Samuel Cornelius Phillips (January 5, 1923 – July 30, 2003), better known as Sam Phillips, was an American businessman, record executive, record producer and DJ who played an important role in the emergence of rock and roll as the major form of popular music in the 1950s. He was a producer, label owner, and talent scout throughout the 1940s and 1950s. He most notably founded Sun Studios and Sun Records in Memphis, Tennessee. Through Sun, Phillips discovered such recording talent as Howlin' Wolf, Carl Perkins, Jerry Lee Lewis and Johnny Cash. The height of his success culminated in his launching of Elvis Presley's career in 1954. He is also associated with several other noteworthy rhythm and blues and rock and roll stars of the period. Phillips sold Sun in 1969. He was an early investor in the Holiday Inn chain of hotels. He also advocated racial equality and helped break down racial music industry barriers.
Grammy Trustees Award, Grammy Award for Best Spoken Word Album
Nominations
Grammy Award for Best Female Rock Vocal Performance
Movies
The Dallas Connection, Classic Albums: Elvis Presley, Bill Wyman's Blues Odyssey: A Journey to Music's Heart and Soul
TV Shows
Hotel Trubble
Star Sign
Aquarius
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Trademark
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Opposition to religious and political conservatism
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Pensive, intelligent lyrics dealing with issues of faith, grace, and doubt
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Quote
1
[on creating music] Usually when I'm trying to write songs, I work hard on the lyrics and I work hard on the melodies too. I know there's a sort of tendency especially these days for people to think "I'm just gonna pick up a guitar and whatever comes out is good enough." And I don't feel that way. I feel like what I grew up listening to and some of the incredible, the heavy musicians and the heavy songwriters, I think that the bar is really high. And I'd probably never get up to that bar, so I'm always trying to get up there.
2
[on her experience scoring for Gilmore Girls] I had no idea I was going to love working on the show so much. Gilmore Girls was a wonderful creation. I only wish Amy could go back and do a few more episodes or a movie to tie up the loose ends. She left the show one season before it went off the air and though everyone did a great job carrying on, it was a devastating loss.
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Fact
1
Album, 'A Boot and a Shoe', scheduled for April 2004 release from Nonesuch Records. [February 2004]
2
Composed for the television series "Gilmore Girls" throughout its entire seven year run.
3
Her real name is Leslie Ann Phillips. The nickname of "Sam" was adopted when she crossed over from gospel to secular music.
4
Due to an unknown technical error, in the mid-1980s her song "Here He Comes with My Heart" was accidentally sent blaring onto the set of Today (1952), interrupting an on-air segment with Jane Pauley. Pauley made a disparaging comment about the song, but she invited Ms. Phillips to be a guest on the show soon thereafter.
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Named Best Female Singer of 1994 in "Rolling Stone" magazine's annual critics' poll, for her album "Martinis & Bikinis" (1994)
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Nominated for Best Female Rock Vocal Performance at the 37th Annual Grammy Awards for the song "Circle of Fire" from her album _Martinis & Bikinis_ (1994). She lost to Melissa Etheridge.
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Was 2nd runner-up for Best Songwriter of 1994 in "Rolling Stone" magazine's annual critics' poll, for her album "Martinis & Bikinis". She was bested by Freedy Johnston and Kurt Cobain, who placed 1st and 2nd in the poll, respectively.
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Although in real life she is best-known as a singer with an acclaimed voice, her character Katya in Die Hard with a Vengeance (1995) is mute.
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The music video for her song "Baby I Can't Please You" (1994) features archive footage of Rush Limbaugh, Pat Robertson and Jerry Falwell, whose ideologies she has denounced in numerous print and radio interviews.
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Has a daughter, Simone, born in 1998, with ex-husband T Bone Burnett.
Composer
Title
Year
Status
Character
Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life
2016
TV Mini-Series 4 episodes
Bunheads
2012-2013
TV Series 18 episodes
Gilmore Girls
2000-2007
TV Series 152 episodes
Soundtrack
Title
Year
Status
Character
Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life
2016
TV Mini-Series performer - 1 episode
Happy
2016/IV
Documentary performer: "Magic For Everyone", "Can't See Straight" / writer: "Magic For Everyone", "Can't See Straight"
Bunheads
TV Series writer - 5 episodes, 2012 - 2013 performer - 2 episodes, 2012
$11 Million
