records some demos for Sam to hear later.  Not long after "The Killer" at the piano was unleashed.  Here he is doing his classic "Whole Lotta Shakin' Going On"...

Sam Phillips sells Sun Records this day in 1969

Sam Phillips sold Sun Records this day in 1969 to Shelby Singleton.  He originally opened "Memphis Recording Service" in 1950 as a studio producing mainly blues artists.  After growing tired of producing projects for other labels (Howlin' Wolf, Jackie Brenston, B.B. King, etc.), he started his own label, Sun Records, in 1952.  Artists on this label included Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins, Billy Lee Riley, Roy Orbison and many others.  The building was mostly empty until the 1985 sessions of the "Class Of '55" which included Lewis, Cash, Perkins and Orbison.  In 1987 the studio reopened and became a tourist attraction by day and studio by night.  Artists like U2, Bob Dylan, Chris Issac, John Mellencamp and others have recorded here since the reopening.  Watch this great tour of the studio brought to you by "Pop Pilgrims" here...

Third Man Records reissues select Sun Records releases

With Third Man Records being a wonderful "left of center" label in Tennessee that often finds unique projects leaning toward blues, rockabilly and roots, it's fitting that they are releasing another Tennessee based label that also leaned that way in the 50's.  They are releasing the first 3 45's in their Sun Records Reissue Series beginning May 21st.  Those releases include "Bear Cat" by Rufus Thomas, "Just Walking In The Rain" by The Prisonaires and "Get Rhythm" by Johnny Cash.  The special yellow & black swirl versions will be available from the Rolling Record Store at various locations.  Find out more HERE.

"Bear Cat"- Rufus Thomas

"Just Walking In The Rain"- The Prisonaires

"Get Rhythm"- Johnny Cash

Rufus Thomas died this day in 2001

Rufus Thomas, a R&B/Blues/Funk singer, died this day in 2001.  He recorded for Sun Records in the 50's and Stax in the 60's and 70's.  He had a wild and fun style like no other.  His earliest hit at Sun was "Bear Cat" which was an "answer" to Big Mama Thornton's "Hound Dog".  Despite it's success, the label was sued for copyright infringement.  At Stax, he was known for songs like "Walking The Dog", "Do The Funky Chicken" and "Do The Push and Pull".  Here's some videos to enjoy his unique style...

"Bear Cat"

"Walking The Dog"

interview

RCA announces Elvis' signing

RCA purchased Elvis' contract, his singles and unreleased masters from Sam Phillips of Sun Records for $40,000 ($35,000 to Sun and a $5,000 signing bonus to Elvis).  Elvis remained with RCA until the time of his death in 1977.  Below is a version of "When It Rains It Really Pours" that he recorded while at Sun in 1955.  He later re-recorded it in 1957 for RCA which is the version that was released.

Dale Watson & The Texas Two- The Sun Sessions

If you like the early Johnny Cash style from his Sun Records days, then chances are you will love this new project from Dale Watson & The Texas Two:  The Sun Sessions.  Dale and the band recorded this at the legendary Sun Studios in the style Johnny Cash did back in the mid-50's.  Here's a video for the song "My Baby Makes Me Gravy"

official music video

performed live on Texas Music Scene

Conway Twitty records for Sun under his real name "Harold Jenkins"

Harold Jenkins picked his stage name in 1957 by looking at a road map and spotting Conway, AR and Twitty, TX.  Before he became a Country music star, he recorded rock and roll with Sam Phillips at Sun under his real name.  He also wrote "Rock House" and sold it to another young singer at Sun by the name of Roy Orbison which became his second single there.  Hear both versions of "Rock House" in the video below...

Sun Records cake

Enjoyed this for my birthday today!  What's better than a record player cake?  Well...a Sun Studio record player cake!!!

Get a free download from Chris Issak's Beyond The Sun album

Chris Isaak recorded most of his upcoming project Beyond The Sun at the legendary Sun Studios in Memphis, TN.  The album releases October 20th but you can get a free download of "Live It Up" here:

http://www.vanguardrecords.com/downloads/Chris+Isaak

You can also sample some of the other songs on this great release on that page as well.

Little Milton passes away this day in 2005

James Milton Campbell, Jr (better known as "Little Milton") passed away this day in 2005.  In 1952 Ike Turner was a talent scout for Sun Records and brought Little Milton to Sam Phillip's attention.  He recorded several singles for Sun but left the label in 1955 after they failed to get much attention.  He tried a couple of more labels but finally scored a distribution deal with Chess Records out of Chicago.  He produced artists like Albert King, Fontella Bass and enjoyed his own solo success with songs like "We're Gonna Make It", "Feel So Bad", "Grits Ain't Groceries", "Who's Cheating Who?" and others.   He recorded for Stax, Malaco and then his final project Think Of Me in May of 2005 on the Telarc Label.  Here's Little Milton singing one of his signature tunes "We're Gonna Make It"....

Sam Phillips passed away this day in 2003

Sam Phillips (behind the mixing console at Sun Records along with Elvis, Scotty Moore and Bill Black) passed away this day in 2003 at the age of 80.  Sam recorded such blues greats as B.B. King, Howlin Wolf, Ike Turner (then a session player for Jackie Brenston) and others before starting his own label Sun Records in  1952.  During this time he discovered and recorded Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, Roy Orbison, Carl Perkins, Billy Lee Riley and others.  Watch Sam talk about the early days and getting an "imperfect perfect" sound...