Never-Before-Heard Carl Perkins Album Set For Release

08-24-2025

(TPH) Seventy years ago, Carl Perkins' single, "Blue Suede Shoes," struck down on a staid music landscape like a bolt of lightning. It shocked and electrified the world with its infectious blend of country, blues, and pop, and is often considered one of the first rockabilly songs.

The King Of Rockabilly, Carl Perkins, returns to Sun Records just in time to celebrate 70 years of "Blue Suede Shoes" with the landmark, never-before-heard album, Some Things Never Change, out October 24th, 2025. The 10-song collection was produced by Grammy-nominated songwriter, musician, recording artist, and producer Bill Lloyd. Nashville-based Lloyd is often remembered as half of the chart-topping country-rock duo Foster & Lloyd. The album's first single, revved-up rocker, "Memphis In The Meantime," is out today. Some Things Never Change will be available on vinyl, CD, and across all streaming platforms.

"Working with Carl Perkins remains one of the biggest highlights of my career," says Bill Lloyd. "What makes this release especially meaningful is knowing that rockabilly continues to resonate with new generations. I hope young artists will hear this album and feel the energy, authenticity, and joy that Carl brought to every note."

Some Things Never Change couldn't be a truer proclamatory title. Perkins sounds full of vigor and swagger, making 1990-the year it was recorded-feel as vital as 1955, ground zero for rockabilly's genesis. The recordings are complete with all the classic fixings: slapback echo, twanging guitars, snarled singing, and dreamy balladry.

The first single, "Memphis in the Meantime," was written by Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter John Hiatt, and appeared on his 1987 album. Here, it's a barnburner honky tonk tune that sounds like a lost rockabilly classic. Upon hearing the new version, Hiatt said, "Carl Perkins is what 'Memphis In The Meantime' is all about."

Some Things Never Change also boasts a rousing rendition of Johnny Cash's "Get Rhythm," as well as previously unrecorded originals like the high torque rockabilly number "Baby, Bye Bye," the moony ballad "Some Things Never Change," and the pastoral country-folk song, "Where Does Love Go."

Perkins is known as the King of Rockabilly for the contributions he made to popular music at the birthplace of rock and roll, Sun Records. His post-Sun career was full of twists and turns, but dedicated rockabilly fans were aware that he continued to perform and record. Lloyd was one of those fans, and he had the good fortune to tour with Perkins during his tenure in Foster & Lloyd.
In 1990, at the recommendation of his manager, Lloyd hooked up with Perkins and found himself in rock 'n' roll heaven tracking Perkins in a lean rockabilly combo. They first recorded demos at Perkins' pool house at his home in Jackson, Tennessee, and later recorded three tracks at 16th Avenue Sound in Nashville.

"Carl made me feel totally at home. I slept in the guest bedroom and would hear him knock on my door in the mornings and say, 'Valda's got breakfast on.' Still makes me smile to think about it," Lloyd recalled in the album liner notes.

Joining the sessions were Perkins' sons Stan (drums) and Greg (bass), pianist Joe Schenk, and studio aces Jerry Douglas and Pete Finney. The recordings, thought lost for decades, were rediscovered in 2024 on a DAT in Lloyd's archive. These never-before-heard recordings showcase Perkins' freewheeling rockabilly style and classic vocals near the end of his career.

Some Things Never Change will be pressed at Memphis Record Pressing. "All the legendary Sun Records releases were cut in Memphis-including 'Blue Suede Shoes,'" says Brandon Seavers, Co-Founder & CEO of Memphis Record Pressing. "It's an honor to press this lost treasure trove of a Carl Perkins album right back where it all began."

Perkins was one of Sun Records' brightest stars, known for his classic track "Blue Suede Shoes" that became a hit for fellow Sun artist Elvis Presley. A rockabilly icon, Perkins is known for his rock solid rockers like "Honey Don't," Matchbox," and more. Enshrined in institutions like the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Grammy Hall of Fame, Perkins made an undeniable impact on the history of American music. Perkins' songs have been recorded by the Beatles, Jimi Hendrix, Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Ricky Nelson, and Eric Clapton, among many others.

Perkins passed away 8 years after the sessions for Some Things Never Change, but he sounds full of vitality on these recordings. "It's a thrill for these recordings I made with Carl Perkins to finally see the light of day. An added thrill is that they're being released on the revitalized Sun Records label," Lloyd said.