After buying the contracts of Charlie Rich, Roy Orbison and Elvis Presley from Sun Records in 1956, Chet Atkins produced the first of over 45,000 recordings that made RCA Studio B the most-hit generating studio in Music Row's impressive history.
The list of artists who recorded at Studio B also included the Everly Brothers, Eddy Arnold, Bobby Bare, Skeeter David, Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, Dolly Parton, Jim Reeves, Hank Snow, Porter Wagoner and Dottie West.
Studio B tour guide Jim Meadows enjoys pointing to an almost life-size photo of a young Elvis Presley hanging in the lobby. "Do you notice anything different," he asks?
Most visitors are surprised to see Elvis with light hair. "He was blonde, you know," Meadows explains. "He dyed his hair to look like his hero, Roy Orbison. He worshipped Roy and refused to go on stage after him."
The veteran tour guide happily shares his opinions with the group. "Old Roy never did win a beauty contest, but the boy could sing," Meadows adds.
Portraits of other country music legends line the walls of the lobby, including one of Chet Atkins and Dolly Parton with her big hair. The portraits of Willie Nelson and Waylon Jennings are surprising. In their younger days, both singers were clean-shaven and sported short hair cuts.
The equipment in the recording studios and mixing booth represent the studio's heyday from 1957 to 1977. Visitors are usually fascinated by the three-track mixing machine that recorded most of the studio's hits and the piano that Elvis had brought in during the 50's.
