Sam Phillips: The Man Who Invented Rock 'n' Roll 2 CD and 3 LP Releases

Featuring big hits, near misses, and never-even-close tracks by Elvis Presley, Howlin' Wolf, Johnny Cash, B.B. King, Jerry Lee Lewis, Charlie Rich, Carl Perkins, Roy Orbison, and scores of other singular artists, Sam Phillips: The Man Who Invented Rock 'N' Roll delivers, in his own words, 'individualism in the extreme'.

'Sam believed most of all in perfect imperfection,' Guralnick writes, adding 'every track on this collection celebrates, whether intentionally or not, the diversity and beauty and rawness, the grandness and intimacy and comic and tragic drama of the human experience'.

'Sun Records and Sam Phillips himself created the most crucial, uplifting and powerful records ever made'. - Bob Dylan

The selections on the two-CDs were chosen by Guralnick and he clearly states at the beginning of the intro to the liner notes in the 46-page booklet enclosed in the tri-fold digipak that these are not necessarily the best recordings that Phillips produced or even the most historically important (though some are), but rather ones he 'liked'. So, though Jerry Lee Lewis gets four tracks, including chart toppers like 'Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On', we get some of his country tracks and a 'cover' he did of an old Bing Crosby hit. Look over the track list and you'll see early Elvis, Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins and Roy Orbison hits, but also lesser known tracks by them. And there are a LOT of 'blues' recordings in this set, including a few by Howlin' Wolf, Jimmy and Walter and even Sleepy John Estes (who walked into Phillips studio one day in the 50s and asked to be recorded. And at least half the tracks here are ones you probably never heard. That's good for variety but don't expect an album of just Sun recordings. Phillips produced recordings but quite a few of the black blues singers tracks were sold to Chess. And, talking about 'oddball' items, while every other recording here was recorded in the 1950ss, Disc One ends with 'How Lucky Can one Man Get?', by Nashville singer-songwriter John Prine, a track that Phillips recorded for a Prine LP in 1979 that was being produced by Phillips' sons!

Disc 1

1. Hello Hello Baby by Jerry Lee Lewis 3:24
2. Moanin' at Midnight by Howlin' Wolf 2:56
3. Just Walkin' in the Rain by The Prisonaires 2:45
4. How Many More Years by Howlin' Wolf 2:42
5. Rocket 88 by Jackie Brenston and His Delta Cats (Ike Turner) 2:48
6. Gotta Let You Go by Joe Hill Louis 2:45
7. Every Night by The Jones Brothers 2:42
8. Troublesome Waters by Howard Seratt 3:05
9. Easy by Jimmy & Walter 2:58
10. Before Long by Jimmy & Walter 2:58
11. Lonesome Bedroom by Willie Nix 2:29
12. Big River by Johnny Cash 2:31
13. Boppin' the Blues by Carl Perkins 2:49
14. The Boogie Disease by Doctor Ross 2:34
15. Baby Let's Play House by Elvis Presley 2:17
16. Ooby Dooby by Roy Orbison 2:11
17. Love My Baby by Little Junior's Blue Flames 2:36
18. Matchbox by Carl Perkins 2:09
19. Whole Lot Of Shakin' Going On by Jerry Lee Lewis 2:53
20. Flyin' Saucers Rock & Roll by Billy Riley 2:02
21. She's Dynamite by B. B. King 2:30
22. Mr. Highway Man (Cadillac Daddy) by Howlin' Wolf 2:27
23. Tiger Man by Rufus Thomas 2:49
24. Red-Headed Woman by Sonny Burgess 2:09
25. End of the Road by Jerry Lee Lewis 1:49
26. Who Will the Next Fool Be? by Charlie Rich 2:23
27. Mystery Train by Elvis Presley 2:28
28. How Lucky by John Prine 3:39

Disc 2

1. Feelin' Good by Little Junior'S Blue Flames 2:57
2. You're the Only Star in My Blue Heaven by Jerry Lee Lewis 2:23
3. Turn Around by Carl Perkins 2:57
4. Time Has Made a Change by Jimmy Deberry 2:43
5. Miss Froggie by Warren Smith 2:25
6. Seems Like a Million Years by Willie Nix 2:43
7. When It Rains It Pours by Billy 3:11
8. That's All Right by Elvis Presley 1:57
9. You Win Again by Jerry Lee Lewis 2:58
10. I've Been Deceived by Charlie Feathers 2:42
11. Rats In My Kitchen by Sleepy John Estes 3:05
12. Lonesome Ol' Jail by D.A. Hunt 3:00
13. Feelin' Low by Ernie Chaffin 2:34
14. Sittin' and Thinkin' by Charlie Rich 3:04
15. Hey Porter by Johnny Cash 2:13
16. Movie Magg by Carl Perkins 2:09
17. Rockin' Chair Daddy by Harmonica Frank 3:04
18. Booted by Roscoe Gordon 3:05
19. Cotton Crop Blues by James Cotton 3:00
20. Dorothy Mae by Joe Hill Louis 2:06
21. Mystery Train by Little Junior'S Blue Flames 2:26
22. Blue Suede Shoes by Carl Perkins 2:16
23. Rock and Roll Ruby by Warren Smith 2:52
24. Go Go Go by Roy Orbison 2:09
25. Settin' the Woods on Fire by Jerry Lee Lewis 2:26
26. I Shall Not Be Moved by The Million Dollar Quartet 3:08
27. Tryin' to Get to You by Elvis Presley 2:33

© Copyright 2026 by www.elvis.com.au & www.elvispresley.com.au

https://www.elvis.com.au/presley/cd/sam-phillips-the-man-who-invented-rock-n-roll-cd-and-vinyl-releases.shtml

No part of any article on this site may be re-printed for public display without permission.