EAP Index World: That's All Right / Blue Moon of Kentucky (Compact

Title:

That's All Right

Label:

Sun Studio [SUN 209]
Format:
Single
Number of tracks:
2
Running Time:
4:00
Type of album:
Studio
Linked to:
Official discography

Year:

1954

Recorded:

July 5 & 7, 1954

Released:

July 19, 1954

Singles:

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That's All Right is Elvis' first work. It contains two tracks recorded during the iconic 1954 sessions at Memphis' Sun Studio. It was re-released by RCA under catalog number 47-6380 on January 23, 1956.

After Elvis stopped by Sun Studio in July 1953 to record a private acetate, Marion Keisker, secretary to Sam Phillips, who owned the studio, realized that he would be a singer of fame. Asked by her what his style would be, Elvis replied with the now famous phrases "I sing all kinds" and "I don't sound like anybody". Seeing his potential after listening to the acetate, Sam Phillips asked Marion to write down the boy's name, which she did along with a note that read: "Great ballad singer. Hold him."

When Elvis returned in January 1954 for his second personal acetate, nothing caught the label's attention. In April of the same year, Elvis began working as a driver for the Crown Electric Company and participated in two auditions for band vocalist. He was rejected in both, as the contractors said that "he had no ear for harmony" and that it was "better to keep driving" because he "will never do well as a singer".

Promo shot of Elvis at Sun Studio; 1954

Meanwhile, Sam Phillips was looking for what he called a "white singer who can sing like a black and make me a billion dollars". Excited by a flurry of new songs to which he had acquired the rights, Phillips sent for Elvis to record "Without You" on June 26, but the session proved unsuccessful. Even so, the producer cast him for a session with two local musicians - guitarist Wynfield "Scotty" Moore and bassist Bill Black - on July 5, 1954.

This event was quite disappointing at first, as neither Presley nor his instrumentalists found common ground to record anything. It was at the end of the night, when everyone was getting ready to leave, that the magic happened. Elvis began playing "That's All Right" on his guitar, singing and dancing strangely; with nothing to do, Scotty and Black followed him. Sam heard it and had a snap: "There's my billion dollars!"

Wasting no time, Phillips asked the guys to find a spot to restart the song and recorded it. The late night session would still yield two other songs: "I Love You Because" and "Harbor Lights".

On July 7, the trio would record another title that would become an instant hit, "Blue Moon of Kentucky".

The next day, DJ Dewey Phillips played "That's All Right" on his radio show in Memphis and the phenomenon began to occur. Phone calls from all over the country began to jam the station's lines, with everyone wanting to know the name of the owner of that peculiar voice.

A few days later, Dewey interviewed Elvis and made a point of stressing, due to the prejudice of the time, that he was a white singer - and not black, as many assumed.

Elvis was then scheduled to appear in the most famous Southern radio show, "The Louisiana Hayride" on July 17, 1954 and sang "That's All Right" and "Blue Moon of Kentucky". The sudden success of both songs made Sam Phillips think about selling records with them as quickly as possible.

To maintain the coherence of a country singer, Sun released Elvis Presley's first single on July 19, 1954 with the two country songs. The record sold like crazy and led to Sam displaying Elvis in several concerts in Southern US and promoting his recordings on radios.

After a while, Elvis made a deal with Scotty and Bill to have them become his fixed band, giving them 25% of the earnings.

Myth was born and history began to be written.

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THE RECORDING SESSIONS

Date:

July 5 & 7, 1954

Studio:

Sun Studio

Location:
Memphis, Tenneessee

Musicians:
Voice: Elvis Presley
Guitar: Elvis presley
Electric guitar: Scotty Moore
Bass: Bill Balck

Producer / Sound engineer:

Sam Phillips

JULY 5, 1954
Harbor Lights EPA3 2742-03
I Love You Because G2WB 1086-SP
That's All Right F2WB 8040-04

JULY 7, 1954
Blue Moon Of Kentucky F2WB 8041-NA

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SESSION LOGS