Sam Phillips Net Worth
David Mack
Updated on May 11, 2026

Sam Phillips net worth is
$1.7 Million
Sam Phillips Wiki: Salary, Married, Wedding, Spouse, Family
Samuel Cornelius Phillips (January 5, 1923 – July 30, 2003), better known as Sam Phillips, was an American businessman, record executive, record producer and DJ who played an important role in the emergence of rock and roll as the major form of popular music in the 1950s. He was a producer, label owner, and talent scout throughout the 1940s and 1950s. He most notably founded Sun Studios and Sun Records in Memphis, Tennessee. Through Sun, Phillips discovered such recording talent as Howlin' Wolf, Carl Perkins, Jerry Lee Lewis and Johnny Cash. The height of his success culminated in his launching of Elvis Presley's career in 1954. He is also associated with several other noteworthy rhythm and blues and rock and roll stars of the period. Phillips sold Sun in 1969. He was an early investor in the Holiday Inn chain of hotels. He also advocated racial equality and helped break down racial music industry barriers.
| # | Trademark |
|---|---|
| 1 | Opposition to religious and political conservatism |
| 2 | Pensive, intelligent lyrics dealing with issues of faith, grace, and doubt |
| # | Quote |
|---|---|
| 1 | [on creating music] Usually when I'm trying to write songs, I work hard on the lyrics and I work hard on the melodies too. I know there's a sort of tendency especially these days for people to think "I'm just gonna pick up a guitar and whatever comes out is good enough." And I don't feel that way. I feel like what I grew up listening to and some of the incredible, the heavy musicians and the heavy songwriters, I think that the bar is really high. And I'd probably never get up to that bar, so I'm always trying to get up there. |
| 2 | [on her experience scoring for Gilmore Girls] I had no idea I was going to love working on the show so much. Gilmore Girls was a wonderful creation. I only wish Amy could go back and do a few more episodes or a movie to tie up the loose ends. She left the show one season before it went off the air and though everyone did a great job carrying on, it was a devastating loss. |
| # | Fact |
|---|---|
| 1 | Album, 'A Boot and a Shoe', scheduled for April 2004 release from Nonesuch Records. [February 2004] |
| 2 | Composed for the television series "Gilmore Girls" throughout its entire seven year run. |
| 3 | Her real name is Leslie Ann Phillips. The nickname of "Sam" was adopted when she crossed over from gospel to secular music. |
| 4 | Due to an unknown technical error, in the mid-1980s her song "Here He Comes with My Heart" was accidentally sent blaring onto the set of Today (1952), interrupting an on-air segment with Jane Pauley. Pauley made a disparaging comment about the song, but she invited Ms. Phillips to be a guest on the show soon thereafter. |
| 5 | Named Best Female Singer of 1994 in "Rolling Stone" magazine's annual critics' poll, for her album "Martinis & Bikinis" (1994) |
| 6 | Nominated for Best Female Rock Vocal Performance at the 37th Annual Grammy Awards for the song "Circle of Fire" from her album _Martinis & Bikinis_ (1994). She lost to Melissa Etheridge. |
| 7 | Was 2nd runner-up for Best Songwriter of 1994 in "Rolling Stone" magazine's annual critics' poll, for her album "Martinis & Bikinis". She was bested by Freedy Johnston and Kurt Cobain, who placed 1st and 2nd in the poll, respectively. |
| 8 | Although in real life she is best-known as a singer with an acclaimed voice, her character Katya in Die Hard with a Vengeance (1995) is mute. |
| 9 | The music video for her song "Baby I Can't Please You" (1994) features archive footage of Rush Limbaugh, Pat Robertson and Jerry Falwell, whose ideologies she has denounced in numerous print and radio interviews. |
| 10 | Has a daughter, Simone, born in 1998, with ex-husband T Bone Burnett. |


Composer
| Title | Year | Status | Character |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life | 2016 | TV Mini-Series 4 episodes | |
| Bunheads | 2012-2013 | TV Series 18 episodes | |
| Gilmore Girls | 2000-2007 | TV Series 152 episodes |
Soundtrack
| Title | Year | Status | Character |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life | 2016 | TV Mini-Series performer - 1 episode | |
| Happy | 2016/IV | Documentary performer: "Magic For Everyone", "Can't See Straight" / writer: "Magic For Everyone", "Can't See Straight" | |
| Bunheads | TV Series writer - 5 episodes, 2012 - 2013 performer - 2 episodes, 2012 | ||
| Crazy Heart | 2009 | performer: "Reflecting Light" 2004 / writer: "Reflecting Light" 2004 | |
| Gilmore Girls | TV Series 2 episodes, 2001 - 2006 performer - 7 episodes, 2000 - 2004 writer - 6 episodes, 2000 - 2001 | ||
| Ladder 49 | 2004 | performer: "How to Dream" / writer: "How to Dream" | |
| Here on Earth | 2000 | writer: "I Need Love" | |
| Down to You | 2000 | performer: "I Need Love" / writer: "I Need Love" - as Leslie A. Phillips | |
| It Came from the Sky | 1999 | TV Movie performer: "Baby, I Can't Please You", "Strawberry Road" / writer: "Baby, I Can't Please You", "Strawberry Road" | |
| The End of Violence | 1997 | performer: "Animals On Wheels" / writer: "Animals On Wheels" | |
| Stealing Beauty | 1996 | performer: "I Need Love" / writer: "I Need Love" | |
| The Last Supper | 1995/I | performer: "When I Fall" / writer: "When I Fall" | |
| Ready to Wear | 1994 | performer: "These Boots are Made for Walkin'" | |
| Bopha! | 1993 | "AMANDLA!" | |
| Three of Hearts | 1993 | performer: "I Need Love" / writer: "I Need Love" | |
| Ruby in Paradise | 1993 | performer: "Raised on Promises", "Holding On To The Earth" / writer: "Raised on Promises", "Holding On To The Earth" | |
| A Midnight Clear | 1992 | arranger: "It Came Upon a Midnight Clear" / performer: "It Came Upon a Midnight Clear" / producer: "It Came Upon a Midnight Clear" |
Music Department
| Title | Year | Status | Character |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bunheads | 2012-2013 | TV Series composer - 17 episodes |
Actress
| Title | Year | Status | Character |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gilmore Girls | 2006 | TV Series | Muse Troubadour |
| The End of Violence | 1997 | Singer | |
| Die Hard with a Vengeance | 1995 | Katya |
Miscellaneous
| Title | Year | Status | Character |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bopha! | 1993 | ADR loop group |
Thanks
| Title | Year | Status | Character |
|---|---|---|---|
| Happy | 2016/IV | Documentary thanks |
Self
| Title | Year | Status | Character |
|---|---|---|---|
| TV Land: Myths and Legends | 2007 | TV Series documentary | Himself |
| Fan Dance | 2003 | Video short | Herself |
| Helmut Lotti: My Tribute to the King | 2002 | Video documentary | Herself |
| The Test | 2001 | TV Series | Herself - Panelist |
| Die Hard 3: Villains with a Vengeance | 1995 | Video short | Herself |
| Late Night with Conan O'Brien | 1994 | TV Series | Herself |
Known for movies

Gilmore Girls (2000-2007)
as Composer

Crazy Heart (2009)
as Soundtrack

Ladder 49 (2004)
as Soundtrack

Stealing Beauty (1996)
as Soundtrack