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Elvis Presley holds the Guinness World Record for best-selling solo artist. He has sold one billion records worldwide. Per Recording Industry Association of America, the King of Rock and Roll has sold more than 146.5 million units in the United States.
That massive career began with a single song. Presley recorded That's All Right on July 5, 1954, at Sun Records in Memphis. He worked alongside guitarist Scotty Moore and bassist Bill Black.
The song originated with blues artist Arthur "Big Boy" Crudup, who wrote and recorded it in 1946. Presley was only 19 years old when he cut his own version.
Sun Records released the single on July 19, 1954. It marked the official start of Presley's commercial recording career and set the stage for his eventual rise to global superstardom.
The Studio Accident That Created That's All Right
Presley, Moore and Black had planned to record ballads during their July 1954 session. None of them expected to make music history that day.
During a break, Presley started singing That's All Right just for fun. Moore and Black joined in without any rehearsal.
Sun Records owner Sam Phillips heard the playful jam and immediately recognized something special in Presley's sound. Phillips asked the trio to record the song again, this time seriously. That version became Presley's debut single.
The recording blended country twang with blues rhythm. This mix later became a foundation of early rock and roll.
Sun Records needed a B-side for the single. Black began playing an upbeat version of Blue Moon of Kentucky during a separate session. Presley joined in on vocals and guitar, and Phillips knew he had his second track.
Sun released both songs together on July 19, 1954. Radio stations picked up on That's All Right quickly, and listener response was strong from the start.
The single became a regional hit across the South. It launched the recording career of the artist who would go on to sell more records than any solo act in history.
Related: Elvis Wanted to Record One of Country Music's Greatest Songs — The Writer Said No
