Recording Date: February 5, 1956, Sun Recording Studio, Memphis, TN.

Debut recording for Warren Smith.

It is uncertain who wrote “Rock & Roll Ruby”.  Some say Johnny Cash.  Cash is credited as the songwriter on the Sun #239 record label.  Others say that country hall of famer George Jones wrote the song and sold it to Cash for $40.00.  The song has become an early R&R classic.  It has been covered by many over the years.  There is a terrific video online of Mark Knopfler covering the song in the studio with Elvis’ first guitarist Scotty Moore and his first drummer D. J. Fontana.   You can find it on the Dire Straits blog.

Warren Smith’s record outsold the debut Sun singles by Elvis, Cash, and Perkins.  Sun released another hit by Smith in August of 1956 that we will include in an upcoming part of this project.

Rock on!

Mike