Recapture the flavor of "Old Beale Street" at the home of the "Father of the Blues." This small wood-frame house displays artifacts and memorabilia that depict the humble beginnings of this musical genius.
EXPERIENCE:
When W.C. Handy lived in this two-room shotgun house, it was originally on Jeanette Place in South Memphis. He wrote many of his famous songs at a modest desk which now sits inside the home-turned-museum. In the mid-1980s, the home was moved to Beale Street and restored where it serves as an interpretive center operated by Heritage Tours. Complete with a small collection of Handy memorabilia and artifacts, there are numerous old photos and very informative commentary provided by the museum guide. The tour lasts about 15-20 minutes.
HISTORY:
William Christopher Handy known as the “Father of the Blues” was born in 1873 in Florence, Alabama in a log cabin built by his grandfather. Growing up, he received lessons on the cornet in the local barber shop. Handy was teaching school by age nineteen, but left for a high paying job at a factory in Bessemer, Alabama. Wishing to rekindle his flame with music, he organized a quartet that performed at the Chicago World’s Fair and toured for a short time afterward. Later, Handy joined Mahara’s Minstrels playing the cornet. Handy formed his own marching band in 1902, which combined various elements from popular dance music, and performed for both white and black audiences alike. Touring and traveling, he heard and recalled music made by rural people. He particularly recalled the strange sounding music he heard a man playing at a train station in Tutwiler, Mississippi: The Blues. Handy was a religious man whose influences in his musical style were found in the church music he sang and played as a youth. He said that his inspiration came from “the music of every songbird and all the symphonies of their unpremeditated art.” In 1909 Handy and his band moved to Memphis and established their presence on Beale Street. “The Memphis Blues” was written in 1909 and was the first blues ballad Handy ever wrote, and arguably the first blues ballad in history. After publishing the song himself in 1912, “The Memphis Blues” became popular all over the United States. It was originally entitled “Mr. Crump” as it was a campaign tune written for mayoral candidate Edward Crump. Handy continued to write music based on what he heard in folk song. “Memphis Blues” was followed by “St. Louis Blues” which was written in 1914 and “Beale Street Blues” which was written in 1916. Handy moved to New York in 1917 where he wrote five books and continued with his music until his death in 1958.
INSIDERS TIP:
Brass notes have been installed in the sidewalks along Beale Street to commemorate the lives and achievements of musicians, promoters, DJs, composers, and others. Make sure to see W.C. Handy’s along with others you are sure to recognize. Also, Handy is referenced in Marc Cohn’s 1991 song Walking in Memphis … “Touched down in the land of the Delta Blues, in the middle of the pouring Rain. W.C. Handy, won’t you look down over me.”
OTHER INFO:
The Blues Music Award, widely recognized as the most prestigious award for blues artists was known as the W.C. Handy Award until the name changed in 2006. W.C. Handy Park is a city park located on Beale Street in Memphis that contains a life-sized bronze statue of Handy.
Tour length: 15-20 minutes
Admission: $3 adults, $2 youths
Hours of operation: Tue-Sat 10am-5pm (June-August); 11pm-4pm (Sept-May)
Group admission: $2 adults, $1 youth
Comp policy: 1 per 20
