Sam Phillips, founder of Memphis’ legendary Sun Records and the man responsible for launching the career of Elvis Presley, has passed away at the age of 80. A spokesperson said Phillips died of respiratory failure yesterday (July 30) at Memphis’ St. Francis Hospital. Phillips produced Elvis’ “That’s All Right, Mama’” and “Blue Moon Of Kentucky” at Sun Studios in 1954, two recordings which were largely responsible for putting the King on the map. Elvis’ recording contract was then sold two years later to RCA for only $35,000 (oops), but Phillips and Sun went on to release albums from such legends as B.B. King, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, Roy Orbison, and Carl Perkins.

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