Mystery Train (1989)

Jodie Markell: Sun Studio Guide (segment "Far from Yokohama")

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• Sun Studio Guide (segment "Far from Yokohama") : The Sun Record Company in Memphis, Tennessee, was first opened by radio announcer and record engineer Sam Phillips in the year 1952. His first objective was to record some of the *race* music that had come up from the Delta, but was being recorded up north. Sam thought - and I quote - "Well, why should they have to go up north to record it when I can record it right here?" Well, it was right here in this very room where Mr. Phillips recorded the likes of Howlin' Wolf, Rufus Thomas, Charlie Feathers, the Prisonaires, James Cotton, Johnny Cash, Billy Lee Riley, Carl Perkins, Roy Orbison, and Jerry Lee Lewis, and, of course, the king of rock and roll himself - Elvis Presley. In June 1953, this young man just graduated from Humes High School and he found his way on over to Sun Studio and recorded a song that he said was for his mom's birthday, but his mom's birthday was months away, so - anyway, Sam finally found a song he liked and he said - and I quote - "That's what I like. That's what I'm lookin' for. That's more like it. Y'all keep playin'." End quote. Well, they were excited. They got a song that was soon played on the radio by deejay Dewey Phillips in the year 1954, probably July 9 or 10. And he would have to play that song somewhere between 7 and 11 times that night. Well, the switchboard stayed lit up there. People wanted to know if he was black, if he was white. White callers would call. Black callers would call. The bottom line was the song was gonna be a hit.