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'Million Dollar Quartet' imagines music by top artists in 1950s

Posted 9/28/21

“Million Dollar Quartet” opens at Fountain Hills Theater Oct. 15.

After the challenging year of the pandemic, 2021 has proven to be busy and varied.

The next show on the marquee is …

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'Million Dollar Quartet' imagines music by top artists in 1950s

Posted

“Million Dollar Quartet” opens at Fountain Hills Theater Oct. 15.

After the challenging year of the pandemic, 2021 has proven to be busy and varied.

The next show on the marquee is “Million Dollar Quartet,” opening Oct. 15.

A twist of fate brought together Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins and Elvis Presley Dec. 4, 1956. They were brought together in Memphis, Tennessee at the Sun Records storefront studio by Sam Philips, known as the “father of rock and roll” and the man who

had discovered them. This toe-tappin’, high energy musical imagines what that night might have been:

Around Christmas time in 1956, Carl Perkins was in a post “Blue Suede Shoes” funk. He booked a recording session on Dec. 4 with producer Sam Phillips. Along with Jerry Lee Lewis, Perkins and his band recorded a number of songs including one of Perkins’ best-known records, “Matchbox.” (The single was only a minor hit when Perkins recorded it, but later when released by The Beatles in 1964, it reached the top 20 of the Billboard charts.)

Details from the rest of that day are still questioned, but this is what is known: Perkins and Lewis were later joined by Elvis Presley and Johnny Cash, and the foursome held an impromptu jam session. A newspaper wrote, “This quartet could sell a million.” Shortly after, they were known as “The Million Dollar Quartet.”

The session was a reunion for Cash, Perkins and Presley, who had toured the South together in 1955. Lewis was still a star on the rise, but quickly bonded with Presley over their shared knowledge of spirituals. Cash’s presence is still debated by historians; some say he was only there for a short time and quickly left. This seemed to be confirmed on session recordings, in which you can’t hear The Man in Black at all. However, in Cash’s autobiography, the country music legend attributes his relative absence on the recordings to the fact that he was singing in a higher register than usual to help blend better with Presley.

The recording session retains its historical significance as a landmark event in the age of Rock n’ Roll, and a milestone for the genre in the ever-changing world of the 20th century popular culture and mass media. In the decades that ensued, The Million Dollar Quartet in 1956 has often been referred to as the “Mount Rushmore of Rock n’ Roll.”

“Million Dollar Quartet” captures the contagious spirit, freewheeling excitement and thrilling sounds of the once-in-a-life-time event where four of music’s best talents came together.

Tickets are on sale now for “Million Dollar Quartet.” Individual tickets are $35 for adults and $18 for youth 17 and younger. Call the box office, 480-837-9661, ext. 3, or visit fhtaz.org. Box office hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.

Performances are Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. at Fountain Hills Theater, 11445 N. Saguaro Blvd.

The theater is committed to the safety of its patrons, staff and performers. CDC safety recommendations will be closely followed, as well as local guidelines due to COVID-19.

Hand sanitizing stations are located throughout the facility. Arm rests, door handles and other surfaces frequently touched by the public are thoroughly cleaned prior to each performance.

The theater offers the following options to help mitigate the spread of COVID-19:

*Provide proof of vaccination.

*Provide proof of a negative COVID test, less than 72-hours old.

*Wear a mask while indoors.

The theater requires all patrons abide by one of the options to attend any production. Check the website for evolving guidelines as the season progresses.