Memphis, TN Rock'n Road Trip
“Rock and roll music, if you like it, if you feel it, you can’t help but move to it. That’s what happens to me. I can’t help it.”
Gospel, Jazz, Blues, Soul and Rockabilly combined to produce the unique Memphis Music tradition. So we grabbed our “Blue Suede Shoes” and went “Walking in Memphis” to learn all about that legacy still enjoyed by music lovers today. We were “All Shook Up” over all that you could explore and learn in Memphis, Tennessee. From Stax Museum to Graceland…you just “Can’t Help Falling in Love”! Follow along as we spend three days in the Birthplace of Rock‘n Roll.
Day One:
We arrived “in the land of the Delta Blues in the middle of the pouring rain”. It actually was pouring down rain! After parking our car in a nearby parking garage, we found ourselves “Walking in Memphis” with our “feet ten feet off of Beale”.
We made our way to the Memphis Rock ‘n’ Soul Museum to learn about the birth of Rock and Soul Music. With the aid of our digital audio tour guide, we traversed through seven galleries featuring audio visual programs, instruments, costumes, and other musical treasures. We spent around two and a half hours filling our heads with the story of the musical pioneers who created music that shook the world.
Rock ‘n’ Soul Museum at the corner of Beale Street and B.B. King Avenue.
Checking out some of the musical treasures at the Memphis Rock ‘n’ Soul Museum!
We left the museum with full brains, but empty stomachs. So we hopped on over to Hard Rock Cafe for a yummy dinner. Fun Fact…one of the co-founders of Hard Rock Cafe, Isaac Tigrett, is from my hometown of Jackson, Tennessee.
Day Two:
We started out our second day, of musical history, at Stax Museum of American Soul. Just like Stax Music was rooted in Gospel Music, our tour started in a Mississippi Delta church that had been reassembled in Stax Museum. Moving on through the museum, you can “Shake What Your Momma Gave Ya” on the Express Yourself dance floor, checkout recording equipment of the period and a replica of Studio A, see Stax’s impact in the Hall of Recording, and gawk at Isaac Hayes’ “Super Fly” Cadillac.
Refueling was necessary after several hours at Stax Museum. So we shaked, rattled, and rolled on over to Memphis’ oldest cafe, Arcade Restaurant, where we ate like the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll himself. Can you guess what we ordered…a Grilled Peanut Butter, Banana and Bacon Sandwich of course!
Sitting in the Elvis Booth at Arcade Restaurant!
Next up on our Rock’n Road Trip was a tour of the legendary Sun Studio. Sam Philips discovered legends from B.B. King and Elvis to Johnny Cash and Jerry Lee Lewis. We stood in the spot where Elvis first recorded, got inside stories from our tour guide, saw invaluable memorabilia, and listened to outtakes from recording sessions. Another fun fact…my great uncles made a record at Sun Studio back in the 50’s!! When the tour was over all we wanted to do was “Cry! Cry! Cry!”, but there was really “No Need to Worry” we still had one more day!
Holding the mic they used to record all the great talents that came through Sun Studio.
Drums left at Sun Studio by U2 during the filming of Rattle and Hum
Day Three:
“I’m going to Graceland. For reasons I cannot explain, there’s some part of me wants to see Graceland”. We spent ALL DAY taking in all that Graceland had to offer. We explored the Mansion and beautiful grounds, walked through Elvis’ airplane “Lisa Marie”, and toured the entertainment complex that housed costumes, memorabilia, cars and personal momentos.
Elvis’ beautiful mansion…Graceland!
Standing in front of Elvis’ Pink Cadillac
The many costumes Elvis wore. There were more walls filled with costumes.
That’s a wrap folks, but “That’s All Right” because we still have more fun to come on this Rock’n Road trip. Next up…Nashville, Tennessee!