Going back to before Elvis signed with Sam Phillips and Sun Records, here is something that has recently been discovered that you may not be aware of...Yes, while Memphis is the birthplace of Rock and Roll, it seems the labor pains began at KWEM Radio with studios in both Memphis and West Memphis, AR.
Elvis was close friends with a dj at KWEM that called himself Texas Bill Strength, he was also a national recording artist who recorded for Sun and Capitol records. That friendship may be why Elvis appeared live on KWEM Radio twice in 1954 before he signed with Sam Phillips at Sun Records and becoming the “King of Rock and Roll.” In one of those performances he sang with Johnny Burnette and the Rock n’ Roll Trio. Elvis and Johnny met when they both lived in the Lauderdale Court apartments in Memphis. Johnny went on to become a teen idol himself in the early 60’s and had hits with "You're Sixteen" (which also became a #1 hit for Ringo Starr in 1974) and "Dreamin'."
Scotty Moore and Bill Black who played on Elvis’ Sun releases appeared live on KWEM in 1954 with their first band, the Starlite Wranglers. Elvis performed with the Starlite Wranglers, who also released their own record on the Sun label. They were going to be the backup band for Elvis’ first audition at Sun Records. The audition ended up not being with the full band, just Scotty and Bill. They quit the Starlite Wranglers to become partners and the official backup band for Elvis. They went on to record "That's All Right," "Good Rockin' Tonight," "Baby Let's Play House," and "Mystery Train" with Elvis.
Elvis’ high school friend, George Klein, started working at KWEM at about the same time that Elvis released his first Sun record in 1954. George started at KWEM doing part-time before moving into mornings and seeing his first ratings success there, before moving on to WMC and then WHBQ in Memphis.
Legend has it that Elvis walked in to Sun Studios to record a song for his mother but that doesn’t seem to be the case. No doubt he did go to Sun to record a song for his mother, but Sam Phillips most likely heard Elvis first on KWEM.
Many of the artists Sam signed he heard first on KWEM like B.B. King, Howlin Wolf, Ike Turner, Stan Kessler, Smokey Joe Baugh, Paul Burlison, Barbara Pittman, Jean Chapel and the Miller Sisters among them. If he didn't hear Elvis first on KWEM, he was the only one of his early artist that he didn't hear on the radio first.
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Other stories by Mitch McCracken:
Sun Records 1958 Ampex recorder uncovered
Sam Phillips selling Elvis' contract to RCA was no mistake
Elvis' friend George Klein is the ambassador of Memphis music
Elvis: My Best Man takes a unique look at the King
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