Tagged: rock and roll

For many Memphians of a certain age, August 16, 1977 was really “The Day the Music Died.” Elvis Aaron Presley died at his mansion, Graceland. 

A native of Tupelo, Elvis moved to Memphis as a teenager. After high school, he walked into Sun Studios to make a record for his mother, Gladys.

Sam Phillips heard him and realized that he had found a white singer with a black feel. Hits like “That's All Right Mama” and “Hound Dog” left the music world all shook up. And it's still shaking.

Elvis Presley was born in Tupelo, Mississippi. He grew-up there in a shotgun shack that his father, Vernon, built. 

For a couple of years there, Sam The Sham was the real deal. Almost in tribute to his name, Sam had the first record to be named Billboard’s number one song of the year which hadn’t actually held the number one position during the year. And it probably won’t come as a surprise that Sam wasn’t even really his name.