Sun King: The Life and Times of Sam Phillips, the Man Behind Sun Records

Music producer Sam Phillips and his landmark studio, Sun Records, hold a unique place in the history of rock 'n' roll. By many accounts, before Phillips recorded "Rocket 88" by Jackie Brenston and his Delta Cats in 1951, rock 'n' roll as we know it didn't even exist. Phillips is simultaneously hailed as the man who discovered Elvis Presley and derided as the man who sold the same artist to RCA for a paltry $35,000. The list of musical legends that passed through the doors of Sun Records is simply astounding, including BB King, Ike Turner, Johnny Cash, Roy Orbison, and Jerry Lee Lewis. Stripping away the glossy veneer of legend around the Phillips story—which, like his signature sound, was much the result of his own careful crafting—this story reveals a man who, from a very young age, heard a musical sound that no one else heard.

Kevin Crouch is the former archivist for the Roy Orbison estate. Tanja Crouch worked in the music business for more than 15 years, most notably as an agent for artists such as Carl Perkins, Randy Travis, and Vince Gill, and as the vice president of Roy Orbison's estate. Her other books include 100 Careers in Film and Television and 100 Careers in the Music Business.