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Sun Studio

City: Memphis, TN
Region: West Tennessee
Subregion: Memphis & Surrounding Areas

Take a guided tour of the most famous recording studio in the world, the legendary Sun Studio, the "Birthplace of Rock 'n' Roll," where the blending of blues and country music exploded in the big bang of rock 'n' roll heard around the world. Founder Sam Philips, a self-taught producer, didn't know the rules, so he broke them all, blending musical styles, cranking up that amp and using lots of echo to create a new kind of music that rocked the world.

Then came a shy teenager with a cheap guitar, a kid with big hair and the unlikely name of Elvis. He had a little fun with a tune called "That's All Right," that sounded like no blues song ever before.

Add Jerry Lee Lewis, pounding the piano like a madman; Carl Perkins, with his one-of-a-kind rhythm licks; and Johnny Cash, who blended country and pop music like no one ever had. With that group, you have not only a world-shaking musical revolution but also the basis of an award-winning Broadway Show, The Million Dollar Quartet.

We offer a free shuttle to and from Graceland.

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