Wed-Thur
Oct 22-23 – Memphis, Tennessee
Wed
Oct 22 – Nashville to Memphis
Left
Nashville feeling very lucky to have been back there. Before we left a neighbor in the park who had
just arrived from Canada told us there had been a shooting on Parliament
Hill. We were shocked but didn’t hear
any details until we were driving toward Memphis. We couldn’t get anything but
music on the Canadian radio stations on Sirius, but were finally successful in
hearing the updated news and details as they happened on CNN radio. I think we both felt so bereft…. Stripped of
something we couldn’t really identify… maybe it could be that the ‘peace’ we know
to be Canada had been shattered in this one senseless shooting. Tears though
very real, seemed so inadequate. Weeping for the young man who has lost his
life, and for our country Canada, which has somehow lost something of its
innocence! Our thoughts today are with those at home facing this awful
reality.
The
traffic coming in to Memphis was awful and it took us until early evening to
get to our destination.
We
arrived at Memphis Jellystone RV Resort just over the state line in Mississippi
(we also came here 2 years ago on our way to Texas). Setting up quickly we sat outside in the sun
chatting about the day and its events.
Thinking
of you Canada!!!
Thur
23rd Oct – Memphis
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| Sun Studios |
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| WHBQ studio moved here. Played Elvis first song |
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| The original Sun recording studio |
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| Original mikes and drums |
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| The famous picture on the wall. |
We
set aside the day to explore Memphis as we had not done so 2 years ago. We
drove into the city and started our day at the Sun Recording Studio, where we
learned so much interesting information about the history of this amazing
place… the story of Sam Phillips and his assistant Marion Keisker who basically
ran the whole thing from the beginning. Marion was the first person ever to
record Elvis and when Sam heard the recording he rejected him. A year later
when they were searching for someone to fill in, his name came up and he was
invited to audition. Still not impressed until a break in the session and Elvis
started clowning around with a song called ‘That’s alright Mama’… Sam Phillips recorded it as they were messing around and took the recording to DJ Dewey Phillips at his studio ... and he is credited with playing the first Elvis song on the radio on his show "Red Hot and Blues" at the WHBQ studio downtown Memphis.... and the rest
as they say……..
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| Jerry Lee to stubbed his cig out on the piano- DUH! |
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| Love Me Tender |
The
history of Sun Studio is fascinating and they have left everything original in
there… The Studio was going to be demolished and instead it was dismantled and taken to Sun Studios for display in the museum.
During the tour Janice even got to hold the SAME microphone as Elvis. It is WELL worth
the visit … this small unassuming location is just busting with history and
fascinating stories. The first ever identified
‘rock n roll’ record was recorded here in
Mar 1951 (Rocket 88) the sound that epitomizes rock and roll (distorted guitar)
came by accident from a broken speaker stuffed with crumpled newspaper. Ike
Turner was on piano… who knew??? This studio is a must do for anyone visiting
Memphis. The famous photo of Jerry Lee, Elvis, Johnny Cash and Carl Perkins is on the wall having been cut to remove Elvis's girlfriend who was sitting on the piano in the original version.
After leaving Sun we
went on to Beale street and had a very southerm style shared lunch at BB Kings
Blues club (Gumbo, fried green tomatoes
and fried crawfish poppers with remoulade sauce)… all great.
We
walked up and down the famous Beale Street and then went down to the
Missiissippi River for a photo before heading to Stax records location. The
original building has been hugely renovated and houses the Stax Museum of Soul Music. The Stax
Music Academy was built next to it. We did the tour and though it is very
interesting, we both felt the Sun Studio was more interesting and authentic.
Seeing the artifacts and reading the stories of such Stax artists as Otis
Reading, Rufus Thomas, Isaac Hayes, Ike Turner and Tina Turner etc etc and footage of old performances was quite
cool. I must say though… it felt weird seeing your fond memories of your youth
being old enough to display in a MUSEUM!!!!! Honestly!!!!! So these two ancient
artifacts jumped into our truck and headed back to camp, driving passed Graceland
on the way. Having absorbed three decades
of rock and soul we settled down after supper to get the blog updated and catch
up with emails etc.
So
Memphis …… CHECK!!!!
On
to our next destination tomorrow… Clarksdale … home of The Crossroads (look up
the history of Robert Johnson) …. This is the birth of it all… Mississippi
Delta Blues country. Stay tuned!
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| View of Memphis from banks of the Mississippi |
