Blues Brief - April 13
What is it that makes you want more? Money? Food? Drink? Adventure? For me it's travel, history, other's stories, and music. My appetite...
April 9 in Memphis Music History
Everybody knows Elvis’ version of his song. Rather odd, considering the original spent 24 weeks on the country charts, peaking at number...
Blues Brief - March 21st
“Oh, fold my arms I’m going to kneel down in prayer When I get up I’m going to see if my preaching suit a man’s ear” Some men have the...
March 5th in Memphis Music History
“You may not have heard this musical explosion yet, but I expect you will. I‘m afraid you are utterly doomed to hear it, sooner or later....
Blues Brief - March 2nd
“The line I shoot, Will never miss” The Chess Brothers had recorded great blues. They previously had hits with Muddy Waters, Howlin’...
Blues Brief - February 25th
“Long tall momma She don't pay me no mind” US Highway 49 would qualify as one of William Least Heat-Moon’s ‘Blue Highways.’ It tells...
Memphis Minute - February 16th
With a thousand songs to his credit and 200 million - and counting - records sold, this artist should be a household name. He started...
February 14th in Memphis Music History
Here’s a tribute to Valentine’s Day from the past. The story of Frankie and Albert (or Johnny) tells of love, betrayal and murder. That...
February 5 in Memphis Music History
From humble beginnings, legacies are built. When a travelling musician returned home to Memphis in 1926, he started a band like one he...
December 10 - A Tragic Day in Memphis Music History
Just a happy go-lucky bunch of kids. They played clubs they could not get into legally, sometimes being hidden backstage when police...
Meet Memphis - Earl Randle
You can find Earl Randle playing piano at St Patrick’s Catholic Church in Memphis on Sunday morning. His journey to that position began...
November 16 in Memphis Music History
Only very rarely is it okay not to listen to your parents. This is especially true if you end up being a world famous composer, musician,...
November 12 in Memphis Music History
What’s left to be said about this man? I don’t want to simply re-state names and dates, but there are a lot of them. Known as a...
November 5th in Memphis Music History
In Memphis he was mostly known as a session musician, arranger, and “the best bandleader I ever knew” according to BB King. He once...
November 1st in Memphis Music History
And the headline read “ELVIS RETURNS TO MEMPHIS!” After being discharged from the Army, Elvis recorded in Nashville and California, but...