I'll Follow The Sun •Elvis Presley•

12: I Was There When It Happened

My grandma got me a cardboard cutout of Elvis in Jailhouse Rock!!!'1! *cries*

I arrived at Sun Records the next  morning exhausted and sleep deprived. I heard Sam and another man talking up a storm in the studio the second I opened the door.

I walked into the studio and saw Sam talking to a young man, mid twenties maybe, with black hair and dark brown eyes. His eyes met mine and he grinned. There was two other men with him. One with an electric guitar and the other with a bass.

"Who's that?" I whispered to Marion who was tuning guitars in the studio with them.

"That's John Cash. He's playin for Sam today." She whispered in reply, still looking down at the guitars.

I looked at this 'John Cash'. He sat in a stool sighs guitar across his lap.

"Sam look," he inserted a dollar bill into the strings and strummed the guitar, creating a snare drum noise.

Sam nodded with his hand up to his chin. "That sounds great. Hm. What song are you gonna sing?" He asked John.

"I Was There When It Happened." John replied. "Oh and this is Luther Perkins," he pointed to the man with the electric guitar. "And Marshall Grant." The bass guy.

"Nice to meet you guys," Sam shook hands with the men. "Marion? Lizzie? We are about to do a session." Sam said. That means gtfo.

We nodded and followed Sam into the booth.

And John did sing nicely. His voice was deep. Steady like a train, like sharp like a razor.

"Yes I know when Jesus saved me." John sang.
-"Saved my soul." Marshall and Luther sang back up.

"The very moment he forgave me."
-"Made me whole."

"He took away my heavy burdens, lord he gave me peace within."
-"Peace within."

"Satan can't make me doubt it."
-"I won't doubt it."

"It's real and I'm gonna shout it."
-"I'm gonna shout it."

"I was there when it happened, and so I guess I, outta know."

John sang other gospel songs too.

The song came to an end and Sam clapped. "I'm signing him." He said proudly.

****

Sam sent John and the Tennessee two away to write an "up tempo weeper love song" that night. He sighed John, who says to call him Johnny.

Sam shook Johnny's hand at the front door to Sun.

"Go home and sin and then come back with a song I can sell." He said, causing Johnny to laugh.

Sam went back into the studio, leaving Johnny and I alone. Marion left to get lunch. Marshall and Luther had also left.

I was seated at Marion's desk. Johnny stood at the door. His eyes met mine but I got nervous and looked away.

"Hello, I'm Johnny Cash." He said. He stuck out his hand. I shook it. "Lizzie Grant." I said. He raises an eyebrow.

"Are you related to Marshall?" He asked. I laughed. "No, don't know who Marshall is to be honest." I said. He grinned.

"It's nice to meet you, Ms. Grant." He said. "You as well, Mr. Cash."

"Call me Johnny." He grinned again. He reached into his back pocket and pulled out his wallet.