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The Million Dollar Quartet: Jerry Lee, Carl, Elvis & Johnny Hardcover Book


By Elvis Australia
Source: www.elvis.com.au
November 1, 2014

On 4 December 1956, four up-and-coming singers came together, largely by accident, at a Memphis recording studio. Inevitably the four began an impromptu jam session, some of which was taped by studio engineers. And that spontaneous, informal get-together became the stuff of legend, the four individuals being Elvis Presley, Johnny CashCarl Perkins and Jerry Lee Lewis AKA 'The Million Dollar Quartet'. Author Stephen Miller recreates that singular moment in rock history in 'The Million Dollar Quartet: Jerry Lee, Carl, Elvis & Johnny' Hardcover Book, a 2013 Omnibus Press release.

After a brief stage-setting introduction, Miller relates the lives and careers pre-December 1956 of the so-called Million Dollar Quartet along with Sam Phillips, who played such a prominent role in the early success of the four. He then describes how the event played out and the songs that were sung/recorded and others that may have been sung before the tape started running. The post-December 1956 careers of all five individuals are covered as well as subsequent musical reunions featuring Cash, Perkins and Lewis. A concluding chapter covers the MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET stage show first produced in 2006.

Given the near-mythical status of that December 1956 occurrence, Miller had his work cut out for him regarding just what happened at the Sun Records studio 57 years ago. Little documentation existed; memories faded or morphed over the years; and so on. Using the definitive version of the session released in 2006, contemporary newspaper accounts, remisicences from the few remaining participants and other materials, Miller has crafted a fascinating, well-researched reconstruction of the Sun Studio session.

Music fans will enjoy Stephen Miller's book. It presents an entertaining, critical yet affectionate account of four talented singers who came together on a December afternoon and laid down 'good rocking tonight.' Highly recommended.

The Million Dollar Quartet: Jerry Lee, Carl, Elvis & Johnny Hardcover Book

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