Sun Studio — Attraction in Memphis

One of the two places I wanted to visit on my trip to Memphis was "Graceland". The other was one that I had a LOT of interest in. This is none other than the famous "Sun Studio", located at 706 Union St. in Memphis, TN. I had the honor of squeezing time into my busy schedule during the afternoon of Saturday 9/25/2021 at around 3:00pm to visit this historic building that is still standing to this day. The building itself is free to the public which offers a ton of collectibles and memorabilia including mugs, glasses, t-shirts, and other souvenirs to take home. There is also a small bar area just in case you wanted to grab a beer before the actual tour.

Now to tour the actual recording studio where the musicians actually recorded their hit songs, this requires purchasing a ticket. Luckily I was able to buy a ticket for their 3:40pm tour (which are on a first come, first served basis). The price for a guided tour was a very fair and affordable $15 (as of September 2021). During my wait, I was able to converse with some of the employees working there as they gave me advice on best BBQ, best local bars, and best hidden gems. That definitely helped me out a lot!

Once the tour began, a really informative and enthusiastic gentleman took us upstairs where we got to see an actual DJ booth; WHBQ Radio, actual guitars used, and a reel-to-reel tape machine that was used frequently in the 1950's. For those history buffs, I learned that Sun Studio was built and founded in 1950 by radio engineer Sam Phillips with his assistant, friend, and secretary Marion Keisker. The real fun began is when we went back downstairs to the basement to where all of the musical magic truly happened.

This studio (which is ground level to Union Street) is home to where the Million Dollar Quartet began; this is none other than rock-n-roll pioneers Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, Johnny Cash, and the King himself, Elvis Presley all got their rise to fame. At the time, this was unheard of by mixing blues, country, and rockabilly which all coined the term, "rock-n-roll". Inside this studio, this is where Elvis Presley recorded his first big hit, "That's All Right Mama". There was also a piano used by Jerry Lee Lewis (where he recorded "Great Balls of Fire"), a guitar used by Johnny Cash, and in Sun Studio's later years, a drum set used by the band U2 for their "Rattle & Hum" album in 1988.

Towards the end of this tour, I got to learn that the actual microphone that Elvis Presley used was still part of this studio and I had the honor and privilege of holding that same microphone. The amount of history and knowledge I gained on this amazing musical tour was absolutely priceless. For those music fanatics that really want to know an insight of where rock-n-roll originated from, do yourself a visit this place! My rating for "Sun Studio", a...

Sun Studios is a surprisingly little spot with some surprisingly big history behind it. It is a National Historic Landmark a few minutes from downtown Memphis. It will be a particularly appealing place to visit for anyone interested in how Elvis Presley got his start in music and some of the early history (1950s & 60s) of rock and roll and the Memphis blues. If these things do not interest you at all, then you're likely not to find this a worthwhile stop.

To really experience Sun Studios you have to sign up for a tour. They typically leave about every 15 minutes from their lobby and gift shop area. In 2022 the cost was $15 dollars per person. It's a short tour that lasts about 20 minutes and takes you through three small rooms. The real value in the tour is the highlights provided by your guide as you wander through the rooms. You will get to see the recording studio and room where Elvis Presley did his first recordings. It has remained basically unchanged.

They highlight other famous artists in the 1950s and 60s that also got their start at Sun Studio. They also mention some more recent artists that have chosen to record at Sun Studios. Of particular note, 3 songs from U2's Rattle and Hum album were cut here and you can see the original drum set and soundboard they used.

For those interested in really spending time reading the displays and seeing all the memorabilia, you may be disappointed at how fast the tour moves through some of the rooms. Plan to take lots of pictures to review later if you really want to review all...

I was thoroughly impressed with this tour. So much Rock and Roll history in one little place! A very reasonable $14 ticket to do this. Our tour guide was fun and informative, I think her name was Lana (sorry if incorrect!). She had really corny one liners throughout the tour that were actually endearing. Thanks for the great tour! The story of Sun Studio is fascinating to listen to and backed up with a ton of vintage equipment, letters, 45's, pictures, and show memorabilia. If you are a guitar, blues, or rock and roll aficionado, this is a must do! There are between 12 and 20 vintage guitars on site. The story of Sun Studio is entwined with the early career of Elvis Presley. This history is fun to hear about but I wish there was more on some of the "lesser known" stars from the 50's and 60's. Howlin' Wolf, BB King, and Roy Orbison could use a few more mentions. I also think a listening area would be a great edition to tour. This tour was still good enough to go back to next year when I'm in town. The tours begin every half hour from 1030 to 530 most days, if I remember correctly. This makes it easy to fit into your day and it's just five minutes from downtown. Thanks for the great time! It reminded me of bass playing days when I fell in love with Rock and Roll (back in the 80's). See...