#charlie rich

Words will never describe how much I despise Sam Phillips.

How he manipulated the artists who were signed to Sun. That his words, no matter how wrong, were upheld by music writers and are still echoed today.

How he carried himself as if he were some sort of God, and how fans Sun history speak of him as though he was.

That the artists signed to Sun, like Carl, John, Roy, and Jerry Lee, speaking well of him is as a justification. They said, they owe everything to him, so he mustn’t be allthat bad. Yet they’ll overlook the power dynamic he had with them. Him being the adult in the room, having the money, and control that boarded on abuse.

It’s embarrassing that anyone would defend Sam. Turn the tables, as he would. Bring up things the artists signed to Sun did, to justify his mistreatment of them. It’s always gross when people choose to defend an abuser.

What I truly hate Sam for is what he’s cultivated. He knew, standing on his failed ventures, the renewed interest for Sun artists was his chance. At forging a new legacy for himself. The grandiose delusion that pressing a record button made him better than everyone. Including the person, who’s talents he was recording. The lie he cultivated, his legacy, that’s well and thriving to this day.

That’s some of why I despise him.