Sam Phillips

Sam Phillips
Background information
Birth name	Samuel Cornelius Phillips
Born	(1923-01-05)January 5, 1923 Florence, Alabama, U.S.
Died	July 30, 2003(2003-07-30) (aged 80) Memphis, Tennessee, U.S.
Genres	Rock and roll rockabilly R&B country blues pop jazz soul doo wop boogie woogie
Occupations	Disc jockey songwriter record producer
Years active	1945–2003
Labels	Phillips International Sun

Samuel Cornelius Phillips (January 5, 1923 – July 30, 2003)^[1] was an American disc jockey, songwriter and record producer. He was the founder of Sun Records and Sun Studio in Memphis, Tennessee, where he produced recordings by Elvis Presley, Roy Orbison, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, Johnny Cash, and Howlin' Wolf. Phillips played a major role in the development of rock and roll during the 1950s, launching the career of Presley. In 1969, he sold Sun to Shelby Singleton.

Phillips was the owner and operator of radio stations in Memphis; Florence, Alabama; and Lake Worth Beach, Florida. He was also an early investor in the Holiday Inn chain of hotels and an advocate for racial equality, helping to break down racial barriers in the music industry.