Legendary Rock and Roll Recording Studio & Museum: Sun Studio

Sun Studio is a classic brick building in the heart of Soulsville, Memphis, TN – You wouldn’t know it just by looking from the outside, but this worn-out building is one of the birthplaces of some of the greatest rock & roll acts of all time.

Today, the studio serves as a well-known museum for musicians and music lovers from soul, country, rockabilly, rhythm and blues and rock & roll. The studio was opened in 1950 by rock & roll pioneer, Sam Phillips.

It’s rich history in the music industry is due to some of the most legendary performers and musicians practicing and recording in it’s walls before and during their heyday. Some of the performers include, Howlin’ Wolf, Junior Parker, Little Milton, B.B. King, James Cotton, Rufus Thomas, and Rosco Gordon, Johnny Cash, Elvis Presley, Carl Perkins, Roy Orbison, Charlie Feathers, Ray Harris, Warren Smith, Charlie Rich, and Jerry Lee Lewis.

Today, the studio is a tourist attraction with a cafe in the front entrance and a gift shop before entering the guided tour of the studio. However, the memory of the greats who came in and out of the building remains.

The color scheme is black and yellow with records and posters of the performers lining the walls. The studio is only a short drive to the riverfront, the infamous Beale st, where you’ll find plenty of restaurants serving Gumbo, BBQ ribs, crawfish, catfish, serving ice cold beer and blues acts all night and all day.

The town surrounding the studio has classic car auto repair shops, music and recording studios still functioning, inconspicuous music venues, a railway for guided bus tours of Memphis, old factories including cotton gins and metal working and art murals around every corner.

Sun studio is one of the next stops off of the Music Highway, the highway from Nashville to Memphis and just another short drive to Graceland, Elvis Presley’s estate.