The Birth of Rock 'n' Roll: The Illustrated Story of Sun Records and the 70 Recordings That Changed the World

By Peter Guralnick & Colin Escott

'Lavish, beautifully illustrated heavyweight tome on rock's building blocks. A landmark achievement, as engrossing as the songs it celebrates.' Record Collector, 5*

A fascinating look at the history of Sun Records, the label that started Rock n' Roll, told through 70 of its iconic recordings.

In Memphis, Tennessee, in the 1950s, there was hard-edged blues playing on Beale Street, and hillbilly boogie on the outskirts of town. But at Sam Phillips' Sun Records studio on Union Avenue, there was something different going on - a whole lotta shakin', rockin', and rollin'.

This is where rock 'n' roll was born.

Sun Records: the company that launched Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Johnny Cash, Roy Orbison, and Carl Perkins. The label that brought the world, "Blue Suede Shoes," "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On," "Breathless," "I Walk the Line," "Mystery Train," "Good Rockin' Tonight."

The Birth of Rock 'n' Roll: 70 Years of Sun Records is the official history of this legendary label, and looks at its story in a unique way: through the lens of 70 of its most iconic recordings. From the early days with primal blues artists like Howlin' Wolf and B.B. King to long nights in the studio with Elvis and Jerry Lee Lewis, you will see how the label was shaped and how it redefined American music. Accompanying the recordings is the label's origin story and a look at the mission of the label today, as well as "Sun Spot" sidebars--a fascinating dive into subjects such as how the iconic logo was created, the legendary Million Dollar Quartet sessions, and how the song "Harper Valley, PTA" funded the purchase of the label.

Written by two of the most acclaimed music writers of our time, Peter Guralnick and Colin Escott, and featuring hundreds of rare images from the Sun archives as well as a foreword by music legend Jerry Lee Lewis, this is a one-of-a-kind book for anyone who wants to know where it all started.

'Buy this wonderful book immediately. As an historical piece alone it’s basically rock and roll’s Magna Carta' Louder Than War

'Lavish, authoritative... Escott traces Sun's history while Guralnick explores and illuminates 70 of its key recordings, accompanied throughout by fine illustrations, some familiar, many less so.' MOJO, 4*

Publication Date: 08.11.22
ISBN: 9781913172947
Extent: 256 pages
Format: Hardback

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