Johnny Cash – Analog Artist Digital World

For this poster I did extensive research on what record album c overs looked like in 1956. The Million Dollar Quartet jam session took place on December 4, 1956, at Sun Studio in Memphis, Tennessee. It was an impromptu gathering featuring rock ‘n’ roll icons Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Carl Perkins. The session was a chance meeting where the four musicians played together, captured by Sun Records owner Sam Phillips. A local newspaper, the Memphis Press-Scimitar, published an article the following day featuring a photograph of the four men, leading to the “Million Dollar Quartet” nickname.

On my first pass at the poster, Elvis didn’t quite look like himself, so I had to tie him down some more. I also did not have the red radiating beams which is an effect I saw on another album of the day. The beams reference Sun Studios where the performance happened. Those radiating beams gave the poster the pop that I was looking for.

Million Dollar Quartet is a Tony Award-nominated musical by Colin Escott and Floyd Mutrux. The show brings this historic night to life with a score of their hit songs, telling a story of music, fame, and personal drama. The score includes over 20 chart-topping hits like “Blue Suede Shoes,” “Great Balls of Fire,” “Walk the Line,” “Hound Dog,” and “Folsom Prison Blues”.

I unfortunately didn’t have the time to go to the show to sketch. There really should have been a sketch artist in the room when these 4 performed together. The show was in honor of Harvey L. Massey. I once sat next to Harvey and his wife Carol in the Shakespeare Theater. They were seated in the seats above the entry doors. I decided that those seats were the perfect angle from which I should sketch the show. I asked if it was alright if I could sit next to them to sketch. Harvey was a huge supporter of the Orlando Shakes productions. Had I realized who he was at the time I might have been to intimidated to sit down next to him and sketch the show.

Harvey L. Massey, was the retired Chairman and CEO of Massey Services. Massey Services is the pest service that almost every Central Floridian uses to keep pests from their homes. The company grew to more than $200 million in revenues with more than 1,700 employees. He passed away peacefully on Tuesday, January 24, 2023 at the age of 81.

At Florida Blog Con the closing keynote by Pat Moore of Marketing Nutz. Nothing she talked about made any practical sense. I glanced around the auditorium and most people seemed to be surfing the web or checking their Facebook status.

There was a Ford after party in Full Sail‘s back Lot. Sysco provided the food, and Pinnacle Vodka provided the drinks. The Mudflappers provided the entertainment. I pulled over a chair and sketched. One woman and her child danced to the music but for the most part the music was something people shouted over. I’m sure I should have mingled but it is just as important that I do what I do. The performers thought that I was writing an extensive review. I last saw the Mudflappers at a Fringe Fundraiser at Hard Rock Live. Their music is lively and fun and I tapped my toe as I sketched. Their music pulls its influences from the outlaw country of Johnny
Cash, the blazing bluegrass of Earl Scruggs, the roaming melodies of gypsy swing
à la Django Reinhardt, to the prohibitionary jazz of your local
speakeasy. This sonic gumbo is held together by the sultrily celestial
harmonies of leading lady Sarah Elizabeth Patrick the violinist who, as it turns out, is expecting a baby. Her flapper’s dress hid that fact quite well. Soon there will be a little Mudflapper kicking up his or her heels.

When the band stopped, one performer stopped over to see what I was up to. He knew my work and said one of my sketches was being used as his laptop desktop. I smiled, but groaned inside, there was another use of my work where I wasn’t getting paid. Then all the performers started coming over.

By the time I was done, most people had left. I had some pasta , a coke and some incredible peanut butter cupcakes and then headed home. I learned plenty at the conference and now it was time to implement changes going forward.