<P> Phillips 's pivotal role in the early days of rock and roll was exemplified by a celebrated jam session on December 4 , 1956 , with what became known as the Million Dollar Quartet . Jerry Lee Lewis was playing piano for a Carl Perkins recording session at Phillips 's studio . When Elvis Presley walked in unexpectedly , Johnny Cash was called into the studio by Phillips , leading to an impromptu session featuring the four musicians . Phillips challenged the four to achieve gold record sales , offering a free Cadillac to the first , which Carl Perkins won . The contest is commemorated in a song by the Drive - By Truckers . </P>
sam philips with his sun record label was the chief architect of the genre known as
rock and roll