▶ Hear Spotify, Apple Music or YouTube
3. Johnny London: “Driving Sluggish”
Two years after the studio opened, Phillips launched his personal document label, Solar Data, in the identical constructing. Though Solar would change into finest recognized for distributing rock and rockabilly singles, its first launch was this casually cool jazz quantity by 16-year-old alto saxophonist Johnny London.
▶ Hear Spotify, Apple Music or YouTube
4. Elvis Presley: “Okay”
18-year-old Elvis Presley first appeared at Solar Studio on July 18, 1953, to document two demos; Legend has it that he needed to present his mom an album of him singing as a birthday current. Phillips quickly realized Presley’s potential and introduced him into subsequent classes. This sultry, soulful model of Arthur Crudup’s 1946 blues ditty “That is All Proper, Mama” was Presley’s debut single — and an on the spot sensation.
▶ Hear Spotify, Apple Music or YouTube
5. Johnny Money: “I stroll the road”
In 1954, impressed by Presley’s success, an equipment salesman and aspiring musician named Johnny Money auditioned for Phillips at Solar Studio. The next 12 months, Solar Data launched Money’s debut single, “Cry, cry, cry”, which turned a small success. In 1956, nonetheless, he had a real hit with this music, his first No. 1 on the nation charts. Possibly you’ve got heard this earlier than?
▶ Hear Spotify, Apple Music or YouTube
6. Carl Perkins: “Blue suede footwear”
In late 1955, Presley left Solar searching for a extra profitable contract with RCA Victor – which meant that Phillips’ label actually wanted a success. Luckily, Solar’s first million-selling single was launched in January 1956: the Carl Perkins-penned rockabilly basic “Blue Suede Footwear.” Presley’s personal model would change into a fair greater and extra indelible hit, however in deference to his former document firm and his pal Perkins, he delayed its launch till August in order that it couldn’t compete with Perkins’ model on the charts.
▶ Hear Spotify, Apple Music or YouTube
7. Jerry Lee Lewis: “Entire Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On”
After signing with the label in late 1956, Jerry Lee Lewis rapidly turned a prolific studio pianist—he performed on Perkins’ hit “Matchbox,” amongst many different singles—and a fledgling solo artist for Solar. His huge hit was this 1957 rockabilly quantity, a transforming of a music first recorded two years earlier by Big Maybelle. One other unforgettable Solar single from Lewis, “Great Balls of Fire,” was launched in late 1957.
▶ Hear Spotify, Apple Music or YouTube
8. Roy Orbison introducing the Teen Kings: “Ooby Dooby”
Roy Orbison is one more musical icon who made a few of his earliest recordings at Solar, although his profession did not take off till he signed with Monument Data in 1959. He recorded along with his backing band Teen Kings in 1956, the sunshine, the Edgy “Ooby Dooby” finds a younger Orbison imitating Presley, a number of years faraway from perfecting his signature type of brooding, dreamy ballads.
