The Million Dollar QuartetBy: Andrew O’Leary

The Million Dollar Quartet wasn't a group in any normal sense, but were initially more

of a photo opportunity and then a freewheeling after-hours jam session between Elvis

Presley, Carl Perkins, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Johnny Cash that took place at Sam Phillips'

Sun Studios in Memphis on December 4, 1956. It was formally a Carl Perkins session,

with Jerry Lee Lewis sitting in as the piano player. At some point Presley and Cash

stopped by to observe, and Phillips, recognizing a photo op when he saw one, called a

local news photographer, who snapped a photograph of the four musicians gathered

around a piano.

Biography

● Johnny Cash

● Elvis Presley

● Jerry Lee Lewis

● Carl Perkins

Band Members

Tunes

Elvis Presley

● Born: January 8, 1935 in Tupelo, Mississippi

● Died: August 16, 1977 in Memphis, Tennessee

● Famous

Songs: Hound Dog, Jailhouse Rock, and Heartbreak

Hotel

● Nickname: King of ‘n’ Roll

● Quote: “Animals don’t hate, and we are supposed to

be better than them.”

Johnny Cash

● Born: February 26, 1932 in Kingsland, Arkansas

● Died: September 12, 2003 in Nashville, Tennessee

● Famous Songs: I Walk the Line, Ring of Fire, and 25

Minutes to Go

● Nickname: The Man in Black

● Quote: “All your life, you will be faced with a choice.

You can choose love or hate…. I choose love.”

Jerry Lee Lewis

● Born: September 29, 1935 in Ferriday, Louisiana

● Famous Songs: Great Balls of Fire, Whole Lotta

Shakin’, and Boogie Woogie Country Man

● Interesting Fact: Began Playing the piano at age nine.

At age 10, he got his very own piano

● Quote: “If going to Hell, I’m going there to Play the

piano.”

Carl Perkins

●Born: April 9, 1932 in Tipton, Tennessee

●Died: January 19, 1998 in Jackson, Mississippi

●Famous Songs: Blue Suede Shoes, Honey Don’t, I saw the

Light, and Rock around the clock

● Nickname: Father of Rockabilly Music

● Quote: “If I helped you get your music off the ground

I’m glad you done it.”

MDQ Snapshots

The journey of Million Dollar Quartet (MDQ)

the musical is just as amazing as the actual

event that occurred on Dec. 4, 1956. In 2006

the show opened in Daytona Beach for a five

week run before moving to Seattle. In Seattle

at The Village Theatre the show played sold

out audiences during a 10-week run.

Broadway Cast MembersEddie Clendening

(Elvis Presley)

Lance Guest

(Johnny Cash)

Jared Mason

(Jerry Lee Lewis)

Robert Britton Lyons

(Carl Perkins)

Hunter Foster

(Sam Phillips)

Victoria Matlock

(Dyanne)