Sun Studios, December 1956, Carl Perkins (writer of Blue Suede Shoes) had just finished his first recording of “Matchbox” the idea from the song came from his father who was at the session, with his brother on bass and another brother on acoustic guitar with WS Holland on drums, Carl had picked out the melody to match the have lyrics that his dad gave him.
If you listen to the original recording of “Matchbox” you can hear a piano in the track, the player is none other then Jerry Lee Lewis, Perkins also recorded “True Love” on this day too, Jerry Lee belittled the song saying that it wasn’t going to be a hit. However Perkins ignored the comment, and through the recording of “Matchbox” Perkins plays both guitar solos as a way to get back at Jerry Lee and not allowing him to have a piano solo.
In Carl‘s autobiography, he says something along the lines of how he didn’t like working with Jerry Lee, he didn’t like his ego and how he was cocky when it came to playing the piano, Jerry Lee thought he was the master at playing the piano, and wouldn’t take no for an answer. But I’ll go into the feuds of these two artists in the future.
After listening to the tapes that Perkins had recorded and agreed with Sam Phillips (The founder of Sun Records). Elvis dropped into Sun to have a catch up with his old crew, Elvis was in Memphis doing some promotions and was able to slip away, he had fetch one of his girlfriend’s along with him. Elvis was invited to listen to the recordings Perkins had made, (Elvis and Perkins got on well, in Carls autobiography he has a good friendship with Elvis and doesn’t envy him unlike Jerry Lee). Elvis told Carl after listening to the records that they are “killers” and how Carl is going to have some “up and coming killer songs.” As they stood in the control room, Jerry Lee went into a three minute long of “Crazy Arms” Elvis and Carl stood there talking and laughing about him saying how he “sounds like Hank Williams with that yodel.” Sam Phillips told Jack Clement” to keep the tape rolling as Perkins and Presley left to sit in the studio, Johnny Cash entered after a short while as he heard Elvis was in town.
Knowing that this was a PR dream Phillips contacted his friend who worked for a local media company and the famous picture of all four stars was taken, they sang a couple of songs, such as “Blueberry Hill” and “Isle of golden dreams” Cash then left to collect his wife, which is why he does not appear on the “main record,” (but he is mentioned by Elvis on the tape during “As we travel on the Jericho Road.” Furthermore, Cash would stand his ground and enforce the claim that he was there but left in his autobiography)
As the day went on the boys started off with some gospel songs, as all of them were raised with those songs they all sing “Down by the Riverside” Carl recalls that he used to sing this while picking cotton, They then move onto classic Bill Monroe songs, Elvis goes into “Little Cabin on the Hill” which he would later record with RCA. Carl joined in with harmony on “Sweetheart you done me wrong” then praised Elvis on his talent.
Perkins was able to work his way over to the microphone, and you can hear him move over even saying “excuse me can I just get by and record this” he then went into “Keeper of the Key” (originally sang by Wynn Stewart) he played it on an acoustic guitar and was accompanied by Lewis and Presley on harmony, Presley and Perkins where able to reach the high notes to finish off the song but Lewis interrupts as they finsh saying “thats how I done it on piano.” Perkins then goes on to say he will record that song (he did, however i think this version is better apart from Lewis ruining it at the end)
They then moved onto doing some Chuck Berry songs, Perkins praised Berry’s talents and performances as Perkins had recently toured with him, they sang “Brown eyed handsome man” (Perkins and cash would go onto record this in Cash’s American recordings, and Perkins sings the verse that he did in this legendary session, bringing it full circle which I like) Perkins encourages Lewis and Elvis to listen to Berry then the tape runs out.
When a new one is set up, it starts of with Elvis doing an impression of himself in the way Billy Ward done an Elvis impression of him in vegas (this bit I find quite funny as you have Elvis doing an impression of Elvis) After this you have Jerry Lee taking over and doing “Crazy arms” twice followed by “end of the road.” Elvis seeing that he had been forced off the piano by Jerry Lee once more, decided to leave, the track is titled “Elvis says goodbye” and it is just Elvis saying goodbye to everyone, Jerry Lee says “how it was glad to have met y’all”
Elvis encourages Carl to leave with Elvis and he does, they discuss Elvis failed appearance in Vegas, and the second tape stops.
Thats it, the end of the famous session.
Thoughts on The Million Dollar Quartet
I LOVE THIS!
I can see why Phillips seen this as a PR gold mine, and took advantage of it while he could! Four legendary artists in the same room, it’s a wasted opportunity, years later when visiting Memphis, the photo is EVERYWHERE! Still funding the upkeep of Sun Studios. (It also ended up being a musical..its not as good as the real thing though)
The vibe you can feel while listening to the tape is good! Just four guys sing and jamming along with each other, bouncing off eachother! However you can also feel the tension between the four guys, and Lewis and Presley keep trying to out do each other.
I have to say, this is one of those moments in music history that go unnoticed if you don’t know much about the early days of rock and roll.
Sources for The Million Dollar Quarter
”Go Cat, Go” - Carl Perkins autobiography
”Cash” -Johnny Cash autobiography
Link to the album.
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