By No expert... (67.249.70.104) on Wednesday, July 30, 2003 - 11:06 pm:

I just heard that Sam Phillips, the man who found and then gave Elvis Presley away, passed away at 80.

By STUBASS (152.163.252.68) on Wednesday, July 30, 2003 - 11:54 pm:

SAM PHILLIPS OF SUN RECORDS I BELIEVE!!!...KEVGO...I THINK THIS IS YOUR TERRITORY!!!...STUBASS

By Ritchie (62.254.0.34) on Thursday, July 31, 2003 - 04:08 am:

Just reported on the BBC news website. Story here:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/em/-/1/hi/entertainment/music/3112349.stm

"If I could find a white singer who sounds Black, I'd be made..." Rock In Peace, Mr Phillips.

By David Meikle (81.130.211.124) on Thursday, July 31, 2003 - 08:08 am:

Sad news.

I've seen a number of documentaries in which he was featured and he looked a real character.

R.I.P. Sam

By LG Nilsson (212.247.9.242) on Thursday, July 31, 2003 - 08:31 am:

This is sad news. He was one of the first white guys to understand the blues, R&B and black music... and by the way happened to find this lorrydriver!



R.I.P Sam Phillips

Lars

By douglasm (68.113.13.31) on Thursday, July 31, 2003 - 08:59 am:

Caught it on the news this morning. Elvis Presley, Roy Orbison, Johnny Cash and I think Jerry Lee Lewis all started or recorded with Sun.
RIP Mr. Phillips.

By Ritchie (62.254.0.32) on Thursday, July 31, 2003 - 09:06 am:

And, would you believe...? there's a Motown connection.... Rockabilly legend Johnny Powers - the only artist ever to have been signed to both Motown and Sun Records. (And Fortune too, just to add the icing to the cake!)

By stephanie (64.63.221.37) on Thursday, July 31, 2003 - 10:05 am:

Man
I saw this on Yahoo News this morning and was shocked I thought he would live forever a VERY influential man in the beginnings of music
RIP
Stephanie

By KevGo (64.115.26.80) on Thursday, July 31, 2003 - 12:32 pm:

Stu & Company:
I heard the news on the radio this morning regarding Sam Phillips. WINS-AM did a nice tribute to him in their newscast.

Let us not forget that Sam produced and released a slew of R&B recordings during Rock 'N' Roll's and R&B's early days. The list as follows:

Rufus Thomas - recorded "Bear Cat", the answer record to Big Mama Thornton's "Hound Dog"

The Prisonaires - inmates from the Tennessee State Penn. who recorded the original "Just Walkin' In The Rain", later cut by Johnnie Ray.

Ike Turner & His Kings Of Rhythm - Ike was a talent scout for Sun Records and recorded the legendary "Rocket 88" (released under his saxaphonist/vocalist's name Jackie Brenston). Ike's releases were licensed to Chess Records.

There have been others as well - Rosco Gordon, Little Walter, Little Milton.

Looks like Elvis, Carl Perkins & Roy Orbison can now start their sessions. Rest well, Sam.

Kevin Goins - KevGo

By STUBASS (205.188.209.109) on Thursday, July 31, 2003 - 02:02 pm:

I GUESS THE WORD "PIONEER" COMES TO MIND WHEN TALKING ABOUT MR. PHILLIPS...WHO COINCIDENTIALLY DID *NOT* INVENT SOUL MUSIC!!!...STUBASS