The Johnny Cash Museum, based in Nashville, TN, will unveil the new exhibit “The Legends Of Sun Records” on August 15th, spotlighting the careers of Johnny Cash, Elvis Presley, Roy Orbison, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins and drummer W.S. Holland.
“Johnny Cash began his musical career at Sun Records,” said founder Bill Miller. “Sun was the launch pad for several young men whose music would forever impact the world. Elvis Presley, Carl Perkins, Jerry Lee Lewis, Roy Orbison and Johnny came from similar backgrounds and humble beginnings. Once they walked through the door at the Memphis Recording Service, their lives would never be the same. We are proud to showcase Johnny’s labelmates from this historic period in rock and roll history.”
The founders of the museum aren’t the only ones both excited and honored to be a part of the exhibit. See additional comments below.
“Elvis had great respect for Johnny Cash, and a wonderful friendship. He was very proud to share the same Sun Studio roots in Memphis with Johnny, Carl Perkins, Roy Orbison and Jerry Lee Lewis. I’m pleased that the Johnny Cash Museum is celebrating the achievements of these five legendary performers, and I know that Elvis would have been tremendously honored to be included in this exhibit.”
–Priscilla Presley“We are thrilled these cherished belongings of our father Roy Orbison can be part of Johnny Cash’s wonderful museum here in Nashville. The Cash’s are ‘family.’ Johnny and June Carter were godfather and godmother to each of us three Orbison boys and literally our next door neighbors in Hendersonville. What a beautiful and fitting home for these special pieces of Dad’s past!”
–Roy Jr, Wesley and Alex Orbison“Johnny and I started at Sun Records over 50 years ago and worked together for decades. We were good friends and I’m proud to be involved in The Legends of Sun Records exhibit at the Johnny Cash Museum.”
–Jerry Lee Lewis“Johnny Cash and Dad were like brothers. They had a mutual respect and love for each other that went beyond friendship. They will always be bonded together, not only for their great musical legacy at Sun Records, but for their kindred spirit for one another. Our family is proud to have them reunited at the Johnny Cash Museum.”
–Stan Perkins“The drums that are currently on display in the Johnny Cash Museum are the same set that recorded ‘Blue Suede Shoes’ and the Million Dollar Quartet. They were also the first ever full drum set to play the Grand Ole Opry. At Sun Records, it wasn’t something that we thought would make history. It just happened. We never thought anyone would even know about it after a couple years. Those days seem like a dream, but they also seemed like they just happened a few weeks ago. Nothing was ever planned for me. I think that’s why they call me ‘Fluke.’
–W.S. Holland
About Sun Records
Sun Records was an independent label founded in 1952 by Sam Phillips. Based in Memphis, Phillips set out to develop the rhythm and blues sound and deliver it to general public. What he would ultimately create would be the foundations for rock-n-roll. Throughout the years, Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins, Jerry Lee Lewis, Roy Orbison, Charlie Rich and even Conway Twitty (under his real name Harold Jenkins) would record and be released on the label. The famous “Million Dollar Quartet” also occurred at Sun records on December 4, 1956 when an impromptu session with Jerry Lee Lewis, Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash and Carl Perkins was captured in an iconic photograph.
About The Johnny Cash Museum
Earning the AAA Gem rating, The Johnny Cash Museum experience has quickly spread around the globe with outlets like CNN, USA Today, Parade, The NY Times, The NY Post, Billboard, Vogue, Southern Living, ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX, Yahoo, Huffington Post, London’s NME, etc. all buzzing about the attraction. Forbes ranked the Top 5 “Must-See” Nashville destinations and put The Johnny Cash Museum in the number one slot. That acknowledgement was followed by an unbelievable honor from National Geographic. National Geographic published a list of the worldwide top four “Pitch Perfect Museums,” museums dedicated to a single musician. The Johnny Cash Museum earned the top honor beating out the ABBA museum in Stockholm and the Kalakuta museum in Nigeria. Located at 119 Third Avenue South between Demonbreun and Broadway, the museum is en route between the tourists circulated Broadway strip and the Country Music Hall of Fame and Schermerhorn Symphony Center.
The Johnny Cash Museum is open every day from 10 AM to 7 PM. General admission is $15 with discounts for AAA, military, senior citizen and youth (6-15).
