Tony Alexander

The sun rises each morning and the Sun is still shining in Memphis.

Tony Alexander and the B-Flat Trio — drummer Chad Carr, bassman Paul Miller and guitarist Eric Schweizer — made a dream come true in January when they recorded Alexander’s newest CD, “Live at Sun Studio,” at the legendary recording studio — 11 popular songs, most of them from the 1950s.

A CD release party is scheduled for Saturday night at the Capitol Theater, 211 N. Third St. in downtown Burlington.

Sun Studio is where unknowns including Elvis, Carl Perkins and Johnny Cash got their start in the early ’50s with Sun Records.

“It’s always been a dream, being a little kid watching Elvis movies and completely infatuated,” Alexander said. “I went to Graceland a couple years ago, did the tour of Sun Studio, and that was a highlight for me.”

The B-Flat Trio recorded the CD in four hours, including covers of Elvis, Cash, Gene Vincent and others. It was engineered by Ples Hampton, who has steered stars like ZZ Top.

“Ples said we did exactly what Sun was made for — we recorded live, no messing about,” Alexander said.

“Sun was a dream come true,” Carr said. “The opportunity to record there was surreal. I’ve been there numerous times as a little boy, when Sun Records was a museum. My dream of recording there started there.”

Born Tony Briggs in Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, England, Alexander discovered a love for music early on.


“I was crazy about the Beatles and Elvis Presley,” he said. “Elvis was my idol.”

Alexander spent three years in the Royal Artillery, boxing as a light-middleweight, then put another band together. Inspired by his longtime friend, guitarist Carlo Santanna of Paper Lace, who had hits with “The Night Chicago Died” and “Billy, Don’t Be a Hero,” Alexander went solo in 1986.

“I love Frank Sinatra, I love Roy Orbison,” he said. “There’s quite a fan base for that in England.”

Alexander moved to Burlington in 2011 and resurrected his 2007 show called The Legends, doing tributes to all the greats: Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, Dean Martin, packing in the fans along the Costa Del Sol in Spain.

“I try to make my show as authentic as possible,” he said. “I don’t dress up in the suits or anything. There was only one Elvis, you know.”

The B-Flat boys drove to Memphis together, just like bands did in the 1950s.

“We trusted Eric to do the driving,” Carr said, and both men laughed. “We had a lot of laughs.”


“We’ve made a great album, we have the Sun Studio sound that it’s famous for,” Alexander said. “I’ve had some wonderful people review it including Paul Nelson from the Johnny Winter Band; he loved it, and Jack Howell from Foghat and Savoy Brown; he loved it, too. It’s gone beyond my expectations.”

“Great gritty rockabilly holding true to its origins, done exceptionally well,” Nelson e-mailed Alexander. “Thanks for sharing your great music. Love the Vibe”

“It was a blessing, the pinnacle as a musician, to go in there where all your heroes recorded,” Carr said.

Mina Kaye will open the show at 7:30 p.m. Saturday with a solo set, followed by The Legends with Alexander, Schweizer, Alan Poggemiller, James Conne and Doug Ells. Tony Alexander and the B-Flat Trio will close the show.

Admission is $10 for adults, $5 for kids under 12. CDs can be purchased for $10. - Bob Saar