The St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis is the benificary of “Red Hot: A Memphis Celebration of Sun Records”.
The St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital treats and defeats childhood cancer and other life-threatening diseases.
The album, due June 16, 2017, from the American Music Society, will be a tribute to the label founded by Sam Phillips in 1952 that became the first recording home for Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins and Roy Orbison.
‘Red Hot: A Memphis Celebration of Sun Records’ is co-produced by singer-guitarist Luther Dickinson of the North Mississippi Allstars, and Tamara Saviano, the Nashville-based writer-producer and author of Without Getting Killed or Caught: The Life and Music of Guy Clark.
The album was recorded at the two legendary Memphis recording studios operated by Phillips — the humble Sun Studio, opened in 1950 as Memphis Recording Service, and the futuristic Sam Phillips Recording Service, opened in 1959 with Charlie Rich’s Lonely Weekends session.
The new album’s personnel sport a direct connection to Sun’s history — Luther Dickinson and his younger brother Cody, the North Mississippi Allstars’ drummer, are the sons of late musician-producer Jim Dickinson. Sitting in as vocalist and pianist with the Jesters, a Memphis garage band that included Phillips’ son Jerry among its members, Jim recorded Cadillac Man, one of Sun’s last singles, in 1966.
The Dickinson brothers serve as the hub of Red Hot’s house band, which also includes bassist-vocalist Amy LaVere, one of the Bluff City’s best-known front-women; singer-guitarist John Paul Keith, a solo notable and a former member of the Tearjerkers; and keyboardist Rick Steff, whose credits include work with Cat Power, Dexy’s Midnight Runners and Memphis’ own Lucero.
Keith, LaVere and Luther Dickinson take lead vocals on numbers originally performed by Phillips’ artists — respectively, Warren Smith’s Red Cadillac and a Black Moustache, the Miller Sisters’ Ten Cats Down, and Howlin’ Wolf’s Moanin’ at Midnight.
Red Hot: A Memphis Celebration of Sun Records Full Track Listing
Red Cadillac and a Black Moustache – John Paul Keith
Sure to Fall – Valerie June
Lonely Weekends – Shawn Camp
Ways of a Woman in Love – Bryan Hayes
Red Hot – Cast of Sun Records featuring Chuck Mead
Tough Titty – Bobby Rush
Ten Cats Down – Amy LaVere
High School Confidential – Jimbo Mathus
Folsom Prison Blues – Alvin Youngblood Hart
Moanin’ at Midnight – Luther Dickinson
