About this Photo
Where it all began, the first rock 'n' roll record, 'Rocket 88" was recorded at the legendary Sun Studio in Memphis by Jackie Brenston and his Delta Cats, who were actually the Kings of Rhythm, the backing band of the infamous Ike Turner, who was playing the piano whilst Jackie Brenston was the saxophone player. This photo is of Rufus visiting Sun Studios in 2002, more than fifty years after that recording session.
Sun Studios was also where Elvis Presley was discovered. “In 1954, after a number of false starts, Elvis got his big break with producer Sam Phillips. It was one of those famous ‘what if ’ moments in history. Elvis had been frequenting the studios for a few months, recording a series of lacklustre ballads, supposedly as a present for his mother, Gladys. None of the songs he recorded seemed to work, although Sam Phillips was interested enough in the teenager to ask him to come by for one last session, this time with two local musicians, bass player Bill Black and guitar player Scotty Moore.
The evening session did not go well, and Sam was about to turn in for the night when Elvis started busking and messing around with the band on a version of Arthur Bigboy Cruddup’s bluesy classic “That’s Alright Mama”. Suddenly, a light bulb lit up in Phillips’ head.
Despite having no drums and a huge amount of instrumental bleed, the result was a record of breathtaking beauty, and Sam Phillips knew it. The day after that session, an acetate copy of the record was shipped to influential rock ’n’ roll DJ Dewey Phillips to play on his radio show ‘Red, Hot & Blue’.
Elvis was informed of this development but was too scared to listen to the song live on the radio for the first time, so he went to a movie theatre to calm his nerves. When he came out of the film, he was a local star. In the two hours he’d been in the cinema, a request frenzy from listeners of Dewey Phillips had forced the DJ to play the song fourteen times in a row. It’s fair to say that after this event, Elvis’s life and popular music were never the same again….
Quote from the book Losing Eldorado
Prints
All Losing Eldorado editions are premium Giclee digital prints on Hahnemühle Pearl photographic paper.
Each print is part of a limited-edition series and is available either unframed or professionally framed in black wood with glass and a classic white card mount.
All prints are made to order and shipped directly to your home within two weeks. Delivery is available throughout Europe and North America.
Large Edition (Limited to 10)
59cm × 84cm (23.4" × 33.1”)
Unframed Print — £295
- Edition of 10
- Printed area: 20.9" × 31.3"
- Final print size: 23.4" × 33.1"
Framed Print — £595
- Edition of 10
- Black wooden frame with glass and classic white mount
- Printed area: 18.8" × 28.2"
- Final print size: 23.4" × 33.1"
- Overall framed size: 24.3" × 34.1"
Medium Edition (Limited to 20)
42cm × 59cm (16.5" × 23.4")
Unframed Print — £150
- Edition of 20
- Printed area: 14.6" × 21.9"
- Final print size: 16.5" × 23.4"
Framed Print — £325
- Edition of 20
- Black wooden frame with glass and classic white mount
- Printed area: 13.2" × 19.8"
- Final print size: 16.5" × 23.4"
- Overall framed size: 17.5" × 24.3"
Small Edition (Limited to 30)
30cm × 42cm (11.7" × 16.5")
Unframed Print — £80
- Edition of 30
- Printed area: 10.3" × 15.5"
- Final print size: 11.7" × 16.5"
Framed Print — £175
- Edition of 30
- Black wooden frame with glass and classic white mount
- Printed area: 9.6" × 14.4"
- Final print size: 11.7" × 16.5"
- Overall framed size: 12.6" × 17.5”
