July 5, 2011 - Elvis' first single recorded

– 1954

On this day in 1954, Elvis Presley recorded his first single, “That's All Right,” in Sun Studios in Memphis, Tennessee. The song was written and originally performed by Arthur Cruddup; Elvis's version sold around 20,000 copies and reached number 4 on local Memphis charts.

Actually, Elvis wasn't really supposed to record this song at all. He was supposed to be resting between recordings of other songs, but he started fooling around, singing a sped-up version of Cruddup's song. Two musicians who had been playing upright bass and guitar joined in. The three musicians were having so much fun with their impromptu song that produce, a guy named Sam Phillips, asked them to start again so they could record it. It was produced as a “live” recording, with all the parts performed at once and recorded as a single track and Phillips chose not to add in any percussion or other instruments.

Phillips managed to get the song on the radio just two days later, and Elvis's rise to stardom began...

Celebrate by listening to some Elvis!

You can buy his songs here or watch-and-listen for free on You Tube, such as here.