GO! SEE! EXPLORE! :: The Legendary Sun Studio
We have been living in Memphis for a little over 16 years and it wasn’t until this past fall that I visited the iconic Sun Studio. Despite the fact that I would drive past it every Sunday on the way to church, our family never took the time to visit. Then we had some family staying with us and realized it would be the perfect adventure stop!
Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the last few decades, you have heard of Sun Studio. Located on the edge of the Edge District, Sun Studio is the most famous recording studio of all time. (Obviously! We’re Memphis!) Known worldwide as “The Birthplace of Rock’n’roll,” it’s the location musical legends such as B.B. King, Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, and Jerry Lee Lewis used to record their early hits. From Blues and Gospel to Country and Rock’n’roll, Sun Studio was the chosen location of up and coming artists of all musical genres.
The tour starts in a general area where you will buy your tickets and wait for your tour to begin. The tours begin every hour and are first come, first served. Once everyone is assembled, your tour guide will accompany you up a level to the “museum” section. Here you will see the priceless memorabilia from the musical legends that blended blues and country music that eventually led to the explosion of Rock’n’roll. The tour gives you ample time to wander around the displays, interspersed with recordings and outtakes of sessions being played over the loud speakers. It’s haunting to hear the voices of the musicians come alive and listen to history being made!
Then your guide will take you downstairs to the actual recording studio area. You’ll see the secretary’s deck, the music room, and the actual recording booth. Visitors can’t actually go INTO the booth, but you’re free to look through the doors/windows. It’s crazy how it is preserved almost exactly from the time of Elvis and Johnny Cash!
The guided tour ends with LOTS of photo ops, especially around the actual microphone that Elvis sang into! There is also the original piano used by Jerry Lee Lewis and you’re free to sit on the piano bench (but absolutely cannot touch the keys!). I’ve played piano since I was 5, so I was extremely tempted to accidentally bust out “The Piano Man” — but I held back! Behind the piano is the famous photo of the Million Dollar Quartet!
The tour lasts just a little under an hour and you dump back out into the gift store. There’s LOTS of cool merchandise — mugs, t-shirts, even earrings made from Sun Studio guitar picks. It’s a great place to grab a Memphis souvenir.
Tours are offered every day from 10am to 5:15pm. Prices are $20 for adults, $18 for students and $15 for kids ages 5-11. After day time operations close down, Sun Studio turns back into an actual recording studio starting at $200 per hour. Can you even imagine recording a song (or an album) at the same place as all those legends?!
Visit the Legendary Sun Studio
706 Union Avenue
** Ages 5-11 permitted with adult admission. Please note: Children under the age of 5 are not permitted on the guided tour.
Open 7 days a week from 10am to 5:15pm
Call 901-521-0664 for more details or to schedule a group tour
sunstudio.com
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