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Sun Artist Party
During the long 4th of July weekend many people began arriving in Memphis to attend and/or participate in the July 5th festivities at Sun surrounding the 50th Anniversary of "That's All Right". There was an Artist party planned for around 7:00PM at Sun Studio for all the participants and performers on the next days events and most of the group met up first at the Trolley Stop Lounge in the Marriott Hotel. Among others of Scotty's friends in town to help celebrate were Billy Swan, Ronnie McDowell, DJ and Karen Fontana, Jacques Vroom and Moore's Feel Good Mafia members Gail Pollock, Steve and Ella Shepherd, D.J. Gross, Molly Blanks and Patsy Andersen.
After an unscheduled 20 minute whirlwind tour of North Memphis by Patsy Andersen while driving from the hotel to the studio (normally a 4 minute 1.5 mile ride) we arrived at the Studio for the party. Many folks were already there and it was the first time in several years that many of the artists affiliated with Sun through the years were together. The last time was probably in 2000 when they filmed the documentary "Good Rockin' Tonight: The Legacy of Sun Records".
Sam Phillips' radio network, Big River Broadcasting from Alabama was set up in the front of the studio in Marion's old office. They broadcast live to their stations and in addition to Scotty, interviewed Isaac Hayes, Jerry Phillips, Marshall Grant, Sonny Burgess and other guests there. Isaac, along with Scotty, "Sam the Sham" Samudio and Justin Timberlake had been named ambassadors to the event. Marshall, along with guitarist Luther Perkins was one of Johnny Cash's band, the Tennessee Two.
Lots of interviewing was going on and Scotty many times was asked "What was it like that night 50 years ago". Patiently, he responded each time as if the question was original and explained how it was all somewhat spontaneous, that it was not meant to be a session, merely an audition.
Scotty related "After getting Elvis' phone number from Marion Keisker, at Sam's request he met with Elvis the day before to get his impression of him as a singer. Sam then had he and Bill come into the studio with Elvis on the night of the 5th just to hear how he would sound on tape. After several hours of experimenting with no real success, during a break from recording, Elvis playfully launched into a rendition of 'That's All Right' and he and Bill started to play along. Sam heard them through the control room door, had them work out an arrangement and they recorded it, in no more than 2 or 3 takes."
Most of the interviewing that night was done in the actual studio side of the building while in the former diner side, which is now the store, refreshments were set up for the guests. At one point Ronnie McDowell had Scotty point out in an interview the spots in the studio were he, Elvis and Bill all stood during the recording 50 years ago. Later group photos were made of the ambassadors, former and participating Sun Artists.
Though Scotty had his "Moore's Feel Good Mafia" members in tow, they didn't officially unveil themselves as that until the next day. These girls are regulars at a lot of Scotty's and Ronnie McDowell's shows in addition to being good friends. One of them sharing the same initials as D.J. Fontana, Scotty refers to as "the good DJ" and commented that "if the other one looked like that he'd think about going back out on the road".
It was a fun night and after that the group retired back to the hotel but not without stopping for a nightcap back at the Trolley Stop Lounge though the day ahead of them would be an early one and busy.
James V. Roy
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All photos on this site (that we didn't borrow) unless otherwise indicated are the property of either Scotty Moore or James V. Roy and unauthorized use or reproduction is prohibited. |
