Sun Studios is a recording studio that was started in Memphis, TN, orginially called the Memphis Recording Service. It shared the building with a small record label called Sun Records. This legendary studio is home to some of the old great rock and roll legends like Elvis, Johnny Cash, and Jerry Lee Lewis. You will recognize some of the great songs like Elvis’s “Hound Dog” and Johnny Cash’s “Walk the Line” as major songs that have been recorded in this studio.

The studio was started in 1950, and one of its first major artist was Delta Cat’s who was produced by Ike Turner. Through the 1950’s the studio recorded many rock and rockability artists like Carl Perkins, Roy Orbison, Charlie Feathers, Johnny Cash, Elvis Presley, Ray Harris, and Jerry Lee Lewis. The studio became the hot spot for rock and rock for that era, and many artists were created and developed there.

The studio became famous for its signature Tennessee rock sound; fusing rock and rock, country and bluegrass music. It also became home to Sun Records which was the label behind the recording studio. The studio was a large success until the mid 1960’s were music and world had changed. The studio eventually went out of business by 1968. In 1987, the Studio was repurchased and reopened as a studio, which became a tourist attraction for Elvis fans, after his death.

Today, Sun Studios is now a major tourist attraction during the day, and is a must see for anyone that is visiting Elvis’s Graceland. It is a great way to see how the “Sun Studios” sound got started. Since the re-opening of the studio, local bands can now record their albums in this famous studio in the evenings (after the tours are over). It has really become a local Memphis icon for the city and a pride for all of the local musicians. The studio has also attracted artists like Bonnie Raitt, U2 and Ringo Starr to come and record some music in their legendary walls.

For more informatoin on Sun Studios or to book a tour, visit the website below:
Sun Studios

There is a ton of really great information on the website about the studio and it’s history. It is truly inspirational for any aspiring music porducer to check it out. If you are ever in the Memphis, TN area, I highly recommend that you stop by and take the tour. It is a really small building, but really cool experience. You will even get to take a picture with Elvis’s microphone at the end of the tour.