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Love FoodThe Arcade is Memphis’ oldest café – when it first opened in 1919, the food was cooked on potbelly stoves! The restaurant’s trademark retro diner decor was installed in the 1950s and has attracted many Hollywood filmmakers. Elvis Presley…
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Love ExploringThe sheer size and grandeur of this Memphis hotel, which is just around the corner from the home of blues, Beale Street, has a long and often quirky history. read more
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Ike Turner’s “Rocket 88” is widely considered to be the first rock 'n' roll record, and it was recorded right here in Memphis. Credited to Jackie Brenston…
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W.C. Handy and Memphis Minnie were pioneers of the blues. In 1909, W.C. Handy, “Father of the Blues,” moved to Memphis and scored “The Memphis Blues.” He played Beale Street regularly, and his frequent use of minor third and seventh notes became…
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With influential hits like "Rockin' the House," "Messin' Around," and "Nobody Loves Me" (better known as “Every Day I Have the Blues”), Memphis Slim is remembered as blues royalty and one of the genre’s greatest pianists. John "Peter" Chatman grew…
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With hits including “Walking the Dog” and “Do the Funky Chicken,” singer, songwriter, DJ and dancer Rufus Thomas was one of the most influential entertainers to come out of Memphis. Thomas had both the first hit for Sun Records (with "Bear Cat")…
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One of America’s most iconic streets, Beale Street has always been a hub for recreation, culture and, of course, music. Artists including W.C. Handy, B.B. King, Memphis Minnie and Bobby “Blue” Bland were among those to help Beale earn its nickname…
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Memphis music has always had roots in the gospel tradition. From iconic artists including The Staple Singers, Al Green and Elvis Presley, to the genres they helped define (including rock 'n' roll and soul), gospel has long been a source of…
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From Ike Turner recording the first rock ‘n’ roll song at Sun Studio to Xavion becoming the first Black rock band to be featured on MTV, Black artists have pioneered Memphis' place in rock history. Rock 'n' roll is a sub-genre of rhythm and blues…