It was just one night in Memphis and it happened more than 60 years ago. But the impromptu jam session of four legendary musicians — some just starting out their career back then — is still remembered and celebrated today.

One example is the production “One Night in Memphis,” created by musician and actor John Mueller.

“One Night in Memphis,” coming Nov. 3 to the James Lumber Center, features the stories and songs of four iconic musicians of the ’50s and ’60s — Carl Perkins, Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis and Johnny Cash.

“One Night in Memphis” refers to Dec. 4, 1956, when Perkins was recording in a studio, and Presley, Lewis and Cash joined to chat and play music. The jam session was recorded on tape and later released in Europe and then in the United States. A musical about the session, “The Million Dollar Quartet,” premiered on Broadway in 2010.

Mueller, who portrayed Buddy Holly in “The Buddy Holly Story” in the 1990s, created “One Night in Memphis” in 2012 and has listened to the “Million Dollar Quartet” recording many times.

“What I love about it is that it’s a microcosm,” Mueller said. “They sing gospel. They sing country songs, blues. You get a feeling about how all this music evolved into rock ’n’ roll. You hear these legends being themselves. You get a sense of a charismatic family.”

For his production, “One Night in Memphis,” Mueller blends historical tidbits including how the night came together and a history on each performer and how certain songs were created. “Johnny Cash demonstrates how he got that train sound on the guitar,” Mueller said. “We play all the hit songs the guys had, including some of the songs they didn’t do on Dec. 4, 1956, because they hadn’t released them yet.”

Mueller said he chose to portray Carl Perkins for the production because he doesn’t at all look like Elvis, can’t play the piano like Jerry Lee Lewis did and doesn’t have a deep enough voice to sound like Johnny Cash.

Besides, Mueller loved Perkins’ guitar playing and wanted to emulate that, he said.

He also learned about Perkins’ life, which adds to the performance, he said.

Those who have heard of Perkins likely are most familiar with his “Blue Suede Shoes,” Mueller said. But Perkins was recording a lesser-known song, “Matchbox,” that one night in Memphis.

“I researched his life, his biography. I was stunned to find out how poor his family was,” Mueller said. “He grew up dirt poor.”

While out picking cotton one day, Perkins heard an old man singing a blues song called “Matchbox,” Mueller learned. Perkins sped the tempo and gave it some rock vibes to create his version, Mueller said.

When Mueller performs the song he said, “I imagine myself seeing this guy out in the cotton field. I do a slow part of it first. It’s really fun for me. It has that essence of an old blues song.”

Mueller said he searched for just the right talent to take on the other three parts. He hired Brandon Bennett, who starred in the Broadway show “Million Dollar Quartet,” to portray Elvis. Blair Carman portrays Jerry Lee Lewis and Shawn Barker plays Johnny Cash.

Though he grew up in the age of disco music, Mueller said he remained glued to the 1950s and ’60s style his whole life. “There’s something about the rhythm, the beat, the immediacy of it. Those songs were the first ones I learned how to play on guitar,” he said, adding his parents and older siblings played the music of Johnny Cash, Buddy Holly and other musicians of that era, while he was growing up.

Mueller thinks music lovers of all ages still appreciate the style because “It’s fun, happy music. It made you feel good. There were no political messages in the music back then.

“I think that’s what appeals to people. They like to escape and feel good.”

Mueller said by the end of the show folks are often dancing in their seats. The audience is typically about 45 percent white-haired folks and the rest are in their 20s and 30s, he said.

“We have a really slamming fall schedule,” Mueller said. “I think the future looks good. I think we’ll be around for quite a few years, and then hopefully, if we get rickety old, we’ll find some younger guys to take over.”

‘One Night in Memphis’

When: 4 p.m. Nov. 3

Where: James Lumber Center, 19351 Washington St., Grayslake

Tickets: $15-$35

Information: 847-543-2300; www.clcillinois.edu/tickets

Sheryl DeVore is a freelance reporter for the News-Sun.