One Night Only: Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins and Jerry Lee Lewis

March 13, 2018
4 mins read

It’s one of the most iconic images in music history. The black and white photograph of four young artists gathered around a recording studio piano, each knocking at the door of superstardom, but on Dec. 4, 1956, the million-dollar quartet was just four men sharing a love of music.

The Tony award-winning Broadway musical Million Dollar Quartet provides a narrative of that singular moment in rock ’n roll told through the songs of the legendary artists Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins and Jerry Lee Lewis. The story takes place at Sun Studios in Memphis where, recognizing the weight of the moment, studio owner and the “Father of Rock ‘N Roll Sam Phillips recorded the historic jam session. It would be first and only time the rock ‘n’ roll icons would come together.

“At the time, they were just four young guys who just happened to be traversing the same ground,” says Peter Oyloe, who plays Johnny Cash. “They had all the hopes and dreams of what they wanted to become still yet to come. This is where hindsight is so interesting looking back at the breadth of the exposure this photo has taken on.”

Missing Event Data

Million Dollar Quartet hits the stage for one night only March 15 at the Times-Union Center for the Arts. The production tells a story of broken promises, secrets, and celebrations featuring such timeless hits as “Blue Suede Shoes,” “Fever,” “That’s All Right,” “Sixteen Tons,” “Great Balls of Fire,” “I Walk the Line,” “Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On,” “Who Do You Love?,” “Matchbox,” “Folsom Prison Blues,” and “Hound Dog.”

Oyloe stars as the young Johnny Cash before he was known as the Man in Black. On that day in 1956, Cash wasn’t yet a legend but a young, hungry gospel singer trying to make a name for himself. He dropped by Sun Studios by to talk to Philips, who attempts to re-sign Cash to a new contract, unaware he has already inked a deal with Columbia Records. As an actor, Oyloe walked the line to deliver an authentic representation of the man without becoming a caricature.

“It’s a sensitive line that actors have to tread. These are legendary people, but they are also human beings with all the idiosyncrasies that humans have,” he says. “There are certain cues, how they move, gesture, the sound of their voice we look at as signposts for how a person manifests themselves into the world.”

“You had very authentic people becoming the crossroads of all these different genres of music.”

The 1950’s was an important time for rock ‘n roll that helped launch the careers of Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, Elvis Presley and Carl Perkins. Times were changing, and the advent of modern rock ‘n roll served as a reflection of those changes.

“It was a point of transition. The roots being developed became this tree of music. You had very authentic people becoming the crossroads of all these different genres of music. They are all right there at the apex. All that comes after you have to call back to them,” says Oyloe. “’I don’t mean to denigrate the people making music today, but I think it would be hard to have such legends again because of how music is made and listened to. It’s a much different game. But we’ll always have these men because of the spectrum of music they inspired.”

Oyloe is an acclaimed composer and folk musician, having composed the scores to the film In Love With A Nun, and the plays Equus (Jeff Nom. – Best Original Music) and Eurydice. His EP entitled “When the Wide World Roars” is available at www.peteroyloe.com. His own musicianship informed his approach to his role as Johnny Cash.

“It made it more accessible, knowing how I might approach writing a song might play into what goes into writing a song,” he says. “Events, feelings, these things become the little threads of things we create. It’s beneficial in understanding the things that go into the making of music. In my performance track, I really like Folsom Prison Blues. It was his first big hit and presenting it to the crowds is such a special moment.”

This isn’t the first time Oyloe has played the role of a music legend. He portrayed Hank Williams in Hank Williams: Lost Highway at the Clarence Brown Theatre and Filament Theatre, receiving the Jeff Award for Best Lead Actor in a Musical. Oyloe also starred as Williams in sold out runs at Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, earning the LCT Award for Best Lead Actor in a Musical, and at the Merry Go Round Playhouse in central New York with George Wendt.

Other credits include Paul Clayton in Search: Paul, Juno, Giorgio in, See What I Wanna See, Orpheus in Eurydice, Michael in The Pillowman, Alan Strang in Equus and The Phantom in Phantom. He has appeared in the film In Love With A Nun, a Cannes Selection, and on NBC’s Chicago PD.

For his performance in Million Dollar Quartet, Oyloe studied the physical attributes that helped create the larger than life persona of Johnny Cash. But he also tapped into the man behind the Man in Black, who was quiet, reserved, thoughtful and introspective in his own time.

“That’s the thing that I’m most proud of. If people have seen the show before or they haven’t, our take on it is a little bit different. Hopefully, we focus a bit more on the men as they were then. We’re trying to be very present instead of trying to project who they would become,” says Oyloe. “I hope there is an authenticity in how we present these young, hopeful men who didn’t know the pain they had yet to endure. They are just arriving, not yet knowing the legends they would become but just four men bonding a love of music and sharing the joy of this creation together.”

Previous Story

MAN OF LA MANCHA: Atlantic Beach Experimental Theatre Review

Next Story

One Man Leads Charge to Legalize MARIJUANA in Florida

Latest from Downtown

THE ILLUSIONISTS will add magic to your season

This Tuesday, for one night only, the record-breaking THE ILLUSIONISTS-MAGIC OF THE HOLIDAYS will be onstage at the Performing Arts Center in Jacksonville.  Having originated on Broadway, the show features rotating performers who have wowed audiences around the world since 2012. Multi-award-winning Chris Cox – The Mentalist  – has performed

Rumor Has It

Is First Baptist Church controlling Downtown development?  Words by Ambar Ramirez It’s one of the oldest and largest Baptist congregations in Jacksonville. And probably one of the most influential. Whether you were born and raised in Jacksonville or moved to this bold city in recent years, chances are you know

Downtown we will rock you with THE ULTIMATE QUEEN CELEBRATION

This Friday (10/18), Jacksonville rock fans are going to get a special treat.  THE ULTIMATE QUEEN CELEBRATION is coming to our city for one performance only.  This is not a typical tribute or impersonation show, nor is it a story about Freddy Mercury and the original group.  This is a

Jacksonville Is Getting in Its Own Way … Again.

What is really happening with the Laura Street Trio? Words by Carmen Macri In the very heart of Downtown Jacksonville lies the very vacant Laura Street Trio. The buildings have been deteriorating for more than 30 years with graffiti covering the walls and overgrown weeds taking over the landscape.

Bold Love Fest

Words by Emily Cannon A festival for bold love in the Bold City, the Bold Love Fest is a concert and festival celebrating LGBTQ+ Pride for all. The inaugural event, producedy by Bold Events, will take place at Daily’s Place on June 15. The festival will feature artists such as
July 5th Cleanup
GoUp

Don't Miss

FSCJ ARTIST SERIES BROADWAY IN JACKSONVILLE ANNOUNCES THE 20/21 SEASON

HEADLINED BY THE TONY AND GRAMMY-AWARD WINNING BEST MUSICAL DEAR

⚡️FLASH GIVEAWAY⚡️ Win Tickets To See CHICAGO!

FSCJ Artist Series Presents Chicago, May 17-20! CHICAGO is BACK