Known fondly as the birthplace of Rock & Roll, Sun Studio opened its doors as Memphis Recording Service in 1950.
It was Jackie Brenston and his Delta Cats’ “Rocket 88” Sun Records recording in 1951 that goes down in history as the first Rock & Roll single. A litany of legends came to Sun Studio to record and make music history—cats like Howlin’ Wolf, James Cotton, B.B. King and Johnny Cash.
This is the place where Elvis recorded his first single “That’s All Right” in 1954. And Sun is still recording music, in the same location today, in the same studio, using lots of the original tube-technology equipment.
![Vintage neon in Memphis Recording Service window](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/b4065c5/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1810x1392+0+0/resize/880x677!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Flegacy%2Fsites%2Fkcbx%2Ffiles%2F201705%2Fmemphis_recording_service.jpg)
A music legend: “If music was a religion then Memphis would be Jerusalem and Sun Studio its most holy shrine.”
![Elvis Presley in front of Sun Record/Memphis Recording Service after recording "That's All Right" in 1954](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/c724026/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3456x3889+0+0/resize/880x990!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Flegacy%2Fsites%2Fkcbx%2Ffiles%2F201705%2Felvis_at_sun.jpg)
![Sun Studio graphic](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/5eb4bf5/2147483647/strip/true/crop/2126x1425+0+0/resize/880x590!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Flegacy%2Fsites%2Fkcbx%2Ffiles%2F201705%2Fsun_studio_promo.jpg)
Memphis musician Tiffany Harmon takes us on a musical tour
![Memphis musician Tiffany Harmon at Sun Studio belting out a mesmerizing tune](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/603ded3/2147483647/strip/true/crop/2434x2908+0+0/resize/880x1051!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Flegacy%2Fsites%2Fkcbx%2Ffiles%2F201705%2Ftiffany_harmon.jpg)
![Tiffany Harmon shows off a vintage guitar at Sun Studio Memphis, Tennessee](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/d165984/2147483647/strip/true/crop/2282x3302+0+0/resize/880x1273!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Flegacy%2Fsites%2Fkcbx%2Ffiles%2F201705%2Ftiffany_harmon2.jpg)
![Classic WHBQ radio station control room at Sun Studio](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/1e54d2d/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1800x2700+0+0/resize/880x1320!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Flegacy%2Fsites%2Fkcbx%2Ffiles%2F201705%2Fwhbq_radio_station.jpg)
Discover Tennessee as travel destination
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