Phillips spoke to Fresh Air in 1997 about launching Elvis Presley's career at Sun Records. He also produced early recordings of B.B. King, Howlin' Wolf, Roy Orbison and Johnny Cash. He died in 2003.

This is FRESH AIR. I'm Terry Gross. Today, we continue our archive series - R&B, rockabilly and early rock 'n' roll. We start today's show with Sam Phillips, the founder of Sun Records. That's the ...

We start today's show with Sam Phillips, the founder of Sun Records. That's the Memphis-based label that launched the careers of Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, Charlie Rich, Roy Orbison ...