 Alex Chilton was the lead singer for the blue @-@ eyed soul group the Box Tops from 1967 to 1970 , who scored a No. 1 hit with the song " The Letter " when he was sixteen . Following his stint with the Box Tops , he recorded a solo studio album . He was offered the role of lead vocalist for Blood , Sweat & Tears , but turned the offer down as " too commercial " . Chilton had known Chris Bell for some time : both lived in Memphis , each had spent time recording music at Ardent Studios , and each , when aged 13 , had been struck by the music of the Beatles during the band 's 1964 debut US tour . A song Chilton wrote nearly six years after he first witnessed a Beatles performance , " Thirteen " , referred to the event with the line " Rock ' n ' roll is here to stay " . Chilton asked Bell to work with him as a duo modeled on Simon & Garfunkel ; Bell declined , but invited Chilton to a performance by his own band , Icewater , comprising Bell , drummer Jody Stephens , and bassist Andy Hummel . Attracted by Icewater 's music , Chilton showed the three his new song " Watch the Sunrise " , and was asked to join the band . Both " Watch the Sunrise " and " Thirteen " were subsequently included on Big Star 's first album , # 1 Record . The now four @-@ piece band adopted the name Big Star when one member was given the idea from a grocery store often visited for snacks during recording sessions . One of many Big Star Markets outlets in the Memphis region at the time , it had a logo consisting of a five @-@ pointed star enclosing the words " Big Star " ; as well as the store 's name , the band used its logo but without the word " Star " to avoid infringing copyright . 
