"A Day in the life"
Elvis: "A Day in the Life" July 1, 1954 (Thursday)
No information.
Elvis: "A Day in the Life" July 2, 1954 (Friday)
Ellis Auditorium, 225 North Main Street, Memphis, Tennessee.
The funeral for the victims of the plane crash in Alabama was held at Ellis Auditorium in Memphis. The Presley's along with
Dixie attended.
Elvis: "A Day in the Life" July 3, 1954 (Saturday)
Dixie went on a two week vacation to Florida with her family.
Winfield Scott 'Scotty' Moore III (photo) a local guitar player who recorded at Sun with his own group 'The Starlite Wranglers' called Elvis' house to ask if he would like to audition for him.
Elvis was at the movies at the time and Gladys went over there and brought him back.
BILLBOARD POP CHART (singles)
Best Sellers in Stores:
"Little Things Mean A Lot" by Kitty Kallen.
Most Played In Jukeboxes:
"Little Things Mean A Lot" by Kitty Kallen.
Most Played By Jockeys:
"Little Things Mean A Lot" by Kitty Kallen.
BILLBOARD C&W CHART (singles)
Best Sellers in Stores:
"I Don't Hurt Anymore" by Hank Snow.
Most Played In Jukeboxes:
"Slowly" by Webb Pierce.
Most Played By Jockeys:
"Even Tho" by Webb Pierce.
BILLBOARD R&B CHART (singles)
Best Sellers in Stores:
"Work With Me Annie" by the Midnighters.
Most Played In Jukeboxes:
"Work With Me Annie" by the Midnighters.
BILLBOARD POP CHART
Honor Roll of Hits:
"Little Things Mean A Lot" by Kitty Kallen.
BILLBOARD POP CHART (LP)
"The Glenn Miller Story" (Soundtrack).
BILLBOARD POP CHART (EP)
"The Glenn Miller Story" (Soundtrack).
Elvis: "A Day in the Life" July 4, 1954 (Sunday)
Scotty Moore's Apartment, 983 Beltz Street, Memphis, Tennessee.
Elvis went to Scotty's house and later met Starlite Wrangler bass player, William "Bill" Black. (photo) They rehearsed dozens of songs that Elvis knew. Both Scotty and Bill were not too impressed, but told Sam Phillips that it "may be worth trying with him again in the recording studio".
Elvis: "A Day in the Life" July 5, 1954 (Monday)
RECORDING SESSION:
Sun Studio, 706 Union Avenue, Memphis, Tennessee.
Engineer: Sam C. Phillips.
Assistant: Marion Keisker.
Musicians: Rhythm Guitar & Vocals: Elvis Presley - Lead Guitar: Scotty Moore - Bass: Bill Black.
Elvis, Scotty and Bill rehearsed at Sun Studio to try and impress Sam Phillips. Two ballads; "Harbor Lights"
(audio) and "I Love You Because" (audio) were attempted but nothing of great note happened.
During a break Elvis began to run through an old song originally recorded at Sun by Arthur 'Big Boy' Crudup called "That's All Right, Mama". (audio) Scotty and Bill just naturally joined in.
Sam asked them what they were doing and they replied that they were just foolin' around. Sam really liked what he had heard and told them to keep going while he tried to record a proper version of the song.
After four attempts, they had a satisfactory take in the can, Sam reckoned all that was needed now was a B side to complete their first single.
Songs Recorded:
Elvis: "A Day in the Life" July 6, 1954 (Tuesday)
RECORDING SESSION:
Sun Studio, 706 Union Avenue, Memphis, Tennessee.
Engineer: Sam C. Phillips.
Assistant: Marion Keisker.
Musicians: Rhythm Guitar & Vocals: Elvis Presley - Lead Guitar: Scotty Moore - Bass: Bill Black.
Elvis, Scotty and Bill were back in the studio to try and nail a B-side for "That's All Right" but again struggled to come up with an acceptable candidate.
Elvis: "A Day in the Life" July 7, 1954 (Wednesday)
RECORDING SESSION:
Sun Studio, 706 Union Avenue, Memphis, Tennessee.
Engineer: Sam C. Phillips.
Assistant: Marion Keisker.
Musicians: Rhythm Guitar & Vocals: Elvis Presley - Lead Guitar: Scotty Moore - Bass: Bill Black.
The newly formed trio went back to the studio for the third successive day and recorded "Blue Moon of Kentucky". (audio)
Sam Phillips played an acetate of "That's All Right" for local Memphis WHBQ D.J., Dewey Phillips, (no relation) who loved the song and promised to play it on his show the following night.
Songs Recorded:
Elvis: "A Day in the Life" July 8, 1954 (Thursday)
The Chisca Hotel, 272 South Main Street, Memphis, Tennessee.
Sam brought two one-sided acetates of "That's All Right" to the WHBQ studio that was
operating from the Hotel Chisca in downtown Memphis. The show was broadcast on the
mezzanine floor over the lobby, or as Dewey said; "The magazine Floor".
Elvis was too nervous to listen to the show so he went to the movies instead. There was a very favourable reaction to the song and both Gladys and Vernon searched the aisles at the Suzore #2 to tell Elvis the good news and bring him down to the station. Dewey told Elvis not to be nervous as they are not going out live. When they had finished talking, Dewey informed him that the microphone was on all the time.
Elvis: "A Day in the Life" July 9, 1954 (Friday)
No information.
Elvis: "A Day in the Life" July 10, 1954 (Saturday)
No information.
BILLBOARD POP CHART (singles)
Best Sellers in Stores:
"Little Things Mean A Lot" by Kitty Kallen.
Most Played In Jukeboxes:
"Little Things Mean A Lot" by Kitty Kallen.
Most Played By Jockeys:
"Little Things Mean A Lot" by Kitty Kallen.
BILLBOARD C&W CHART (singles)
Best Sellers in Stores:
"I Don't Hurt Anymore" by Hank Snow.
Most Played In Jukeboxes:
"I Don't Hurt Anymore" by Hank Snow.
Most Played By Jockeys:
"Even Tho" by Webb Pierce.
BILLBOARD R&B CHART (singles)
Best Sellers in Stores:
"Honey Love" by Clyde McPhatter.
Most Played In Jukeboxes:
"Work With Me Annie" by the Midnighters.
BILLBOARD POP CHART
Honor Roll of Hits:
"Little Things Mean A Lot" by Kitty Kallen.