Live From Sun Studio

Sun Studio Sessions TV Schedule May 28th, 2011

2011-05-28T19:45:00.015-04:00

KLCS television in Los Angeles airs Sun Studio Sessions tonight at 8:30pm (PST), featuring Joshua James, right before Austin City Limits with Steve Martin and the Steep Canyon Rangers. You can view the full schedule here.

Joshua's episode also appears tonight on WEIU, serving the Champaign, Illinois area at 830pm, just after Vienna Teng's Sun Studio Sessions at 8pm.

Joshua's episode is also on tonight Sioux Falls, South Dakota / Appleton, Minnesota area PBS stations at 930pm, just before Austin City Limits with Sara McLachlan. Full schedule here.

South Carolina PBS airs Sun Studio Sessions statewide tonight on their ETV HD channel. The episode is on at 10:30pm, just before Austin City Limits. Details here.

Oklahoma City and statewide Oklahoma can catch two episodes of Sun Studio Sessions tonight, first at 10pm on the "Oklahoma" Channel with the Teeny Tucker:

Then at 10:30 the Oklahoma Channel airs Sun Studio Sessions with Truth & Salvage Co.:

Maryland, DC, No. Va., Martinsburg W.Va. Sun Studio Sessions late night tonight 1230am on PBS MPT "2" Comcast 268 featuring Jay Nash, right after Austin City Limits. Details here.

KIXE PBS TV in Redding, California airs Sun Studio Sessions tonight at 10:30pm. KIXE broadcasts a 130 mile radius that includes ten California counties: Butte, Colusa, Glenn, Lassen, Modoc, Plumas, Shasta, Siskiyou, Tehama, and Trinity.

WVIA PBS TV in Wilkes-Barre, Scranton airs Sun Studio Sessions tonight with the Ryan Montbleau Band at 10:30pm, right after Austin City Limits.

Sun Studio Sessions TV Schedule May 21st, 2011

2011-05-21T18:14:00.010-04:00

KLCS television in Los Angeles airs Sun Studio Sessions tonight at 8:30pm (PST), featuring Garrison Starr, right before Austin City Limits with Sarah McLachlan. You can view the full schedule here.

Garrison's episode also appears tonight on WEIU, serving the Champaign, Illinois area and and tonight Sioux Falls, South Dakota / Appleton, Minnesota area PBS stations at 930pm, just before Austin City Limits with Sara McLachlan. Full schedule here.

South Carolina PBS airs Sun Studio Sessions statewide tonight on their ETV HD channel. The episode is on at 10:30pm, just before Austin City Limits. Details here.

Oklahoma City and statewide Oklahoma can catch two episodes of Sun Studio Sessions tonight, first at 10pm on the "Oklahoma" Channel with the Watson Twins:

Then at 10:30 the Oklahoma Channel debuts Season 2's kickoff episode in that market with the Walkmen:

Maryland, DC, No. Va., Martinsburg W.Va. Sun Studio Sessions late night tonight 1230am on PBS MPT "2" Comcast 268 featuring the Ryan Montbleau Band, right after Austin City Limits. Details here.

Columbus, Ohio area can catch the Langhorne Slim episode tonight on WOSU (Ohio State) PBS, late night at 1am.

New Mexico State, La Cruces, NM and El Paso, Texas KRWG PBS TV airs Sun Studio Sessions with Joshua James tonight at 11pm, right after Austin City Limits & Artists' Den:

KIXE PBS TV in Redding, California airs Sun Studio Sessions tonight at 10:30pm. KIXE broadcasts a 130 mile radius that includes ten California counties: Butte, Colusa, Glenn, Lassen, Modoc, Plumas, Shasta, Siskiyou, Tehama, and Trinity.

WKNO TV n Memphis, TN airs Sun Studio Sessions with Backyard Tire Fire tonight at 11pm:

WVIA PBS TV in Wilkes-Barre, Scranton airs Sun Studio Sessions tonight with the Teeny Tucker blues band at 10:30pm, right after Austin City Limits:

Little Rock & statewide Arkansas get two episodes of Sun Studio Sessions tonight. First, right after Austin City Limits, Eli Reed at 12:30am and Jakob Dylan at 1am.

Sun Studio Sessions U.S. Virgin Islands Airings

2011-05-21T17:53:00.003-04:00

WTJX Television in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands is the latest station to add Sun Studio Sessions to its lineup, airing Tuesday mornings and Saturday evenings. This week's episode features Justin Townes Earle and Sarah Borges.

Son of famed songwriter Steve Earle, Justin Townes Earle is making his own mark on the music scene. Justin the 2009 Americana Music Award for Best New and Emerging Artist. He has appeared on HBO's Treme, NPR’s Morning Edition, World Café, David Letterman and The Grand Ole Opry.

Featured on NPR's nationally broadcast "Mountain Stage" and Fresh Air” programs, Sarah Borges and the Broken Singles were an Americana Music Association "2009 New and Emerging Artist" nominee. Rolling Stone describes them as a : “friendly pop–rock attack” with “bits of twang, rockabilly and Fifties pop.” On this episode, Sarah performs live set stalwarts, including “Daniel Lee” and “Diablito.”

You can view the full WTJX lineup here.

Sun Studio Sessions Schedule May 20th, 2011

2011-05-20T18:56:00.002-04:00

Sun Studio Sessions will air statewide tonight in Mississippi, on Mississippi PBS at 9pm - you can view their full schedule here at this link.

San Francisco area viewers can watch Sun Studio Sessions tonight on KCSM TV at 8:59pm, with Stephen Kellogg and the Sixers. Preview:

Boston (Comcast Ch. 296) & statewide New Hampshire, Sun Studio Sessions tonight at 10:30pm with Eli Reed & the True Loves on NHPTV PBS "Explore" Channel. Preview:

South Carolina PBS viewers statewide can see Sun Studio Sessions tonight at 11pm on the South Carolina Channel.

Shreveport, Baton Rouge, Lafayette, Lake Charles, Alexandria, Monroe and much of Louisiana can watch Sun Studio Sessions TWICE tonight. First at 10pm The Walkmen:

Then Louisiana PBS airs Sun Studio Sessions with Teeny Tucker at 10:30pm:

Today is the 60th Anniversary of The Birth of Rock & Roll

2011-03-05T00:01:00.002-05:00

On March 5th 1951, a little known band drove to Memphis from Clarksdale, Mississippi to audition for Sam Phillips in the studio (before the studio was home to Sun Records). The band was ‘Jackie Brenston & his Delta Cats’, which included Willie Kizart on guitar, Raymond Hill on Saxophone, and Ike Turner on piano. During the drive Kizart’s amp became loose and fell from the roof of the car, ending up with a busted speaker cone. Having no way of repairing the amp that night, Phillips and the band began experimenting with ways to make it produce a decent sound. They stuffed some paper into the amp, giving it a much more distorted sound, which Sam chose to emphasize during the recording. The song was ‘Rocket 88’, a reference to the popular Oldsmobile car. The distorted amp, piano, sax, & vocals came together wonderfully. Sam sent the song to Chess Records in Chicago and it was #1 by June of that same year.

Sun Studio Sesssions Debuts in Miami and LA this weekend

2010-08-19T15:08:00.004-04:00

Sun Studio Sessions premieres this weekend in LA (Sat. at Noon on KCET) and Miami (Sat at 930pm WLRN). And, NYC area friends can still catch Sun Studio Sessions every Friday night at 10:30pm and Philadelphia area folks can watch every Saturday night at 12:30am.Below is a new clip from Episode #1, Jay Nash w/Garrison Starr "Sweet Talking Liar." We love Jay's reaction to first entering SUN.

To date:
* Nearly sixty-eight million television households (67,902,270 TVHH) will have or have had access to at least one SUN STUDIO SESSIONS program during the first eight months of 2010.

* More than 350 broadcast runs of the series so far, with another 30+ stations that have recorded the series for future broadcast! * More than 3,330 segments have aired or are scheduled to air – that's well OVER SIXTEEN HUNDRED HOURS OF AIR TIME for the SUN STUDIO SESSIONS artists!

* Airdates stable at 70% of the top 10 markets – with eight new stations in four markets:
New York City WEDWDT; WNETDT; WNYEDT; WNJBDT; WJNJDT
Los Angeles KVCRDT3; KCETDC; KCET-ORANGE
Philadelphia: WHYYDT2; WHYYDT; WNJSDT; WJNTDT
Dallas: KERADT San Francisco: KCSMDT; KTEH
Boston: WENHDT3
Washington DC: WHUTDT; WFPTDT2; WWPBDT2

* Plus -- 65% of the top 20 markets (13); 63% of the top 30 markets (19); and 64% of the top 50 markets (32) * as of 8/16/10, SUN STUDIO SESSIONS will have or has had a broadcast presence in at least 32 states plus the District of Columbia!

Grace Potter on WNET NYC PBS July 16 at 1030pm

2010-07-15T19:49:00.000-04:00

NY area friends, tune in tomorrow night for a very special Sun Studio Sessions with the amazing Grace Potter and the Nocturnals for a full half hour of stellar musicianship, including a song written right on the spot during the taping! Check out a preview below...

Tell us what you think by leaving a comment below!

Sun Studio Sessions PBS Airings

2010-02-10T13:20:00.009-05:00

Sun Studio Sessions Sponsored By:

Click the image to enlarge to see the artists for the first full season of fantastic 30 minute live performances and interviews.

Check the website for your local PBS station for scheduling and if Sun Studio Sessions is not on the schedule yet, please send them an email to request it!!

The Watson Twins: "Only You"

2009-10-19T15:22:00.000-04:00

The Watson Twins made a name touring and recording with indie sweetheart Jenny Lewis. The partnership was helpful to both sides and the ladies made some great music together. But, the Watson Twins inevitably evolved into a headline act in their own right. With a deal from Vanguard Records, Chandra and Leigh Watson have logged thousands of road miles in support of their EP Southern Manners (2006) and their full length effort Fire Songs (2008). Earlier this spring, the ladies stopped into Memphis to tape a performance for Sun Studio Sessions. Here is the first release from the taping, "Only You."

Sun Studio Sessions will begin airing as a regular half hour series distributed to PBS stations nationwide beginning January 2010. The Watson Twins will be featured with their own half hour show during Season One. Meanwhile the ladies will get back on the road this fall, tour dates are available on their MySpace page.

And, as always, tell us what you think by leaving a comment below and rate this artist by sending us your Dewey!

Catherine Feeny: "Belt Loops & Blue Jeans"

2009-07-05T21:50:00.006-04:00

Catherine Feeny is a Philadelphia born, but Los Angeles based, singer-songwriter who has had her music featured in the motion picture “Running With Scissors” and the television series “The OC.” Her single “Mr. Blue” reached #1 on the US iTunes Charts. You can see her here performing "Belt Loops & Blue Jeans" live at Sun Studio:

You can learn more about Catherine and the new album she has due out this fall over on her Myspace page.

And, as always, tell us what you think by leaving a comment below and rate this artist by sending us your Dewey!

Thea Gilmore: "Old Soul"

2009-06-21T21:05:00.000-04:00

Thea Gilmore has been dubbed "the best British singer-songwriter of the last 10 years, and then some" by Uncut Magazine. But, the press aren't the only ones taking notice. Joan Baez personally invited Gilmore to tour with her and in 2008 the music icon sang with Thea for "Low Road" on her critically acclaimed release LieJacker. Sun Studio provided a perfect backdrop for her insightful lyrics and warm delivery. Check her out below performing "Old Soul."

You can learn more about Thea and hear more music on her MySpace page.

And, as always, tell us what you think by leaving a comment below and rate this artist by sending us your Dewey!

Langhorne Slim: "Diamonds and Gold"

2009-06-14T18:33:00.005-04:00

Langhorne Slim has performed on David Letterman and played major festivals like Bonnaroo. Here he performs "Diamonds and Gold" live from Sun Studio:

And, as always, tell us what you think by leaving a comment below and rate this artist by sending us your Dewey!

Langhorne is currently in Europe but heads back to the US for multiple dates this summer including playing both the 50th Annual Newport Folk Festival and a slot at Lollapalooza in August. You can see all his tour dates on his MySpace page.

Liam Finn "Second Chance"

2009-06-08T06:41:00.000-04:00

Liam Finn originally hails from Australia, but identifies New Zealand as his home country as he moved there as a child. You'll recognize Liam's famous last name, as his father is Neil Finn from 1980s chart toppers Crowded House. Liam joined his father on covering The Beatles' "Two of Us" for the I Am Sam soundtrack and has played some Crowded House reunion shows. However, Liam does not rely on his lineage and has set forth to forge his own musical identity.

Since striking out on his own, Liam has performed on the David Letterman show as well as logging appearances on Craig Ferguson and Jools Holland. Liam has also done multiple tour dates with Eddie Vedder as well as the Black Keys. Here Liam, along with band mate EJ Barnes perform "Second Chance" from his album I'll be Lightning.

And, as always, tell us what you think by leaving a comment below and rate this artist by sending us your Dewey!

Liam is currently on the road again this year with Eddie Vedder and you can see all the tour dates on his MySpace page.

Jay Nash w/ Garrison Starr: "Hard Lesson to Learn"

2009-06-01T05:41:00.004-04:00

Jay Nash is on a roll. He's been touring from coast to coast here in the States and managed to find time to head over to Copenhagen to record for his new EP, all the stars in Copenhagen that hits iTunes and other outlets on June 16th.

In Copenhagen, Jay's drummer Frederik Bokkenheuser assembled a band of his old friends - Søren Andersen, Jesper Edvarson and Lars Andresen. Together with Frederik, Nash and the Danish musicians spent two days in Copenhagen's legendary Medley Studio rehearsing and and recording the four new tracks.

The next stop on the tour for Nash was Berlin, where he met up with an old friend, singer/songwriter/producer, Erik Penny. Penny had just moved into his new studio space and Nash had the Copenhagen masters with him, so the two decided to take advantage of the situation and lay down some additional tracks. Penny added the ghostly synth sounds that help to define the spooky intimacy on "everything." Jay also borrowed Erik's 1960 Gibson ES-330 to add a little something extra to the the track "Rainiest September."

Once he was back home in LA, Jay got together with Grammy award winning engineer, Seth Atkins Horan to put the finishing touches on and mix the songs. The end result is a short collection of songs that sound like they were recorded in one continuous lock out session, though they traveled half way around the world in order to be fully realized. The bonus track "Baby Tornado" was recorded right here at Sun! Be sure to check it out.

Meanwhile, check out Jay, accompanied by the talented Garrison Starr, perform "Hard Lesson To Learn" live from here at Sun Studio:

And, as always, tell us what you think by leaving a comment below and rate this artist by sending us your Dewey!

You can find all of Jay's upcoming tour dates over on his MySpace page.

Stephen Kellogg and the Sixers: "4th of July"

2009-05-24T19:37:00.004-04:00

Stephen Kellogg & the Sixers bring a unique approach to their music blending harmonies with acoustic folk rock with a funky edge. On tour this summer with Sugarland, the band also has a new album due out September 6th on Vanguard Records. As the Boston Globe described, "Kellogg's music is semi-gritty, melodic alt-country. Think early Wilco, Whiskeytown, or Tom Petty. Relaxed, yet passionate."

Here the band performs "4th of July" - a great example of their sound - live from Sun Studio:

As always, tell us what you think by leaving a comment below and rate this artist by sending us your Dewey!

Dewey Like Stephen Kellogg & the Sixers?!?!(opinion poll)

You can learn more about Stephen Kellogg and the Sixers, along with tour dates on their Myspace page here.

Trey Lockerbie: "Sullivan Street"

2009-05-18T07:45:00.004-04:00

Trey Lockerbie is a terrific young songwriter based in Nashville that stopped by Sun Studio to perform some tracks for us, including "Sullivan Street" which appears on his new "Hummingbird EP." Writing about the EP and the track, John Tumminello MusicCityUnsigned.com says:

The Hummingbird EP" journey ends with the stark piano of "Sullivan Street," a moving ode to the album cover of "The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan." Picture a romantic scene from an old movie that takes place on a rainy night in Washington Square Park. A guy comes across a beautiful girl sitting alone on a park bench "like she needed the water to wash her away." He offers his umbrella, and they walk arm in arm "like two lovers on a Bob Dylan cover, soaked to the bone leaning into each other, and the warmth of her smile was unfamiliar to me, just like the sidewalks on Sullivan Street." This is the stuff screenplays are made of. During their short journey together, the singer falls in love with the beautiful stranger, who seemingly only needed someone to walk her home. He then ends up "alone in the park, in the rain, like I'm needing the water to wash her away." On "Sullivan Street," Trey's music, lyrics and vocal delivery paint us yet another perfect bittersweet scene of hope and heartache, love and loss.

Check out the video and see if you agree!

We want to hear from you! As always, tell us what you think by leaving a comment below and rate this artist by sending us your Dewey!

You can join Trey and his band tonight in Nashville at 3rd & Lindsley for the "Hummingbird EP" release party and get all his tour dates on his MySpace page.

The Walkmen "Canadian Girl"

2009-05-11T06:46:00.003-04:00

The Walkmen perform "Canadian Girl" live in Sun Studio. This was a fun band to record who are big fans of the great Roy Orbison who of course started his amazing career in this very room. The Walkmen are currently on tour with the Kings of Leon and you can get all their tour dates on their MySpace page.

Check out the backing horns. These guys literally responded to a classified ad and walked in off the street just about 30 minutes before showtime. Of course, this being Memphis you never know who is going to show up for something like this. We were all blown away when the legendary Ben Cauley of the Bar-Kays walked through the door!

Ben was a founding member of the Bar-Kays (Stax house band) and was the only survivor of the plane crash claimed the life of soul icon Otis Redding and four of Ben's Bar-Kays bandmates. Over 60 years old and he can still blow! Check him out:

We want to hear from you! As always, tell us what you think by leaving a comment below and rate this artist by sending us your Dewey!

Adam Levy (w / Amber Rubarth): "Longest Day of the Year"

2009-04-27T06:39:00.002-04:00

We want to hear from you! As always, tell us what you think by leaving a comment below and rate this artist by sending us your Dewey!

Vienna Teng: "1 BD/1 BA"

2009-04-13T07:47:00.004-04:00

Vienna Teng (subject of a recent Washington Post feature) is back out on tour in support of her new record Inland Territory where she once again teams up with Alex Wong for production and songwriting support for the record. You can see this tandem in action here in this video for "1 BD/BA" (One Bedroom / One Bath):

You can follow more Vienna updates and learn where to see her live on her website.

We want to hear from you! As always, tell us what you think by leaving a comment below and rate this artist by sending us your Dewey!

Sarah Borges and the Broken Singles: "Diablito"

2009-04-11T06:34:00.002-04:00

Sarah Borges and the Broken Singles have a new record in stores, "When The Stars Come Out", and have booked a slate of new tour dates. Check out this very fun band when they come near you! Show dates can be found on the band's website. Meanwhile, enjoy this performance live from our legendary studio of "Diablito":

Tell us what you think by leaving a comment below and as always, send us your Dewey!

Amber Rubarth: "You Will Love This Song"

2009-03-16T06:31:00.000-04:00

Amber Rubarth has a unique song delivery that makes you hone in on her fantastic lyrics. Amber is a top level songwriter that you'll want to see live. You can get tour dates on her MySpace page here and meanwhile enjoy this very appropriately titled song performed live here at Sun Studio:

Tell us what you think by leaving a comment below and send us your Dewey!

Eli Reed & the True Loves: "Stake Your Claim"

2009-03-09T06:16:00.001-04:00

Eli Reed and the True Loves are an exciting live band that put a great show where every they play. We captured some of that energy when Eli and the band stopped into Sun. Here they perform "Stake Your Claim":

Tell us what you think by clicking the "comment" field below and as always,
"Send Us Your Dewey" to let us know how you like this artist!

Jenni Alpert

2009-03-02T08:31:00.000-05:00

Jenni Alpert has a smooth jazz vocal delivery and solid songwriting chops that we hope you'll enjoy. Below Jenni performs "Untied" live here at Sun:

For more info and to see where you can see Jenni in person, visit her Myspace page here.

Tell us what you think by leaving a comment below and as always, send us your Dewey!

Ryan Montbleau Band: "Honeymoon Eyes"

2009-02-24T06:21:00.002-05:00

The Ryan Montbleau Band, like Backyard Tire Fire, is a group of road warriors honing their stagecraft just under the radar of the national media spotlight but nonetheless winning over fans from coast to coast one show at a time. Another similarity they share with BTF, is that they do quite well on the festival circuit but have not delved too deeply into the scene so as to not get pigeon-holed as a "jam band."

Here, RMB, performs live at Sun Studio, laying down "Honeymoon Eyes" from their 2006 release One Fine Color:

RMB is definitely a band worth checking out live! You can get a list of their tour dates here to check them out live when they play near you.

Tell us what you think by clicking the "comment" field below and by as always,
"Send Us Your Dewey" to let us know how you like this artist!

Garrison Starr: Gasoline

2009-02-16T09:43:00.001-05:00

You may recall Garrison Starr from her major label days at Geffen Records or maybe the two she did with Vanguard. Either way, she's always been an indie troubadour at heart. Here Garrison, accompanied by Jay Nash, performs "Gasoline" live at Sun Studio in Memphis, Tennessee:

Besides often touring with Jay, over the years Garrison has toured with Rhett Miller (from Old 97's), Edwin McCain, Mindy Smith, Melissa Etheridge, Steve Earle, Melissa Ferrick, and Mary Chapin-Carpenter. You can hear more songs from Garrison and see tour dates here.

Tell us what you think by voting and leaving a comment below!

Backyard Tire Fire: "One Wrong Turn"

2009-02-09T12:44:00.002-05:00

Backyard Tire Fire has been on a roll of late. The blue-collar band from the Chicago area is a mainstay on the road and their hard work has been paying off. Honest Tune magazine did a big year end feature on the band and their debut for Hyena Records, The Places We've Lived, found its way on several "best of" lists for 2008. You can check out "One Wrong Turn" here as the latest webisode of the Sun Studio Sessions:

Backyard Tire Fire was also recently named Paste Magazine's band of the week. They are a great live band worth checking out when they come to your area. You can see their tour dates here and pick up a copy of the record here.

Tell us what you think by leaving a comment below and voting to send your Dewey!

Amy LaVere: Killing Him

2009-02-02T04:11:00.004-05:00

Memphis' own Amy LaVere plays Conan O'Brien tonight and you should definitely tune in to watch. But, you can also catch her here this morning on the latest installment of the Sun Studio Sessions (select "high quality" for best picture):

Amy had a great year in 2008, with highlights including playing Bonnaroo, touring Europe and performing on Jools Holland. This year is shaping up to be even better. Beyond the Conan appearance, you'll soon to be able to catch Amy on MTV's upcoming web series "5 Dollar Cover" (created by Hustle & Flow director/writer Craig Brewer).

Tell us what you think by clicking the "comment" field below and as always,
"Send Us Your Dewey" to let us know how you like this artist!

Jay Nash: Baby Tornado

2009-01-26T09:27:00.004-05:00

Jay Nash is an L.A. based singer-songwriter who fits right in with the Hotel Cafe vibe (where he often plays). The "Best Music Live" blog says Jay's sound "congers up similarities somewhere between John Mayer, Johnny Cash, Dave Matthews and Jack Johnson."

Jay makes it clear Johnny is an influence so it is particularly cool to see him perform in the very room where "Walk the Line" and "Folsom Prison" where first recorded.

Here on this installment of Sun Studio Sessions Jay performs "Baby Tornado" and is joined by the talented Garrison Starr:

Jay is currently on tour with Greg Laswell, you can get dates here.

Tell us what you think by clicking the "comment" field below and by as always,
"Send Us Your Dewey" to let us know how you like this artist!

David Ford "I Don't Care What You Call Me"

2009-01-21T10:04:00.004-05:00

Another great song from David Ford:

We want to hear from you! As always, tell us what you think by leaving a comment below and rate this artist by sending us your Dewey!

See more clips from David's Sun Studio Session performance by clicking here.

David Ford "Untitled"

2008-06-23T10:10:00.005-04:00

David Ford is a fantastic songwriter and this brand new song is another example of his prowess. This song is so new that it is called "Untitled" - for now. Check it out and pass it on as another example of great new music coming from Sun Studio Sessions:

If you haven't seen them, you can also check out David Ford's "Go to Hell" by clicking here and David's "State of the Union" here.

Also, you can email any of our videos to your friends using the "envelope" icon just below this post. And, there is a share button right on the video itself for not only email, but you can post the video code right on your website, Facebook or MySpace page!

Grace Potter and the Nocturnals "Sugar"

2008-06-16T02:12:00.004-04:00

This is one of two new songs that came out of Grace Potter and the Nocturnals' visit to Memphis for their Sun Studio Sessions taping. "Sugar" was partially formulated before arriving, but was finished at Sun in the wee hours of the morning. They've been playing it out regularly on the road this spring and summer. Now you can check out some cool footage of the song's formulation and then the final time they laid it down.

We want to hear from you! As always, tell us what you think by leaving a comment below and rate this artist by sending us your Dewey!

Five Times August "Better With You"

2008-06-09T11:48:00.004-04:00

Congratulations to Five Times August for the recent song features in Lifetime Channel's Army Wives and MTV's "A Shot At Love 2"!! Meanwhile, you can check out Brad performing "Better With You" below:

More on Five Times August here.

We want to hear from you! As always, tell us what you think by leaving a comment below and rate this artist by sending us your Dewey!

Sun Studio Sessions Moving to YouTube

2008-06-02T15:24:00.000-04:00

We're taking a week or so off from uploading new Sun Studio Sessions as we begin to transition to a new YouTube page. If you haven't joined YouTube yet, please do come visit us there, comment on the webisodes and share them with your friends. We'll be adding some bells and whistles to our YouTube page in the coming days/weeks, but you can visit now by clicking here and subscribing now so that when we begin adding new shows you'll be ready!

Jon McKiel "123"

2008-05-23T00:23:00.005-04:00

Jon McKiel performs a stripped down version of "123" from his recent release Nature of Things (Wednesday Records). Jon is currently touring across Canada and was recently featured on iTunes' "Indie Rock Spotlight." For tour dates, more music and info you can visit Jon on MySpace. Meanwhile, check out the video here and pass it on!

We want to hear from you! As always, tell us what you think by leaving a comment below and rate this artist by sending us your Dewey!

Adam Levy "I Can Promise You That"

2008-05-21T01:28:00.002-04:00

Adam Levy just finished up a string of tour dates with Chris Difford of Squeeze fame, which comes on the heels of his Europen jaunt. "I Can Promise You That" is the second installment from Adam's visit to Sun. We'll have more videos from Adam in the coming weeks so keep checking in for more. And, you can catch all of Adam's "Sun Studio Session" taping when it airs in its entirety on the internationally syndicated radio show "Beale Street Caravan", which runs on over 400+ stations around the world the week of June 16th. Meanwhile, check out this cool tune below and share it with your friends!

We want to hear from you! As always, tell us what you think by leaving a comment below and rate this artist by sending us your Dewey!

Sarah Borges & the Broken Singles "Lord Only Knows"

2008-05-19T01:14:00.005-04:00

Sarah Borges and the Broken Singles perform "Lord Only Knows" as part of their appearance here on the Sun Studio Sessions.

David Ford "State of the Union"

2008-05-16T00:07:00.006-04:00

David Ford puts on another stellar performance with his loop machine on "State of the Union." Currently doing some shows with Augustana, David is set to also spend some time on the road with the venerable Amiee Mann next month. Do catch him if you can, meanwhile check him out here:

Like it? Email it to your friends!

Backyard Tire Fire "Jimmy and Bob and Jack"

2008-05-14T01:34:00.001-04:00

Backyard Tire Fire demonstrate their storytelling skills with the fictional tale of three friends who decide to rob a bank and have their plan fall apart in "Jimmy and Bob and Jack."

Vienna Teng "City Hall"

2008-05-07T05:57:00.008-04:00

Currently on tour in Germany, Vienna Teng recently stopped into Memphis to appear on our Sun Studio Sessions series. Here she performs "City Hall" from her Dreaming Through The Noise record, with Jenni Alpert on backing vocals. You'll also recognize Alex Wong on percussion who accompanied Amber Rubarth during her first visit to Sun Studio. Click below and enjoy "City Hall."

FiveTimes August "Giving It All To You"

2008-05-05T07:52:00.005-04:00

Five Times August talks about his influences on guitar and performs "Giving It All To You." Be sure to look for Five Times August out on the road in a city near you and is set to do a string of dates with platinum artists Augustana. You can view the tour dates by clicking here.

Don't forget that you can email any of our videos to your friends using the "envelope" icon just below this post. And, there is a share button right on the video itself for not only email, but you can post the video code right on your website or MySpace page!

Grace Potter and the Nocturnals: "Night Rolls On"

2008-05-02T06:23:00.003-04:00

Grace Potter and the Nocturnals recently announced some big tour dates for the summer including a few shows with the Dave Matthews Band and a trek with the Black Crowes. The band has basically been on the road since they were here at Sun in late January and will continue on through August. Definitely catch their amazing live show if you can. Meanwhile enjoy a very cool performance from right here at 706 Union Avenue in Memphis:

Amber Rubarth "23"

2008-04-30T05:51:00.004-04:00

Amber Rubarth shares some of her vulnerable side with a story of love and relationships in the song "23" from her new record New Green Lines (Sounden) that is set to hit stores this week on May 1, 2008.

Jon McKiel "Never Forget"

2008-04-28T06:58:00.004-04:00

Jon McKiel is a Canadian singer songwriter who recently visited us here at Sun. Jon's new record The Nature of Things is receiving good reviews. One writer notes that McKiels music reminds him of "The Stills and Andrew Bird with his intriguing lyrics and suck-you-in melodies." Here he peforms "Never Forget":

Sarah Borges and the Broken Singles "Daniel Lee"

2008-04-25T06:34:00.002-04:00

Sarah Borges and the Broken Singles' music has been described by TimeOut New York as a "whip-smart mixture of old-school torch and twang (Wanda Jackson, Merle Haggard, Dwight Yoakam) and punk-rock attitude (old Elvis Costello, X, Lone Justice)." Well, we'll let you decide if that is a good description. One thing is for sure, Sarah and her band do draw from multiple influences. Says Sarah:

“My references might be all across the board, but they’re all honest and people seem to respond to that -- and honesty is what really matters most to me.” Agreed - and we can honestly say we dig this band and hope you do too. Check out "Daniel Lee" below:

David Ford "Go To Hell"

2008-04-21T01:09:00.005-04:00

David Ford stopped into Sun while touring in support of his new record Songs for the Road. Utilizing an innovative approach to the loop machine David is able to deliver a full band sound. Here he puts on an impressive performance of "Go to Hell." Check it out:

Sun Studio Acoustics

2008-04-21T00:51:00.001-04:00

One of Sun Studio's defining characteristics are its unique acoustics. As noted on the Department of Interior website as part of the record when the
Department designated Sun Studio as a National Historic Landmark:

"It was one of the first music recording studios that took acoustics into consideration in its design. The acoustical tiles on the ceiling and on the front and rear walls were installed in patterns so that the room does not have any parallel surfaces. Beginning at the front wall of the studio, there are rows of tiles that angle down from the ceiling, then sharply back up for four rows to a section that is two rows deep and lays flat on the ceiling. Four more rows angle down and sharply back up to another section laid flat. This pattern repeats down the length of the ceiling and gives the ceiling a kind of undulating appearance. In section it is similar to the design of a jerkin-head roof, and in appearance somewhat like short, adjacent barrel vaults spanned between the building's side walls. Tiles on the front and rear walls also project out at intervals rather than lay flat on the surface. The tile was installed in this way to prevent standing waves of sound in the studio."

The same acoustical tiles still hang on the studio walls to this day.

Backyard Tire Fire "Honey To A Bee"

2008-04-18T00:25:00.005-04:00

Backyard Tire Fire, recently signed to Hyena Records, stopped in during one of their infamous road trips that included the Langerado Music Festival with acts like REM, Grace Potter and the Nocturnals, Ani DiFranco and the Beastie Boys. The road weariness didn't stop the band from putting on a killer performance. Here's the first of several clips to come:

Five Times August "The Good Life"

2008-04-16T08:10:00.005-04:00

Fives Times August is fresh off a national tv performance on the CBS Early Show and is set to hit the road opening select dates for Dashboard Confessional and then Augustana. Below is the clip for "The Good Life" from the new Five Times August record Brighter Side. Check it out and forward to your friends if you like it:

Grace Potter and the Nocturnals "Outta My Tree"

2008-04-14T01:29:00.006-04:00

It's Monday, and just because you may have to go back to work doesn't mean the fun has to end. As promised, we have a brand new video from you. This one is the second clip, following "Mystery Train", from Grace Potter and the Nocturnals. It's definitely a nice way to start off the week. Check it out and enjoy!

Top Ten Lyrics Recorded at Sun Studio

2008-04-11T16:22:00.006-04:00

( in no order/ off the top of our heads)
Compiled by: Matt Ross-Spang & James Lott

1. "Some honey fell from a tree, they dressed it up and called it me"
(Everybody's Trying To Be My Baby, By Carl Perkins)

2. "Big fat momma, meat shakes on the bone" (Love My Baby, Junior Parker)

3. "Went and boogied for the doctor, and then for the nurse, Won't stop boog'in' till they throw me in the hearse" (Boogie Disease, Dr. Ross Johnson)

4. "It's gonna be funkier than nine yards of chitlins with onions and sardines on the side!"
(Rufus Thomas banter)

5. "I shot a man in Reno just to watch him die"
(Folsom Prison Blues, Johnny Cash)

6. "Well, I got a gal, six feet four, Sleeps in the kitchen with her feet out the door"
(Red Hot, Billy the Kid Emerson)

7. "Baby, baby, baby,baby baby,baby, baby, baby, baby, baby, baby, baby ...... baby, baby baby baby baby Come back baby, I wanna play house with you!" (Baby, Let's Play House, Elvis Presley)

8. "Well, if you don't want my peaches honey, please don't shake my tree"
(Matchbox, Carl Perkins)

9. " Stand in one spot.....wiggle around just a little bit, and then ya got somethin'.... "
(Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On, Jerry Lee Lewis)

10. "Big legged woman, keep your dresses down, you got something under there honey, that'll make a bulldog hug a hound" (Big Legged Woman, Jerry Lee Lewis)

Adam Levy "In The Morning"

2008-04-11T06:59:00.005-04:00

In this installment of Sun Studio Sessions, Adam Levy performs "In the Morning." For those not familiar with Adam's work, he has played on all three Norah Jones records and has released a few of his own. As the San Francisco Chronicle noted:

"Adam Levy has a reputation for tailoring imaginative and elegant guitar solos to fit almost any tune, beginning with Tracy Chapman’s "Give Me One Reason" and more recently on Norah Jones’ three CDs. When not busy backing Jones, the former Bay Area jazz musician has been writing tunes of his own, mostly in a bluesy folk vein, and he sings 11 of them on Washing Day. Lingering fragrances, coin laundries and pay phones inform his highly poetic, deeply emotional and at times disturbing songs about a lost lover."

You can check out some of that "elegant" guitar work here:

Cheese & Crackers....Happy Birthday Roscoe!

2008-04-09T15:19:00.023-04:00

November of '56

Rockabilly artist Hayden Thompson storms out of the Sun Recording Studio at 706 Union Avenue, after wasting the whole day with Sam Phillips. The boys had been trying to work up some material good enough for an upcoming single, most of the songs that day were covers of old blues songs, but one "Cheese and Crackers" was penned by Hayden himself. Unfortunately the song's awkward structure left Hayden creatively lost. Disgusted at the lack of inspiration with the song, Hayden left the lyrics on top of the studio's beat up Wurlitzer piano and headed for home.

sittin' at the bar, high as a bat
when up walked to me, this old alley cat
he looked at me and said now son "Cheese and Crackers anyone?"
i said "No! I don't like 'em!"

At this point in time, the national music scene was ever changing, thanks directly to Sam and his little studio in Memphis. Not only did he make rhythm and blues popular with a white audience but he also introduced the world to Elvis Presley, Rock N' Roll, and Rockabilly.
However, in the 50's black music would chart on the rhythm and blues charts exclusively while white artists like Carl Perkins with "Blue Suede Shoes" would have crossover hits on the pop,country and R&B charts. Sam Phillips thought in '56 that the music scene was ready for black music to land on the pop charts if it was adapted for white radio,the artist he hoped would accomplish this was Roscoe Gordon...

Roscoe was already a star by that point having several #1 hits on the best blues labels at that time: Duke, RPM, Modern, and of course Sun. The main reason all the labels were attracted to Roscoe- his unique rhythm. Roscoe's "rhythm" accented the off beats and is actually credited as the foundation for Jamaica's reggae and ska music. (Yah man!)

Sam and Roscoe had already ventured in the Pop territory with a song called "The Chicken". The record was released in Dec. 1955 and started a dance craze. As a publicity stunt for the record Roscoe bought a chicken, named him Butch, and took him to appearances. The two became best of friends and worked up a routine at gigs, both would wear matching suits and while Roscoe performed, Butch would peck scotch out of a shot glass and dance on top of the piano. Unfortunately Butch succumbed to the Rock N' Roll lifestyle (alcoholism and chicken livers don't make a good couple) and passed away at an early age.

my friend got sick, laid up in the bed
Ole' doctor came over, you know what he said?
"Cheese and crackers anyone?"
I don't like 'em that's why I said No!

Back to the story...
Sam calls Roscoe and tells him to come to the studio for a night of recording, and Roscoe finds Hayden's unused lyrics on the piano and in about 10 minutes he has worked up the song as a shuffle. The novelty song is so strange that Sam reserves it for the B side and has Roscoe cut a Fats Domino inspired song called "Shoobie Oobie". Neither side cracked the charts but "Cheese and Crackers" was quoted by Billboard as the "weirdest record of the week."

Roscoe had a few more hits on the charts but walked away from it all to start a family with his second wife Barbara Kerr. Roscoe didn't perform again until his wife passed away in 1984. He also started to record and even though he suffered from diabetes, heart disease and a herniated disc he toured extensively and is seen in several major documentaries. In 2002, Roscoe returned to Memphis and played with old friends Ike Turner, Little Milton and B.B. King and even won a W.C. Handy award. He passed away July 11, 2002 at the age of 74. Tomorrow would of been his 80th birthday...

when i was just boy, still at home
that's before i decided to roam
when the dinner bell rang, you could hear my daddy yell...
"Cheese and Crackers anyone?!"
I said No!

You can hear a new version of "Cheese & Crackers" by Roscoe here: http://www.digitalvisionmedia.com/dualtone/rosco.html

Amber Rubarth "Another Perfect Sunset"

2008-04-09T05:15:00.005-04:00

Amber Rubarth came down to Memphis from New York to join us for a very fun evening not too long ago to record several tracks for the Sun Studio Sessions. In fact, it was so much fun that Amber came back a second time to record more songs! We're glad she did and are very excited to share all of these songs with you as we know you'll like her and her music as much as we do.

For Amber's first visit we experimented with an audience and invited a handful of friends to join her right in the studio for the performance. On this first installment from Amber's Session she sings "Another Perfect Sunset" accompanied by Adam Levy and Alex Wong (who also joined Vienna Teng for her soon to air Sun Session). Check it out below....

Grace Potter & The Nocturnals Kick Off Sun Studio Sessions

2008-04-07T05:53:00.004-04:00

Sun Studio is happy to announce some exciting news. To carry on the great musical legacy created here at 706 Union Avenue in Memphis, Tennessee we are launching a new web video program called "Sun Studio Sessions" featuring today's rising stars performing in the very room where Elvis, Jerry Lee Lewis, Johnny Cash, Howlin' Wolf and many other greats recorded their very first hits.

Sun Studio is proud to have the amazing Grace Potter and the Nocturnals as our very first Sun Studio Sessions artists. This critically acclaimed band from Vermont who have been touring in support of their latest release This Is Somewhere tracked seven songs over the course of a very fun night for us (and as you'll see from the videos for them too!), all of which we'll share with you over the next several weeks.

Come back to see those clips and bring your friends!!

U2: Twenty Years Ago...

2008-03-30T20:09:00.000-04:00

Just over 20 years ago, U2 came to Sun Studio to record "Angel of Harlem", "When Love Comes To Town" and "Love Rescue Me" for their Rattle and Hum album. Bono says they came to Sun Studio to experience "the chill" you get from the room's history. To add some additional chill to the experience, the band enlisted "Cowboy" Jack Clement to co-produce the tracks. Clement had produced tracks by Elvis, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis and Carl Perkins in the early days at Sun Studio. The session allowed U2 to add their own magic to our history as Angel of Harlem became one of the biggest selling singles recorded here at Sun Studio.

Check out some video from their visit by clicking here.

Sam C. Phillips

2008-03-30T16:30:00.000-04:00

Sam Phillips founded the Memphis Recording Service and Sun Records. He 'discovered' artists such as Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Carl Perkins, making him one of the most influential characters in Rock N' Roll History. He was born in Florence Alabama and got his start as a DJ for a radio station in that area. The stations 'open format' allowed him to play records from both black and white artists. This later contributed to his talent for picking out and enhancing quality songs in the burgeoning genre of Rock N' Roll, which was a convergence of different musical styles. In early 1950, Sam opened the Memphis Recording Service at 706 Union Avenue in Memphis. He recorded many rythym & blues artists in the beginning, such as B.B. King, Little Milton, Howlin' Wolf, Rufus Thomas, Rosco Gordon, and Bobby Blue Bland. It is believed by many music historians that Sam recorded the first Rock N' Roll song in March of 1951. The song was 'Rocket 88' by Jackie Brenston and his Delta Cats.

The Million Dollar Quartet

2008-03-30T11:12:00.000-04:00

The Million Dollar Quartet Sessions is a complete recording of a magical moment in Sun Studio history from December 4, 1956. On that day, Carl Perkins was here recording with his trio with a young Jerry Lee Lewis sitting in on piano. Elvis happened to drop by and after awhile they called their friend Johnny Cash to come over to join the party.

The resulting jam session right here at 706 Union Avenue turned into one of the most memorable moments in rock and roll history. Venerable Rolling Stone writer David Fricke described the jam session as follows: "the passage of time, the accumulated force of history and the awesome shadow Presley has cast over popular music have conspired to make December 4th, 1956, a holy day on the rock & roll calendar." Amen.

Rocket 88

2008-03-22T08:29:00.001-04:00

Rocket 88, recorded at Sun Studio in March of 1951, is widely credited as being the first rock and roll song in recorded music history. The song was released by "Jackie Brenston and his Delta Cats." However, the Delta Cats were actually led by Ike Turner, who played piano on the recording and according to reports was the real driving force behind the band and song.

Rocket 88 hit #1 in June of 1951 and stayed at the top of the charts for more five weeks.

Dewey Phillips: America's First Wildman DJ

2008-03-08T13:15:00.000-05:00

Dewey Phillips was an American radio pioneer who helped define 1950’s rock radio. He brought black rhythm and blues music to white teenagers in Memphis two years before Alan Freed started doing the same in Cleveland. He brought rock ‘n’ roll to television a year before Dick Clark’s "American Bandstand." And while segregation was imposed on virtually every aspect of life in the streets at that time, “Daddy-O” Dewey gleefully integrated the airwaves.

It is a voice which has not been heard before and will likely not be heard again—a voice which changed the social landscape of Memphis and the musical landscape of the world. Indeed, one amazing achievement which can never be duplicated is Dewey's distinction of introducing the world to Elvis Presley. He was the first disc jockey to spin Elvis' cut of "That's All Right" which set off the Elvis phenomenon and undeniably changed the sound of music from that point forward.

Another of Dewey's innovations was the way he interacted with his audience. He constantly asked listeners to call in to his "Red, Hot & Blue" show to make requests and tell him what they thought of the records he was spinning. We want to continue that great tradition by asking you to rate the young artists performing as part of our Sun Studio Sessions program, so with each new video we'll ask you to send us your "Dewey" to help us know how you are enjoyuing these new artists performing for you in the very room where rock and roll was born.