It was not long after the hectic week of South by Southwest that the Australians over there scattered to various parts of America to make use of their time in the land of the free. I, scattered to Memphis, Tennessee to seek out the history of modern music and was not let down.
Paul Simon once sung "I have reason to believe we all shall be received at Graceland, Graceland, Memphis, Tennessee" and he's right, you and your cash will be received there, but believe it or not, Elvis Presley is but a small blip on the Memphis Music radar.Begin your time in Memphis walking up and down Beale Street. Soul legend Rufus Thomas once said "If you were black for one Saturday night on Beale Street, you wouldn't want to be white again." Well Thomas presumably said this before Beale Street became a Mecca for aging white tourists looking for an "authentic" blues experience.
Don't dismiss it however. Sure, it may be touristy, but there is something to be said about the open-air feel of the street, the "big ass beers" in everyone's hand and the sounds of music blasting out of every nook and cranny the short strip has to offer. (May I recommend the Soul Platter at B.B. King's touristy chain bar on Beale?)
The city's proud musical history can't be mentioned without giving a nod to the Stax museum, detailing a history of the Memphis based label that operated from the early 60s to the early 70s pumping out artists like Otis Redding, Sam & Dave, Carla Thomas and more, not to mention Wilson Pickett and Aretha Franklin through their partnership with New York powerhouse Atlantic Records.
Of course, no musical whip around of Memphis is complete without hitting the legendary Sun Studios, where a young Sam Phillips discovered and recorded the likes of Elvis Presley, Howling Wolf, Roy Orbison, Ike Turner, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins and many many more. Even U2 recorded part of their 'Rattle and Hum' album there.
The Gibson Factory tour is interesting, and dumbed down for non-guitarists (although guitarists will still have their questions answered by people who actually do know what they're talking about). Just off Beale Street, you can book tours for ten bucks, but try to take the 11am, 12, 1 or 2pm tours from Monday - Friday so you can see the factory workers working their magic.
The tour is excellent and a bargain (as, surprisingly, most tours are in Memphis) and you'll stand not only in the room, but on the very spot where Elvis recorded his first ever song (supposedly - although according to the tour unlikely - a gift for his mother).
If you really want to check out something different, then hook up with the charismatic Tad Pierson who will take you around to bars your average tourist wouldn't find... IN A '55 CADILLAC! ... and sum up the city and why it has sucked so many people, including himself into its limits.
See what a real juke joint looks like (on our particular night out we were introduced to musicians who had played with Memphis legends including Al Green, Albert Collins and Albert King) with Tad and let him look after cover charges and tipping the band.
Let it be known, his prices might not fit into the budget traveler's allowance, but forking out the cash is well worth it (how much do you think goes into Tad's pocket after he tips the band, covers admission charges and fuels that big-ass Caddy of his?) and you will be rewarded with some of the most memorable experiences in your traveling lifetime.
Of course, no trip to Memphis is complete without a visit to the home of the King of Rock 'n' Roll, Mr. Elvis Presley. I can sit here all day and tell you it's really not worth it, lest you be an Elvis fan of gigantic proportions (as opposed to me, and my traveling companions who merely appreciate his contribution to music and don't mind the occasional hit gracing our stereo), but let's face it, you're still going to want to go.
Hell, I was told "it's not that good" or "it's pretty overrated", but I still went! Paul Simon's reasons to believe that we all shall be received at Graceland, Graceland, Memphis, Tennessee, may have been misguided or yet to be clouded with gift shops and tacky souvenirs, but it's not going to stop you going, so just take my advice, book your tour in advance or be doomed to spend the day lining up to get your tickets. You might also want to take note that the trip will take you the better part of a day.
While you're in Memphis, eating great southern soul food or listening to some world class blues, R&B or something else, just stop for a minute to think who this city had nurtured and was home to at one point or another: Otis Redding, Sam & Dave, Jeff Buckley, Steve Cropper, Carla Thomas, William Bell, Eddie Floyd, Howling Wolf, Johnny Cash, Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Muddy Waters and Roy Orbison to name but a tiny sample.
Why did I write this article? I hope to inspire someone to step out and see where the music they loved came from. Just a week in Memphis is enough to improve your understanding of the music you love.
Where would rock 'n' roll be without Sun Studio? Where would R&B be without Stax? If you don't know the answer to these questions, you need to get yourself some education.
Here are some helpful links to help you around town:
American Dream Safari
Graceland
Stax Museum
Sun Studio
Gibson Factory Tour
