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Sam Philips letter claiming 'This Presley thing is amazing...It hit so hard and fast that everybody is still amazed'.

In black and white - the winners and losers from the birth of Rock n Roll.

Never-seen-before letters charting the struggles a record producer had in launching an unknown Elvis Presley into the music world have emerged for sale for £50,000.

The fascinating archive reveals calamitous calls made by record executives and DJs who rejected Memphis music impresario Sam Phillips' efforts to get Elvis' name out there.

Mr Phillips, boss of the fledgling star's first record label Sun Records, wrote: "Sun has released a new artist who is creating a tremendous excitement...his name is Elvis Presley."

The archive of 47 letters includes several rejection letters and is being sold by Henry Aldridge and Son of Devizes, Wilts.