Few cities boast a musical heritage as rich as Memphis'. It is after all the Home of the Blues and the Birthplace of Rock'n'Roll, the city where the likes of B.B. King, Al Green, Jerry Lee Lewis, and the King himself, Elvis Presley, reshaped the country's musical landscape. But music runs through the city's veins as powerfully today as it did decades ago, and from festivals to a new state-of-the-art venue to a chance to shine in the national spotlight, 2009 promises to be a big year for Memphis music.
2009 International Folk 
Alliance Conference
Memphis Cook Convention Center
255 N. Main
www.folkalliance.org
The Downtown Marriot and Cook Convention Center will host the 21st annual International Folk Alliance Conference from February 18-22. The five-day event offers a host of activities, including over 50 workshops, panel discussions, and peer group meetings; 200 juried performances; over 300 unofficial private showcases; and various special events, such as awards ceremonies, networking receptions, booking sessions, and community outreach concerts. The Folk Alliance’s aim is to bring together artists from across the globe to celebrate and preserve folk music and dance. Over 2000 people are already registered for the event. For more information, see the Folk Alliance’s website.
Minglewood Hall
1555 Madison Ave.
www.minglewoodhall.com
Undaunted by construction setbacks and a struggling economy, The DeHart Group is set to open Minglewood Hall in Midtown in the old Strings and Things building early this year. After renovations, the new building boasts nearly 80,000 sq. ft. of space, including the concert hall, offices, and room for retailers and a restaurant. Mike Smith of Young Avenue Deli will serve as general manager of the concert hall, which will seat up to 1,500 people. Without a "tweener" venue (bigger than a club, smaller than an arena) as DeHart describes Minglewood, Memphis doesn’t draw a ton of national acts. But with the opening of Minglewood Hall that could change. The building is still undergoing some finishing touches, but five shows are already slated for early 2009—Old Crow Medicine Show, Lotus, Stetsons and Stars, Ryan Adams and The Cardinals, and Umphrey’s McGee. In addition to hosting concerts, Minglewood will also be available for weddings, graduations, and other events. To book an event, call 901-312-6058.
$5 Cover
Craig Brewer, the local filmmaker best known for 2005’s Hustle and Flow, has partnered with MTV to create $5 Cover, a 15-episode online program featuring Memphis musicians and actors. Shot last summer at various Midtown venues, the program will be online in the spring and will feature the musicians playing fictionalized versions of themselves as they "fight for love, inspiration, and the money to pay the rent" according to Brewer. Each eight-minute "webisode" will be based around a song by the featured artist. Brewer hopes that $5 Cover will garner some national attention for Memphis’ music scene. Here’s a list of the cast:
Amy LaVere; Ben Nichols, singer for Lucero; Cody Dickinson, drummer for North Mississippi All-Stars; Al Kapone; Kate Crowder of Two-Way Radio; Brad Postlethwaite of Snowglobe; Harlan T. Bobo; Muck Sticky; Valerie June; Alicja Trout of River City Tanlines and Mouserocket; Jack "Oblivion" Yarber; Clare Grant; Jeff Pope; Claude Phillips
New Releases
Some notable local acts will be releasing new albums in 2009. Here are just a few to anticipate:
Jay Reatard (his debut for Matador Records)
Jack Yarber
Harlan T. Bobo
Lucero (major label debut on Universal)
Charlie Wood
International Blues Challenge
Orpheum Theatre
203 S. Main
http://www.blues.org/ibc/
From February 4-7 the Blues Foundation will present the 25th annual International Blues Festival. The event, the largest gathering of blues musicians from across the globe, features performers vying for cash, prizes, and industry inroads as the competition judges search for artists ready for the big time. This year’s event promises to be at least as big as last year’s, which included 100 bands and 60 solo/duo acts. Musicians will showcase their talents in clubs along Beale before the event culminates with the finals at the Orpheum Theater on Saturday. This year’s event will also feature a Youth Showcase. For more information, see the IBC website.
But Wait, There’s More
For a look at some more events and artists sure to shape Memphis music in 2009, check out the What’s New on our main site: http://www.memphistravel.com/visitors/january.aspx.
Jason Middlekauff