Background
Brad Suggs, born Luther Bradley “Pee Wee” Suggs (also known as “LB” and “Junior,”) was born in 1933 in North Carolina.
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Brad Suggs
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His name is widely unknown although he appeared on more than eight Sun and Phillips International records. Early Years Suggs first began playing guitar professionally with the Loden Family in North Carolina. Sonny James (born Sonny Loden) and Suggs moved to Memphis, Tennessee around 1950.
When Suggs wasn"t working in the studio he worked full-time at Sears.
James wanted Suggs to go on the road touring with him, but Suggs decided not to due to family obligations. Instead, Suggs began playing with the Slim Rhodes Band.
He played with the Rhodes group on all their Sun recordings, as well as on eight tracks recorded in 1950 during the earliest days of the Memphis Recording Service (1). When Suggs began releasing singles Rockabilly was not a household word yet and the Sun label was still being shaped (trying to find its niche).
In 1959, Suggs began to work in the semi-official capacity of Sun producer and bandleader (1).
lieutenant was at this time that his five singles were issued on the Phillips International label. (Suggs can be seen playing guitar in the back ground of the famous picture of comedian George Jessell bowing at Elvis" feet during the concert) He also worked with the Memphis Symphony Orchestra. Suggs’ recordings can be found on The Complete Sun, Volumes 1, 2 and 6, issued by Bear Family Records.
Suggs also sang and got label cr on “Don’t Believe” (Sun 216), “Are You Ashamed of Maine?” (Sun 225), and “Bad Girl” (Sun 238), which were recorded with the Slim Rhodes" band.
