Sam Phillips the first investors in Holiday Inn, a motel chain that was about to expand to a nationwide franchise; he became involved with the chain shortly after selling Elvis Presley's contract to RCA, for $35,000, which he multiplied many times over the years with Holiday Inn. He also created two subsidiary recording labels, Phillips International Records and Holiday Inn Records. He owned the Sun Studio Café in Memphis. One location was in the Mall of Memphis. Phillips and his family founded Big River Broadcasting Corporation, which owns and operates several radio stations in the Florence, Alabama, area, including WQLT-FM, WSBM, and
Quonset Hut Studio at the Hut and artists from different genres including Tammy Wynette, Bob Dylan, Johnny Cash, The Byrds, Elvis Costello, Gene Vincent and Simon & Garfunkel recorded music there. The legendary studio operated from 1955 through 1982 when it was converted into office space. In 2006, philanthropist Mike Curb bought the structure and had it restored. Today it serves as a recording classroom for Belmont University. Quonset Hut Studio Quonset Hut Studio was a music recording studio, originally known as Bradley's Film & Recording Studios, and which later was called Columbia Studio B. It was the first major label recording studio