On Dec. 4, 1956, four musicians — Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins and Johnny Cash — met for an impromptu jam session in the Sun Record Studios in Memphis, Tennessee.
Those sounds are still reverberating around the world today.
Meadow Brook Theatre audiences will have a chance to listen to some of the songs and stories they shared on that historic day in “Million Dollar Quartet,” running through May 17 at the Rochester Hills theater.
“Not only do you get a great American concert, but you get a pretty darn good story about people trying to build something special,” said Chris Blisset of New York City. He acts as Brother Jay, brother of Perkins, and is the show’s music director.
All the actors play instruments and sing, he said. Sam C. Jones (Perkins) plays electric guitar; Alex Burnette (Lewis) plays piano; Brady Jacot (Fluke, nickname for W.S. Holland) is on drums, and Blisset is on bass. Nathan Roberts (Cash) and Tyler Michael Breeding (Presley) play acoustic guitars.
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Sam C. Jones stars as Carl Perkins in Meadow Brook Theatre’s production of “Million Dollar Quartet.” (Photo courtesy of Sean Carter Photography)
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Sam C. Jones stars as Carl Perkins in Meadow Brook Theatre’s production of “Million Dollar Quartet.” (Photo courtesy of Sean Carter Photography)
“I’m not a big part of the story,” Blisset said. “I speak three or four times. I play the bass and run the band. From day one, I’ve been letting them know exactly what we need for each song. I teach harmonies, find out what the singers need from us.”
Among the famous tunes are “Blue Suede Shoes,” “Fever,” “Walk the Line,” “Great Balls of Fire” and “Hound Dog.”
“There are recordings (of the session),” Blisset said. “Most of them (involve) singing gospel songs together. We get some gospel in there — and the band is treating it respectfully. I told them I wanted ‘Peace in the Valley’ to feel like an honest prayer. They ran with it, and they break my heart every day.”
According to the Sun Records website, the jam session happened by chance. Perkins already had a hit with “Blue Suede Shoes” and showed up with his brothers, Clayton and Jay, and Holland to record some new material. Sam Phillips, owner of Sun Records, brought in Lewis, then not known outside Memphis, to play piano on Perkins’s recording. Presley, a former Sun artist now on RCA, dropped in, and so did Cash.
“Sam Phillips discovered all of these gents,” said Blisset. “He had sold Elvis (his contract) to RCA for $40,000 to save his company.”
The next day, an article written by Bob Johnson was published in the Memphis Press-Scimitar under the title, “Million Dollar Quartet.” The article contained the now well-known photograph of Presley seated at the piano surrounded by Lewis, Perkins and Cash, according to the Sun Records website.
“I grew up seeing that photo,” Blisset said. “Many Americans grew up knowing that photo.”
Blisset, who was born in Springfield, Illinois, spent most of his youth in Chicago and has been in New York for 27 years. He holds a bachelor’s degree in theater from Western Illinois University and a master’s in theater from Virginia Commonwealth University.
“I made my way to New York in 1999 to become an actor,” he said. “I’ve been on the road ever since — 21 of the last 27 years.”
Among the shows he was involved with are “Once,” “Ring of Fire” and “Pump Boys and Dinettes.”
As for “Million Dollar Quartet,” Blisset said: “I think, for the people who remember these guys, this will take them back. And the people who don’t know who these guys are will get an education that they should have gotten years ago.”
Also in the cast is Kasie Buono Roberts (Dyanne), who plays maracas and tambourines and sings. Her character shows up with Presley.
“Million Dollar Quartet” is directed by Travis W. Walter. Scenic design is by Mia Irwin, costume design by Karen Kangas-Preston, assisted by Maya Van Noord, lighting design by Scott Ross, and sound design by Brendan Eaton. Brittanie Nichole Sicker is the stage manager and Tobin Hissong is the assistant stage manager.
Tickets range from $40 to $48 and are available by calling the Meadow Brook Theatre box office at 248-377-3300 or going online to ticketmaster.com. Student discounts are available at the box office. Groups of eight or more should call 248-370-3316 for group pricing.
