Memphis Soul Blog

Memphis Soul, Nook and Cranny

2007-06-29T14:51:00.000-05:00

Though Beale Street, Stax Museum of American Soul Music and the Memphis Rock ‘n’ Soul Museum soak up most of the attention in Memphis when it comes to soul music, the city’s connection to the sound goes beyond its main attractions.

From the public address system in local grocery stores to the ultra-hip Beauty Shop Restaurant in Cooper-Young, the sounds of soul can be found in almost every nook and cranny. Pay attention to that background music when you stroll through the aisles of a convenient store or gas station or local shoe store and you’re more than likely listening to WDIA or Otis Redding’s Greatest Hits. The ubiquitous nature of Memphis music is what, in part, makes Memphis music so unique: Memphians listen to it. Yeah, that’s right, we Memphians enjoy the music made in this town, whether it be from Sun Studio, Stax, American Recordings or Ardent Records. This love affair extends to our record stores and one place we can guarantee you’ll hear Memphis Soul (and a lot of other Memphis music) is in a modest, but well-known record shop on Madison Avenue in Midtown, Shangri-La Records.

Owned by Sherman Wilmott, a local label owner, tour guide, historian and one of three credited curators of the Stax Museum of American Soul Music, Shangri-La’s selection of Memphis music is arguably the strongest in the region. Brows the bins and you’ll find Lps, CDs, 45s and 78s of Blues, Soul, R&B, Rockabilly, Country, Funk and a long selection of unique compilations like Scott Bomar’s Impala, “Night Full of Sirens: Anthology 93-97” or The Hook-Up’s “Simmer to a Boil: 2 Dozen Soul Cookers.” Attracting Memphis music fans from all over the world, the store also has the honor of employing one of the city’s best soul music DJs, Andrew McCalla, aka DJ Buck Wilders.

A featured DJ-in-residence at local club, The Buccaneer on Thursday nights, McCalla also does quarterly soul night gigs at the Hi-Tone. But were most people experience McCalla’s good, and obscure, taste for soul is on local independent radio station, WEVL. Spinning records every Tuesday afternoon on the station’s well-known show, “Memphis Beat,” McCalla has, according to the Commercial Appeal’s Bob Mehr, “shined in his on-air role, handling interviews with roots vets including Harvey Scales and Bobby Rush and setting up in-studio performances by younger artists such as Jeffrey James and the Hall and Vending Machine.”

Featuring an eclectic play list that covers everything from Stax instrumentals to gospel to early Sun Records to country and blues, McCalla has quickly established himself as one of the most knowledgeable locals of Memphis music.

Important websites:

http://wevl.org/

http://www.shangri.com/

http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=43645716
http://www.hitonememphis.com/

And On The Seventh Day…

2007-06-29T14:49:00.000-05:00

With an incredible week of events celebrating Memphis’ rich soul music heritage that included the United States Congress honoring Soulsville with a resolution sponsored by U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen, D-TN, “7 Seven Days of Soul” came to at the historic Orpheum Theater, the chosen venue for one of the year’s most anticipated music events: “50 Years of Stax,” a concert to benefit the Stax Museum of American Soul Music.

Hosted by rap legend Chuck D and American Idol’s Randy Jackson, the evening was broadcast live on XM satellite radio and featured a reunion of sorts of some of Memphis greatest soul legends, including Eddie Floyd, William Bell and Isaac Hayes. Throughout the year Concord Records and the Memphis Convention & Visitors Bureau have produced and promoted events featuring many of the men who made Memphis Soul, and though these artists have proven to all who’ve listened that they still got it, Friday night’s show brought together some of Memphis Soul’s most important women.

Mavis Staples marked an important return to Memphis belting out classic hits from her days with the Staples Sisters, as well as cuts from her recent critically acclaimed album, “We’ll Never Turn Back,” produced by Ry Cooder. Mable John, one of the few soul artists to have worked with both MoTown and Stax, brought back some of that old school groove with an inspiring performance of “Your Good Thing (Is About To End).” And newcomer Angie Stone gave the audience a taste of the future of soul as the first prominent contemporary artist to sign with the rejuvenated Stax label.

Other performances included Lalah Hathaway, N’dambi, The Soul Children and Booker T and the MGs, who earlier in the day were honored by the University of Memphis College of Communication and Fine Arts with the Distinguished Achievement in the Creative and Performing Arts Award. Steve Cropper, Donald "Duck" Dunn and the late Al Jackson Jr., along with the previously honored Booker T. Jones, enjoyed an informal celebration at legendary local barbeque spot, Rendezvous.

For a full recap of the night’s festivities, click on any of the links below:

http://www.commercialappeal.com/mca/music/article/0,1426,MCA_505_5599524,00.html

http://www.commercialappeal.com/mca/music/article/0,1426,MCA_505_5596364,00.html

http://www.modernguitars.com/archives/003410.html

Soul Week, Soul Food

2007-06-18T10:52:00.000-05:00

Just one visit to Memphis and it’s apparent that food plays a major role in Memphis culture, especially soul food. Peppered with both well-known establishments and hole-in-the-wall joints, Memphis serves up some of the best down-home Southern soul food in the country. Here are a few you can’t miss during Soul Week:

ALCENIA’S
Alcenia’s owner B.J. is famous for two things: the hugs she gives every customer who walks in her door and her smothered cabbage, arguably the world’s tastiest version of the typically ho-hum vegetable. The rest of her menu is delightful as well—just be sure to save room for the bread pudding or egg custard pie.
317 N. Main St
(901) 523-0200

GUS’S FRIED CHICKEN
With just a dozen tables, Gus’s may not look like a legend, but this unassuming eatery serves up what many folks claim is the best chicken since the invention of the modern frying pan. Gus’s one-of-a-kind spicy seasoned bird has been featured in GQ Magazine, Vogue and USA Today, as well as on The Food Network’s $40 a Day with Rachael Ray and The Travel Channel.
310 S. Front St.
(901) 527-4877

EARNESTINE AND HAZEL’S
For its atmosphere alone, this brothel-turned-juke joint is not to be missed. And thanks to the world famous Soul Burgers (the flat-top grill is almost constantly filled with the sizzling, spicy patties) you won’t stay hungry while you’re there. The best part? The grill stays open as late as the dance floor does, which is always well into the wee hours.
531 S. Main St.
901-523-9754

From North Carolina to Kansas City — and all points in between — towns, cities, states and regions all claim the best barbeque in the world. We in Memphis appreciate their enthusiasm, but ask any of us to concede the title and we’ll say, “When pigs fly.” Be sure to hit these smoke houses during Soul Week:

NEELY’S
The Neely Brothers (Patrick, Tony, Gaelin and Mark) may have learned the basics from Uncle Jim, but their recipes are uniquely their own. Neely’s is arguably the perfect representation of Memphis BBQ. Perhaps that’s why it’s served at Memphis Grizzlies and Memphis Tigers home games at FedEx Forum arena. It’s also why their ribs were recently featured on Paula Dean’s Food TV show, Paula’s Party.
670 Jefferson Ave.
(901) 521-9798
http://www.neelysbbq.com/

THE RENDEZVOUS
This Downtown, back-alley dining room that started in 1948 with a slab of ribs and an old coal chute has blossomed into a barbecue icon over the years. More than the city’s most famous BBQ restaurant, Rendezvous now ships its famous dry-rub ribs all over the world.
52 S. 2nd St.
(901) 523-2746
http://www.hogsfly.com/

COZY CORNER
The most popular sandwich here features traditionally non-Memphis-style sliced beef and a thin, vinegary sauce, and the slow-cooked ribs are on any Q-connoisseur’s short list. But the real innovation at this Downtown staple is the barbecued Cornish hen—served with a few slices of the freshest Wonder Bread anywhere. (The bakery is just blocks away.)
745 N. Parkway
(901) 527-9158

In a city that lives and breathes soul food and bbq, Memphis’ medley of culinary offerings might come as somewhat of a surprise. When you need a little something different during soul week, visit some of our best Downtown Memphis eateries:

STELLA
It’s not easy to capture the essence of southern cooking while still maintaining a global-contemporary flair, but Stella chef John Kirk does exactly that at this historic Downtown location. With an excellent wine list and an array of eclectic, Delta-inspired seafood and steak entrees, Stella is at once innovative and traditional.
39 S. Main St.
(901) 526-4950
http://www.stellamemphis.com/

AUTOMATIC SLIM’S TONGA CLUB
With a menu as artful and creative as its décor (everything from fixtures to barstools has been designed by local artists), Slim’s is one of Memphis’ most original spots. Dishes here can challenge your pronunciation as well as your palate (see the red snapper huachinango in sun-dried blueberry and mint jalapeno sauce), but for the adventurous, the menu supplies a healthy dose of exciting, if occasionally wacky, choices.
83 S. Second St.
(901) 525-7948

BIG FOOT LODGE
Downtown meets the great north woods at this rustic-themed restaurant just across the street from the historic Peabody Hotel. While Big Foot serves everything from fresh Maine lobster to s’mores, the real legend here is the four-pound (yes, four-pound) Sasquatch Burger. Like it’s legendary namesake, this is one monster that has to be seen to be believed. But finish it off in one hour and it’s on the house, plus you’ll get your picture on the Big Foot wall of fame.
97 S. 2nd St
(901) 578-9800
http://www.bigfootlodge.net/

Things to do during Soul Week, Part 2

2007-06-18T10:49:00.000-05:00

Soul Week represents a special time in Memphis music as it shines a white-hot spotlight on one of the city’s most unique and indigenous musical forms. In addition to the weeklong festivities throughout the city, we’d like to point out a few spots you need to check out when you hit town.

No Soul Week sojourn would be complete without spending a few hours at the Stax Museum of American Soul Music. This 17,000-square-foot museum—on the original site of Stax Records— houses more than 2000 cultural artifacts, celebrating the music made famous by Otis Redding, Booker T. and the MGs, Isaac Hayes, the Bar-Kays, Al Green, Aretha Franklin, Earth, Wind & Fire and more. In addition to Stax music and memorabilia, you’ll also find exhibits dedicated to the artists of Muscle Shoals, Motown, Atlantic and Memphis’ own Hi Records. The multi-media format delivers countless hours of music and video, as well as a model Soul Train dance floor and Isaac Hayes’ gold-plated Cadillac. And bringing the music to life, the museum puts on live concerts in Studio A, a near-exact recreation of the famous studio where Booker T and the MGs recorded hundreds of hit records.
http://www.soulsvilleusa.com/

For a more complete picture of Memphis music and how Memphis Soul came to be you absolutely must pay a visit to the Smithsonian Rock ‘n’ Soul Museum. More than a sound, Memphis music is also about a movement. From the rural fields of the 1930’s, to the Sun and Stax era of the 1970’s, to its continuing influence today, the Rock ‘n’ Soul Museum tells the story of the musical pioneers who overcame racial and socio-economic barriers to create the music that shook the world.
http://www.memphisrocknsoul.org/

An important aspect of soul music in Memphis was its connection to the Civil Rights Movement, and there’s no better place to engage in this part of the city’s past than one of our nation’s great cultural treasures, the National Civil Rights Museum. Housed in the Lorraine Motel, site of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., this exceptional museum brings the stories of civil and human rights to life in moving fashion. Interpretive exhibits and in-depth audio/visual displays focus on milestone events like the Montgomery bus boycott, the Memphis sanitation strike and much more.
http://www.civilrightsmuseum.org/

To further explore the city’s cultural and historical connection to the African-American experience, be sure to book a tour with Heritage Tours. Highlighting African-American sites and contributions to the city’s heritage, tours include locations that served as leading slave trading centers, plantations of the South, antebellum homes and the history of the Union occupation in Memphis, the Lorraine Motel, historic churches and the Burkle Estate, a pre-Civil War way station on the Underground Railroad.
http://www.heritagetoursmemphis.com/

Things To Do During Soul Week, Part 1

2007-06-15T14:04:00.001-05:00

If you’re headed to Memphis during Soul Week, June 17th to t he 22nd, here a few things to do in Downtown Memphis:

BackBeat Tours
Orient yourself to the city and its rich musical history with one of the most entertaining music tours around. You'll ride in vintage style on "Miss Clawdy,” a vintage 1959 GM transit bus, climate controlled and fully restored all the way down to genuine naugahide seat covers, and learn the story of the "Memphis Sound.” From Beale Street's vibrant blues to the rockin' rhythms of Elvis Presley, Carl Perkins and Johnny Cash, from the stirring gospel heritage of the churches to the captivating grooves of Soulsville USA, you'll hear it all LIVE in a completely one-of-a-kind show on wheels. There's as much happening inside the Backbeat bus as outside - so get ready to shake, rattle and roll!
http://www.backbeattours.com/

Beale Street
Once the heart and soul of Memphis’ African-American culture with its banks, beauty salons, dance halls, barber shops and other black-owned establishments, today’s Beale Street has re-emerged as the city’s focal point for live blues, R&B, jazz, soul and rock, as well as sizzling soul food and exotic gift shops. Home to several live music clubs, including B.B. King’s Blues Club, King’s Palace, Alfred’s, Rum Boogie Café, The Black Diamond, Hard Rock Café and more. See why they call this street the “Home of the Blues.” http://www.bealestreet.com/home.html

Gibson Lounge @ the Gibson Guitar Factory
The smell of freshly carved tonewoods. The incandescent flutterings of abalone and pearl inlay. Classic details of a Gibson, arguably the most famous guitar brand in music. Gibson’s Memphis factory offers tours of its state-of-the-art production facility, home of the revered ES series guitars, which have been played by the likes of B.B. King, Scotty Moore, Carl Perkins and Chuck Berry. But that’s just the beginning. At the west end of the Gibson complex sits the Gibson Lounge, one of the most intimate venues in Memphis. Be sure to check out the Stax 50th Celebration of Soul - After Party featuring live performances by Stax artists on Friday June 22nd. Doors Open at 10pm, show starts at 11pm.

Tickets $27 can be purchased in advance at www.musictoday.com or in Gibson Retail Store.
http://www.gibson.com/Products/Places/Showcases/Gibson%20Beale%20Street%20Showcase/

Soul Week is Just Around the Corner

2007-06-15T14:00:00.000-05:00

It’s beginning to feel a lot like Soul Week here in Memphis, and if there’s a holiday to celebrate this summer it’s on June 22nd.

The newly rejuvenated Stax Records is throwing down in Memphis at the Orpheum Theater with “50 Years of Stax” benefit show that unites some of the greatest legendary soul stars onstage for the first time in years.

The show will feature, among others, Isaac Hayes, Booker T & the MGs, Eddie Floyd, William Bell, Mavis Staples, Mable John, the Soul Children, and Angie Stone.

Available through Ticketmaster, tickets are going for $25, $50 and $100, but for those who want premium seats in this beautiful venue consider the limited number of $1,000 Golden Circle tickets. It’s all for a good cause as proceeds from the show benefit the Stax Museum of American Soul Music, located at the site of the old Stax headquarters on Memphis’ historic McLemore Avenue.

Golden Circle admission will include VIP orchestra seating at the Orpheum, VIP parking and shuttle service, a pre-show private party at the Orpheum Broadway Club, a gala after party at the Gibson Lounge featuring performances by Stax artists and friends, a private celebrity tour of the Museum, the 50th Anniversary Stax CD box set, a lithographed poster, and a commemorative Stax T-shirt.

Sounds like a steal. For more information on Golden Circle tickets, please call Deanie Parker at 901-261-6385.

But those are just the details. It’s the music that counts and this show will deliver some of the best live soul sounds since, well, probably March, when Booker T and the MGs played the SXSW music festival in Texas. That was a small show, with fans young and old, lined up around the corner waiting to get in. Not so this time, though we still expect lines for tickets and fans of all ages. But this event is bigger and better as StaxRecords has brought in a slew of superior soul artists. Here’s a little bit about them:

Booker T. & the MGs
Booker T. & the MGs began accidentally, but became, arguably, the most important group in the history of soul. Organist Booker T. Jones, guitarist Steve Cropper, drummer Al Jackson, Jr., and bassist Lewie Steinberg were randomly scheduled to back Billy Lee Riley at a Stax recording session in summer 1962. While warming up, the group came up with the song “Green Onions,” their biggest hit. By 1965, former Mar-Key member Donald “Duck” Dunn had taken over the bass from Steinberg, and the group went on to define the Stax sound, releasing records under Booker T. & the MGs, and backing up hits by Otis Redding, Rufus Thomas, Carla Thomas, Albert King, Wilson Pickett, and Sam & Dave. The group, along with songwriters David Porter and Isaac Hayes, formed the “Big 6” producers pool who, in various combinations, artistically directed Stax recordings. Cropper later mused: “For me it was like going to church every day. You walked in those doors at Stax, you left everything out there behind you. I’d work eighteen hours a day and never even thought about being tired.”

Mavis Staples
Though known for her lead vocal work in the legendary Staples Sisters and on songs like “Respect Yourself” and “I’ll Take You There,” Mavis Staples has been recording solo work since 1969. Singing everything from gospel to folk to soul and disco, Mavis’ talents are unquestioned, but it is her ability for lyrics and phrasing that makes her unique. An almost direct connection to the Staples Sisters socio-political inspiration, Mavis reemerged with one of the year’s best albums, Never Turn Back. Produced by Ry Cooder and featuring guests like Ladysmith Black Mambazo, the record asserts Mavis’ commitment to the civil rights struggle.

Angie Stone
Though the revitalization of Stax Records has largely revolved around remastered reissues of classic Stax records, the label is determined to take classic soul music into the future. As a result, one of the first artists to sign with the label was Angie Stone.
Breaking into the business as the lead vocalist on Vertical Hold’s urban dance track “Seems You’re Much Too Busy,” an R&B Top 40 hit in 1993, Stone has been recording solo since 1999. Taking a classic old-school approach to her music, Stone cut songs like “No More Rain (In This Cloud),” which featured samples from Gladys Knight and the Pips’ “Neither One of Us (Wants to Be the First to Say Goodbye”). But she also had a hip, contemporary edge to her music and worked with the likes of Lenny Kravitz, former Tribe Called Quest member Ali Shaheed Muhammad, as well as D’Angelo.

Soul Food Exhibit

2007-05-08T08:59:00.001-05:00

A Soul Food Celebration at the Brooks Museum This Summer

The Memphis Brooks Museum of Art celebrates "50 Years of Soul" with the exhibition Soul Food! African American Cooking and Creativity on view from May 19 through August 19, 2007. Over fifty works ─ including photographs, mixed media installations, paintings, and artifacts ─ illustrate the roots of soul food and the development of African American culinary traditions.

The rich cooking customs associated with the genre of soul music is evident throughout Memphis and the world. The origins of these culinary traditions are made visible in Soul Food!, which was organized by The Amistad Center for Art & Culture at the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art. The exhibition includes works by such well-known artists as Carrie Mae Weems and Whitfield Lovell in addition to numerous original photographs and artifacts that help narrate the journey from Africa to the Americas and from African to African American.

Special events scheduled in conjunction with the exhibition include:

Friday, May 18, 7:00 pm
Terrace Concert featuring Afrissippi
Hill country blues of North Mississippi meets traditional Senegalese melodies for a unique and powerful sound. Bonus: a sneak preview of the exhibition Soul Food! African American Cooking and Creativity.

Wednesday, June 6, 6:00 - 9:00 p.m.
1st Wednesday: Art and Soul
An evening celebration featuring live soul music, art tours, a discussion on the origins of soul food by Rhodes professor Luther Ivory, cocktails, and specialties in the Brushmark.

Friday, June 29, 6:30 p.m
Food for the Soul: Film Screening and Tasting
Southern Foodway Alliance president John T. Edge and University of Mississippi filmmaker Joe York present an exclusive screening of the film Above the Line: Saving Willie Mae's Scotch House. Above the Line tells the story of the destruction and subsequent rebuilding of Willie Mae Seaton's famed Scotch House restaurant during Hurricane Katrina. Following the screening there will be a tasting of soul food provided by local restaurants.

To purchase tickets for special events, go to www.brooksmuseum.org.

MEMPHIS TO HOST “SEVEN DAYS OF SOUL” JUNE 16 - 22

2007-04-19T10:37:00.000-05:00

Citywide Celebration Delivers 50 Years of Musical Excitement
Over One Spectacular Week

Underscoring its role as a contemporary and historical center of American music, Memphis, Tennessee will host “Seven Days of Soul” June 16- 22, as part of the city’s year-long “50 Years of Soul” celebration.

The milestone commemorates the golden anniversaries of the founding of Stax Records, which pioneered the spare and punchy style of Otis Redding, Isaac Hayes, Booker T. & the MGs and countless other legends; and Royal Studios, which produced the achingly sweet intensity of Al Green and Ann Peebles, among others.

“Memphis is thrilled to present ‘Seven Days of Soul,’” said Kevin Kane, President of the Memphis Convention & Visitors Bureau. “We’re proud of our city’s ongoing legacy as a breeding ground for these timeless sounds and plan to pack all the excitement soul music has delivered over the past 50 years into one blockbuster week.”

The gala week will engage with an abundance of iridescent sights, sounds and attractions as well as special events inspired by the world’s most universally beloved style of music.

Beale Street, the number one tourist attraction in the state of Tennessee with its wealth of restaurants, bars, hotels and shops, will function as the centerpiece for “Seven Days of Soul.” John Elkington, President and CEO of Performa Entertainment, which oversees the strip, said: “Everyone on the street will take part. This will be one amazing bash. The world has embraced our home-grown soul, and many of the artists who created it have become national treasures. ‘Seven Days of Soul’ will be a time to toast their incredible achievements and party in their honor.”

The nearby Gibson Guitar Factory will also host a soul performance series all week long, showcasing top R&B acts in its intimate lounge setting daily during “Seven Days of Soul.”

To complete the week, Concord Records will host a star-studded concert at Memphis’ Orpheum Theatre on June 22, beginning at 8 pm. The concert, benefiting the Stax Museum of American Soul Music and the Stax Music Academy, will feature contemporary and legendary Stax artists, including Isaac Hayes, Booker T. & the MGs, William Bell, Eddie Floyd, Mabel John, the Temprees, Rance Allen and The Reddings, a group consisting of Otis Redding’s sons Dexter and Otis II. Tickets for the event go on sale April 30 from Ticketmaster (http://www.ticketmaster.com/venue/221389), priced at $25, $50, $100, and $1,000.

Memphis is known worldwide as the birthplace of popular music, attracting millions of international fans to the city’s many musical shrines. Attractions that capture this incredible legacy include the Stax Museum of American Soul Music, the Rock ‘n’ Soul Museum, the Gibson Guitar Factory, Sun Studios and Elvis Presley’s Graceland.

Lantana Projects' New Exhibit

2007-04-17T14:43:00.000-05:00

The relationship between Memphis music and the city's role in the struggle for civil rights has been well documented by many music historians, which is why we'd like to invite you to check out the new exhibit from Lantana Projects' Artist-in-Residence program:

Lantana Projects, the FedEx Institute of Technology and the University of Memphis College of Communication and Fine Arts Friday will present artist Barbara Bickart's Memphis project Friday, April 20, from 7-9 p.m. at 531 S. Main. (The entrance is on G.E. Patterson.) There is no charge to attend.

“When” is a video installation performance piece that explores our relationship to the past and the future, highlighting images of visitors to the National Civil Rights Museum. “When” investigates our relationship to this specific cultural, historical site and its legacy.
Bickart is an interdisciplinary artist whose work is project-based. Her projects take the form of video installation, video performance, and experimental documentary work. They have been presented globally in locations including London, Argentina, Israel, Croatia, Australia, and New York.

The Artist-in-Residence program, designed by Lantana Projects the FedEx Institute and the College of Communication and Fine Arts, brings international artists in technology and new media to Memphis to explore the unique innovation that occurs from linking renowned artists with research scientists working at the frontier of technology.

More information is available online at fedex.memphis.edu or lantanaprojects.org.

Beale Street Music Festival Update

2007-04-12T10:47:00.000-05:00

In addition to the very exciting news that the first Friday of the Beale Street Music Festival will include headliners Iggy Pop and the Stooges, The Memphis & Shelby County Music Commission is planning a free-to-the-public "after party" to take place in WC Handy Park on Beale Street.

For more information on the Beale Street Festival and other Memphis In May Events, like the World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest, visit http://www.memphisinmay.org/.

And if you want to make new friends with the Memphis music scene, visit http://www.myspace.com/memphismusiccommission/.

Memphis Soul Tour

2007-04-11T16:09:00.000-05:00

Music fans visiting Memphis can often become overwhelmed with the sheer volume of attractions and interests. One of the best ways to get a broad feel for the city and have fun doing it is to take one of the many unique music tours the city offers.

Here's a short list of some of the best Memphis music tours:

BLUES CITY TOURS
Memphis’ premier tour operators offer a wide array of daily, themed tours including Shopping, Music, After Dark, Graceland, Memphis History, Civil Rights and more. Custom tours available. http://www.bluescitytours.com/

HERITAGE TOURS
Take a journey through time and experience the struggles, triumphs and cultural impact of African Americans in Memphis. While on this tour, you’ll crouch in a basement that was a stop on the Underground Railroad, learn the history behind the Union occupation of Memphis and experience the power of religion in historic churches. Whether music, history or culture is your thing, with 30 inspiring sites, Heritage Tours has something for everyone. http://www.heritagetoursmemphis.com/

ULTIMATE ROCK ’N ROLL TOUR, BY SHANGRI-LA PROJECTS
Dive below the surface of Memphis music and experience the sights, sounds and stories of rock and roll, blues, rockabilly, soul, R&B, gospel and jazz. Or customize your pilgrimage by selecting specific sites, styles and musicians to suit your taste. PS...Tour guide Sherman Wilmott is one of three credited curators for the Stax Museum of American Soul Music. http://www.memphisrocktour.com/

AMERICAN DREAM SAFARI
Not your usual tour. Not your usual guide. Explore the legends and myths of southern culture and music from the inside (and outside) of wayward soul Tad Pierson’s 1955 Cadillac. Themed tours include the Juke Joint Full of Blues, the Gospel Church, the Delta Day Trip and the soul-soothing Road Therapy tour. http://americandreamsafari.com/

BACKBEAT TOURS
Memphis is truly the cultural crossroads of the nation, and nowhere can you better experience the city and its rich musical heritage than from a seat on the Backbeat Bus. You'll ride in vintage style, see the sights of historic Bluff City and learn the story of the "Memphis Sound" - while hearing the music performed live! From Beale Street's vibrant blues to the rockin' rythyms of Elvis Presley, Carl Perkins and Johnny Cash . . . From the stirring gospel heritage of the churches to the captivating grooves of Soulsville USA . . . you'll hear it all LIVE in a completely one-of-a-kind show on wheels. There's as much happening inside the Backbeat bus as outside - so get ready to shake, rattle and roll! http://www.backbeattours.com/

Beale Street Music Festival

2007-04-09T14:32:00.000-05:00

May is the busiest and arguably the best time of year to visit Memphis. One of the reasons for this is the Beale Street Music Festival. 3 Big Days and Over 60 bands take over Tom Lee Park, the riverfront green space at the bottom of Beale Street. Here's a sneak peak at this year's lineup:

Friday, May 4th
The Allman Brothers Band, Three 6 Mafia, Koko Taylor, Gov't Mule, Social Distortion, Jerry Lee Lewis, Hubert Sumlin & Willie Big Eyes Smith, The Derek Trucks Band, North Mississippi Allstars

Saturday, May 5th
Bobby "Blue" Bland, The Bar-Kays, Wolfmother, The Ohio Players, Taj Mahal, Old Crow Medicine Show, Eddie Floyd

Sunday, May 6th
Counting Crows, John Legend, Barenaked Ladies, DAUGHTRY, Edwin McCain, Ann Peebles, Papa Roach, Billy Lee Riley

For more information on the Beale Street Festival and other Memphis In May Events, like the World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest, visit www.memphisinmay.org.

Stax Museum Exhibit

2007-04-09T14:29:00.000-05:00

Now on display at the Stax Museum of American Soul Music:

“SOUL SANCTUARY: Images of the African-American Worship Experience”
February 4 - April 29, 2007

This breathtaking photo exhibit will be on display February 4 – April 29, 2007 and features 50 black-and-white photographs that capture the essence and rhythms of the black Christian church taken by award-winning photographer Jason Miccolo Johnson. Selected from 15,000 photographs Johnson shot over a ten-year period in 25 states (including several churches in Memphis), this collection of images captures the spirit of the black church through arresting images of congregants’ facial expressions and body language, their uniforms and dress, and the dignity of their worship.

Jason Miccolo Johnson grew up in Memphis and graduated from George Washington Carver high school in 1974 before attending Memphis State University and later obtaining a degree in journalism from Howard University. He was influenced by two icons of photography; Civil rights lensman Ernest Withers and Life Magazine photographer Gordon Parks. Parks wrote the foreword to the companion book which he calls “a magnificent collection” of images. The exhibition will include at least ten Memphis churches and highlight the musical talents in many sanctuaries. A former photo editor at USA Today’s Sports Weekly, and production assistant at ABC News’s Good Morning America, his photos have been published in more than 15 books and 50 magazines, including Songs of my People, Glamour, Essence, Ebony, Time, Newsweek, Smithsonian, Jet, and Black Enterprise. His work has appeared in two major Smithsonian Institution exhibitions: “Reflections in Black” and “Speak to My Heart.” He has taken exclusive photographs of some of the world’s most recognizable people including Princess Dianna, Nelson Mandela, Muhammad Ali, Colin Powell, and Oprah Winfrey.

Johnson is perhaps best known for his “visual call and response” shooting style, with poignant images that focus on the subject’s eyes and hands. Nowhere is this more evident than in the photographs of Baptisms, weddings, funerals, annual day celebrations, ecstatic soloists and choir directors, prophetic preachers, angelic liturgical dancers, and peaceful moments of prayer and praise contained in SOUL SANCTUARY: Images of the African-American Worship Experience.

Soul Watch

2007-03-20T13:18:00.000-05:00

For a great read on one Memphis' best local soul DJs, check out this profile in the Commercial Appeal on our own DJ Buck Wilders:

http://commercialappeal.com/mca/live_music/article/0,1426,MCA_508_5420093,00.html

An excerpt:

McCalla's (aka DJ Buck Wilders) evolution from classic rock hound to old-school crate digger was a gradual one. "What I liked the most out of the rock stuff I found was '60s garage music like The Count Five's 'Psychotic Reaction,' -- that blew me away. I decided I wanted to buy more stuff like that," says McCalla. "The more garage rock stuff I bought, the more I realized half of it was R&B and soul covers. Which kind of led me backwards out of that and into collecting blues and gospel. By the time I was 20, I was spending every cent and every second I had buying records."

STAX @ SXSW

2007-03-19T12:44:00.000-05:00

Arguably one of the biggests highlights of last week's annual SXSW Music Conference and Festival in Austin, Texas (one third of America's great music triangle -- the other two being Memphis, of course, and New Orleans) was Thursday night's Stax revue showcase at the legendary blues club, Antone's. With a line wrapped around the block, this savvy group of record collectors, fans and industry players were extremely eager to see a reunited Booker T and the MGs, William Bell, Eddie Floyd and Black Moses himself, Isaac Hayes.

For a couple of great reviews check out these two blogs from SXSW:

http://www.memphisflyer.com/memphis/Content?oid=oid%3A25824
On the back of every NBA locker room pass is language forbidding media members from asking players for autographs. Not that this is needed...Alas, no such decorum exists in the world of music, as witnessed Thursday afternoon in Austin, where an interview session with Stax Records artists devolved into a free-for-all of fandom and genuflection, a mostly baby-boomer group of reporters and critics having come armed with albums, CD jackets, and other appropriate canvases for their musical heroes to autograph.Of course, if anyone in Austin this week deserved to be worshiped and salivated over, it was these Memphis legends — the remaining members of Booker T. & the MGs, Isaac Hayes, Eddie Floyd, and William Bell. And they proved it later that night in a mostly excellent, occasionally thrilling revue-style showcase in celebration of Stax’s 50th anniversary, at blues warhorse Antone’s.

http://www.headphones-on.com/2007/03/thursday_notes_from_day_one.html
Stax 50th Anniversary Revue - Antone'sThe second I heard about this showcase, I knew I'd have to do whatever it took to get in the door and within a sight line of Booker T and the MGs. Luckily that was only an hour and a half in line and some patience.There will probably be someone in the audience who will write a thesis on this gig alone, so whatever I say here will not do it justice. Regardless, it was absolutely magical to be in the presence of such greatness. Booker T. Jones, Steve Cropper and Duck Dunn alone could bring a tear out of a granite statue, but combined with Eddie Floyd, William Bell and Isaac Hayes... my knees were weak.

Memphis Soul and The Struggle for Civil Rights

2007-03-07T15:55:00.000-06:00

Any visit to Memphis must include a stop at the National Civil Rights Museum. Housed in the Lorraine Motel, site of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., this exceptional museum brings the stories of civil and human rights to life in moving fashion. Interpretive exhibits and in-depth audio/visual displays focus on milestone events like the Montgomery bus boycott, the Memphis sanitation strike and much more.

While turmoil and struggle dominated the streets, inside Stax Records musicians, singers and songwriters were coming together.

While segregation dominated the South throughout the label’s early years, Stax was one of the most successfully integrated companies in the country — from top management and administration to its artists. Though founded by Jim Stewart and co-owned by Estelle Axton, Al Bell eventually joined the team, becoming co-owner of Stax Records in 1968.With 200-plus employees, Stax was one of the largest African-American-owned businesses in the United States during its time, and the most successful record label ever to come out of Memphis,Tennessee.

These are the facts that reflect a very real relationship between whites and blacks during a time when, for most of the country, that was not possible. But to truly understand this relationship, look no further than the Stax house band.“It’s fair to say that,to define what was going on in Stax at the time,” former label executive Al Bell said in an interview with CBS News, “one would have to walk into Studio A and see two white guys and two black guys who made up a rhythm section called “Booker T. and the MGs”…and hear all this soulful, passionate music.”

Composed of BookerT.Jones,Steve Cropper,Donald“Duck” Dunn andAl Jackson,BookerT.and the MGs provided the instrumental backing for Rufus and Carla Thomas and Sam & Dave, as well as penning their own instrumental hit,“Green Onions.” Over the next seven years, the group recorded independently, backed various Stax acts and pursued their own individual careers. Jones worked with artist-producer William Bell and co-wrote the blues classic “Born Under a Bad Sign,” while Cropper supervised the recordings of Otis Redding and co-wrote hits withWilson Pickett and Eddie Floyd.Though BookerT.and the MGs made music at the height of the Civil Rights Movement,they never pursued a political agenda.They were, to put it simply, a bunch of guys who became friends through music and thus experienced the kind of freedom Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., sought for all people.

Though Stax Records was an oasis of racial harmony, and the color of one’s skin was not an issue, the label did far more than produce music. It gave back to its African-American, music-buying public in many ways, utilizing its marketing budget to help keep publications like Jet and Black Enterprise operating. Stax financed free benefit concerts with its artists, helped raise money for the needy during the holidays, and participated in and helped publicize the federal government’s “Stay in School” program.

This spirit continues today in Memphis with the culturally diverse Stax Music Academy, the Soulsville Charter School and the Memphis Rock ’n’ Soul Museum, as well as the National Civil Rights Museum, which is housed in the Lorraine Motel, site of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and brings stories of civil and human rights to life in moving fashion.

A Memphis Weekend

2007-02-23T09:14:00.000-06:00

A Big Memphis Weekend

Throughout the calendar year, Memphis has a handful of weekends when everything happens at once. Memphis in May is an obvious one, when the month long festival peaks with the International BBQ Contest and Beale Street Music fest. Southern Heritage Classic Weekend is also a big event in the Bluff City as it falls on the same weekend as the Cooper-Young Festival, a 3-mile neighborhood street fair in arguably the coolest part of Midtown.

And then there are weekends like this weekend, when the soul of Memphis shakes off the past few months of cold weather (it should hit 70 this weekend!) and decides to throw down.

The first event to kick the pig was last night's Memphis premier of Craig Brewer's new film, Black Snake Moan, which was, in the humble opinion of this blogger, fantastic. The locals-only crowd made it a homecoming for Brewer who told the two packed theaters that this was the film's most important screening.

The annual Folk Alliance conference, however, will dominate the rest of the weekend. An international gathering held each February, the conference is, according to Folk Alliance's website: "the annual town hall of the folk community. Nearly 2000 members of Folk Alliance attend each year to conduct business and connect with their peers. What this means is that Downtown Memphis is teeming with musicians."

But events are not limited to downtown this weekend. Goner Records, in Cooper-Young, is throwing their own folk fest today at 5pm, featuring Peter Case, formerly of the Plimsouls, and Tommy Erdelyi, an ex-Ramone, and then again tomorrow with our very own Harlan T Bobo.

The Hi-Tone tonight is hosting a benefit show for a handful of local musicians trying to get to Austin next month for SXSW music conference and festival. The show is $8 and features Snowglobe, Giant Bear, Jamie Randolph and the Bloodsuckers, soul band Jump Back Jake, and Holly Cole.

For more information on these events, I recommend checking out a few local Memphis websites:
http://rachelandthecity.com/
http://www.memphisflyer.com/memphis/

The Current State of Soul: Isaac Hayes and Willie Mitchell

2007-02-19T12:39:00.000-06:00

In recent soul news, Isaac Hayes sold out two shows at B.B. King's Club in New York City in January. Hitting the crowd with well-known favorites, "Shaft," "By the Time I Get to Phoenix" and "Walk On By," Hayes delivered a moving performance that focused primarily on his work from the 70s, as well as a few new pieces. According to the Bergen Record, Hayes enjoyed the fact that the crowd included a great mix of fans: "It's great because the audience is black, white, young, old. It's a mix. And the show's always fresh because I'm doing it."

Walk down the street from Stax Records in Memphis and you'll find Willie Mitchell's Royal Studio. The mastermind behind Hi Records, and the sweet soul sounds of Al Green, Ann Peebles and, recently, John Mayer (one track from the Grammy Award winning "Continuum"), Willie Mitchell is entering into a joint venture with RNB Entertainment Group that will release both past records and new works from Willie's Way-Lo Records.

For a little history on Willie, click here: http://memphissoul50.com/history/williemitchell.html

"Stax Was In The House!"

2007-02-12T10:24:00.000-06:00

Last night's Grammy's featured a serious nod to southern soul music and the Stax label with Lifetime Achievment Awards to both Estelle Axton, co-founder of Stax, and legendary house band, Booker T. and the MG's.

While I could go on an on about the evening and its significance to Memphis and this year's 50th Anniversary celebration, go check out Bob Mehr's piece in the Commercial Appeal @ CommercialAppeal.com.

Gibson Soul

2007-02-09T17:15:00.000-06:00

The smell of freshly carved tonewoods. The incandescent flutterings of abalone and pearl inlay. Classic details of a Gibson, arguably the most famous guitar brand in music. Gibson's Memphis factory offers tours of its state-of-the art production facility, home of the revered ES series guitars, which have been played by the likes of b.B. King, Scotty Moore, Carl Perkins and Chuck Berry. But it's not just the factory that draws crowds, the Gibson Lounge does an amazing job of booking superb local and regional talent.

In recent years, Gibson has hosted such acts as Jim Dickinson, our own Amy LaVere, and a very special rooftop performance from Wilco. In the coming months, the Lounge will feature a number of soul and soul-related artists, including New Orlean pianist, Henry Butler, Soulful Sundays, a new monthly event, and The Temprees, the original Stax Records vocal groups.

For more information on these and other events, please check out our Soul Events page:

http://memphissoul50.com/events/soul50events.html.

Soul, in the Strangest Places

2007-02-01T14:06:00.000-06:00

To visit Memphis is to be surrounded by music. Beale Street has a lot to do with this, but if you’re lucky enough to spend some time here, you come across the music that made Memphis famous in the oddest places. I bought milk one night at my local Wallgreens and they were playing a live Earth, Wind and Fire show on the PA system. Same thing at a local shoe store, an Ann Peebles record. Both times the music was played at a low level, somewhere above ambient, but it caught my attention, not because the music was great (it is), but because of the setting. Even though people weren’t dancing in the aisles, they were humming, bobbing, reaching for paper towel rolls and casual flats. This isn’t any different from any other city. People love music everywhere, but what struck me as important was how Memphis continues to celebrate this music, even in the most mundane locations.

Two of the better-known attractions in Memphis that openly celebrate this history are the Smithsonian Rock ‘n’ Soul Museum and the Stax Museum of American Soul Music.

The Rock ‘n’ Soul Museum tells the complete story of Memphis music. More than a sound, Memphis music was about a movement. From the rural fields of the 1930’s, to the Sun and Stax era of the 1970’s, to its continuing influence today, the Rock ‘n’ Soul Museum tells the story of the musical pioneers who overcame racial and socio-economic barriers to create the music that shook the world. With over 100 songs, the audio tour is a museum in and of itself.

Stax, on the other hand, takes an intense look at arguably the most Memphis of all Memphis music, Soul. Home to more than 2,000 cultural artifacts dating back to the 1959 launch of Stax Records—the tiny studio that somehow managed to crank out a huge catalog of hits from soul icons like Isaac Hayes, Otis Redding, Wilson Pickett, Rufus Thomas, the Staples Singers and countless more. On the original site of Stax Records, this 17,000-square-foot museum celebrates not just the artists, but also the music that changed our culture forever.

And if the inherint drama of this museum doesn't get you, there's always Isaac Hayes’ Cadillac from the film, Shaft. I’ll write more on that later.

Memphis Celebrates 50 Years of Soul -- Memphis Convention & Visitors Bureau New York City Press Conference - January 22, 2007

2007-01-25T17:41:00.000-06:00

Memphis Celebrates 50 Years of Soul -- Memphis Convention & Visitors Bureau New York City Press Conference - January 22, 2007

New York Press Conference and American Idol Memphis

2007-01-24T16:58:00.000-06:00

Officially kicking off the 50 Years of Soul celebration, the Memphis Convention and Visitors Bureau made a trek to New York City and BB King’s on 42^nd street to make an official media announcement. With the legends like Isaac Hayes, David Porter, Al Bell, Mable John, Steve Cropper and Jody Stephens (of Big Star fame) in tow, the city of Memphis put its best foot forward with a live band and a lengthy question and answer session.

While many stories, opinions and compliments were passed around, Isaac Hayes and David Porter, Stax Records’ most potent songwriting team for most of the ‘60s, stole the show, as they seemed to finish each other’s sentences. During the session, it occurred to me, and a number of reporters in the house, that among Isaac, David and Steve Cropper, nearly the complete Stax catalogue of songs was represented. To call these guys prolific would be an understatement. For a more thorough take on the press conference, click here: http://www.memphissoul50.com/pressroom/soul50announced.htm.

Never one to understate, last night’s American Idol episode featured Memphis, Tennessee. After what many have called lackluster auditions in Minneapolis (they still got Prince) and Seattle, Memphis represented the depth of talent and appreciation for song in the South with a wide and varied group of singers and performers. While these early episodes may take some time out for a joke or two, or three, the talent attracted to Memphis was clearly a blessing to Simon, Randy and Paula. My personal favorites chose songs from Memphis-based artists: the Fidel Castro look alike Sean Michel who stomped his way through a soulful version of the recent Johnny Cash hit, “Gods Going To Cut You Down,” a traditional gospel song; and Sundance Head’s powerful rendition of Bobby “Blue” Bland’s “Stormy Monday.”

Memphis Music short film

2007-01-24T14:02:00.000-06:00

Hey everyone. Working on a post about our recent press conference in New York, and a little commentary on last night's American Idol episode, but while you're waiting, check out this great short film on Memphis Music:

http://www.turnhere.com/city/Memphis_TN/All/films/299.aspx

Memphis Celebrates 50 Years of Soul

2007-01-19T15:20:00.000-06:00

Long a cultural and economic nexus, Memphis has an intriguing history as a crossroads for American musical genres. Blues, gospel, country, jazz, R&B and rock 'n' roll have all played a part in creating its compelling legacy. However, in 2007 it is the sweet sounds of soul music that will officially take center stage as "Memphis Celebrates 50 Years of Soul." For an entire year, the city that helped put soul on the map will engage visitors with sights, sounds, attractions and events inspired by one of the world's most universally beloved styles of music.

Turning back the clock to 1957 we can see the beginnings of soul music in the recordings of artists such as Ray Charles, Sam Cooke and others. At the same time in Memphis, seminal soul label Stax Records was just beginning. Eventually occupying an old movie theatre on the corner of McLemore Ave. and College St., the studio tapped into a wellspring of talent in this racially diverse area to create music that broke through stylistic and cultural barriers.

The talent showcased through Stax and other local labels, such as Willie Mitchell's Hi Records, includes some of the most revered artists in American music. Otis Redding, Al Green, Booker T. & The MG's, Sam & Dave, Rufus and Carla Thomas, The Staple Singers, Wilson Pickett and Isaac Hayes are a just a sampling of the artists who contributed to the city's soul heritage.

Honoring the 50th anniversary of legendary Stax Records and Royal Studio, the Memphis Convention & Visitors Bureau is once again highlighting Memphis's unique and rich musical heritage with a comprehensive marketing and public relations campaign for 2007: Memphis Celebrates 50 Years of Soul.

The campaign will combine national and international public relations events; television, print and interactive advertising; and collaborative efforts among the Memphis business community to generate tourism events, impact the local economy and enhance the image of Memphis as one of the premiere music destinations in the world.

For more information on all that's happening in the Year of Soul, go to www.MemphisSoul50.com.