Musical Mainstays
Musical Mainstays
The Tony Award-winning musical, Million Dollar Quartet, was created by Floyd Mutrux and Colin Escott as a tribute to the real-life recording session of Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins, and Jerry Lee Lewis. The impromptu jam session took place on December 4, 1956, at the Sun Record Studios in Memphis, Tennessee.
Elvis Presley, the King of Rock and Roll, began his music career in 1954 with Sam Phillips, a producer and eventual owner of Sun Records. Phillips wanted a singer who could incorporate the sounds of his black musicians and deliver to a wider audience. After his initial recordings, he signed a contract with RCA, sky-rocketing him to national exposure thanks to television performances. In addition to his hit songs such as “Hound Dog” and “Heartbreak Hotel,” Presley starred in more than two dozen films.
Having sold more than 90 million records worldwide, Johnny Cash is one of the best-selling musicians of all time. Cash found success in 1955 after switching from gospel music to country tunes. The Man in Black’s iconic deep bass-baritone voice set the stage for his songs like “I Walk the Line” and “Ring of Fire.” Cash went on to tour with and marry June Carter of the Carter Family. The critically acclaimed film Walk the Line (2005), starring Joaquin Phoenix and Reese Witherspoon, was based on Cash’s autobiographies and received substantial success.
Carl Perkins personally wrote and sang the 1956 hit, “Blue Suede Shoes,” a song covered by many great artists throughout the 20th century. Within months of its release, the song sold more than one million records. Considered the King of Rockabilly, Perkins filled the gap at Sun Records when Elvis Presley left to join RCA. His song-writing ability was enhanced by his outstanding finger-picking on the guitar, allowing him to branch into many musical genres.
Known as The Killer, Jerry Lee Lewis shot to fame with his 1957 hits “Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On” and “Great Balls of Fire.” In addition to singing, Lewis was a prolific piano player, serving as a background musician for other artists at Sun Records including Carl Perkins and Johnny Cash. His stage performances featured outrageous pounding on the piano keys, a signature move that resulted in audience delight.
The Million Dollar Quartet recording was released in 1981 to a European audience and then was later updated with newly discovered tracks as The Complete Million Dollar Session. The recordings were finally released in the United States in 1990 as Elvis Presley- The Million Dollar Quartet.