‘Million Dollar Quartet’ kicks off 30th anniversary season of KU Presents!
Musical shows studio performance by Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins and Johnny Cash
Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, and Johnny Cash are all legends.
If you like music of the 1950s like I do, you are probably familiar with these names. Did you know that all four of them got together by chance one day? On Dec. 4, 1956 these music artists found themselves at Sam Phillips’ Sun Records Studios in Memphis, Tenn.
This event was unique because at the time, they were just starting to become music stars. While at the studio, they performed some songs together. Fortunately for us, someone at the studio recorded that chance meeting and the songs they performed that day.
Presley, Lewis, Perkins, and Cash would each go on to become famous, but it would be almost 30 years before some of the recordings could be heard, and another 10 years before all of the recordings would be released.
This chance meeting was brought to life at the musical “Million Dollar Quartet” at Kutztown University’s Schaeffer Auditorium on Sept. 18.
Kutztown University Presents! began its 30th anniversary season with this show which has won a Tony award. I had an opportunity to attend. There was also a pre-show party for KU Presents! season subscribers at The Miller Art Gallery in the Sharadin Arts Building. The new Kutztown University Arts Society was announced that night also.
During the show, we heard classic songs of the era like “Blue Suede Shoes,” “That’s All Right,” “See You Later Alligator” and “Great Balls Of Fire” performed by a very talented young cast. We also had a glimpse of what it might have been like for the four talented musicians to meet one another before they became legends. It’s as close as you can get to time-travel with a jukebox brought to life!
Rodeo would like to thank Bryan Zellmer, Director of KU Presents! for being super, awesome, and cool!