The loss of a legend

[Larry Harp]

A great icon in rock & roll history died today. Sam Phillips who listened to the rythm & blues and gospel of the black singers he recorded and thought if he could only get a white country boy to sing like that he would have something new. Well he found that country boy and rock & roll was born. We all know the story. If you are ever in Cleveland, Ohio be sure to go to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and check out the Sam Phillips section.

Harpo

 

[Texas Transplant]

Read the papers about this. The 'Colonel' seems to have gotten more publicity about Elvis than Sam did, but he was really the one.



The thing that I was really surprised at, is that he sold Elvis' contract to RCA for $35,000.00. You talk about a bad deal (or great deal for RCA)!



Tex

 

[Larry Harp]

Sam knew he didn't have the resources to promote Elvis the right way. With the money he received from RCA he was able to bring Jerry Lee Lewis and Carl Perkins to national attention.

In the R&R Hall of Fame you can see the actual royality statments were Jerry Lee would receive something like $68.73 for one week sales of Great Balls of Fire and royality checks to Elvis for 4 or 500 dollars. Amazing how far that bussiness has come.

Harpo