The Sound That Left Stax Speechless
From early on Memphis musicians have had no problem making a statement without the encumbrance of words. As a young man, W.C. Handy found music in the wordless sounds of the tapping of shovels, as his...
View ArticleGus Cannon Rocks The Sixties In His Seventies
Folk music enjoyed a revival of sorts in the mid 20th century. Springing from the Greenwich Village epicenter of the movement in the late 40‘s, The Weavers were among the first to gain acclaim by...
View Article20-75 And Other Label Fables
If you’re one of those who has to find organization in the midst of chaos, you could divide the history of Hi Records into roughly three parts, defined by three artists. The first would be marked by...
View ArticleFour Fabs Honor One Rockin' Cat
Worlds collided in 1965 when the Beatles, on tour in the states, had a meeting with Elvis Presley in LA. But other than memories and conflicting stories about what did and didn’t occur…John Lennon: “We...
View ArticleMuscling In On The Memphis Sound
Highway 72 begins in the east in Chattanooga, runs through Alabama and Mississippi before reaching its western terminus in Memphis. In fact, it is the only US highway to have both termini in the same...
View ArticleKWEM And Johnny Cash In
Almost every recording artist can cite the first time they heard their song on the radio. Just like in the movie That Thing You Do , the dancing-in-the-street euphoria of the Oneders when their song...
View ArticleFrom King Creole To Private Presley
The Elvis Presley story is full of what ifs that were trumped by manager Col. Tom Parker dictating what is. By 1957, the Colonel had reportedly turned down at least two movie opportunities, basically...
View ArticleHard Headed Woman Rings Up Number One
In early 1958, the introduction of army induction suddenly threw everything into fast forward for Elvis Presley and those in his immediate circle. During his time in the service, there would be a...
View ArticlePlastic Powered Pop Propels Memphis Music Multiplication
Memphis became a regional hub of recording activity due to a number of factors, not the least of which was the availability of talent. Additionally, from Clarence Saunders and Kemmons Wilson to Fred...
View ArticleThomas Wayne Turns Tragedy Into Triumph
As the decade of the 1950s came to a close, the Memphis recording scene was in transition. Many of the big name players had moved on. Johnny Cash signed with Columbia records, as did Carl Perkins....
View ArticleHi Time Someone New Had A Hit
In its mission statement, the United States Department of Defense accepts responsibility for providing the military forces needed to deter war and protect the security of our country. In the 1958 to 60...
View ArticleBack In The States, Stuck On Top
Elvis Presleys first record sold one copy, and he was the one who bought it. In the summer of 1953, when the teen-aged Elvis drove up to 706 Union Avenue and finally worked up the nerve to go inside,...
View Article1960 And The Re-Branding Of Elvis
Colonel Tom Parker knew there would never be another 1956. It was highly unlikely that Elvis Presley, or perhaps anyone, would so dominate the record charts, spending half the year at number one with...
View ArticleThe Boxing Burnette Brothers Pack A Pop Punch
Many an arena was rocked by the strains of the song Aerosmith chose to close their shows, a tune with a long legacy known as Train Kept-A-Rollin. Long before the first Aerosmith fans lit their Bics for...
View ArticleExpatriate Memphians Make Nashville Sound Good
A couple of hundred miles can sometimes make all the difference in the world. When you look at it, even among the members of the million dollar quartet, Elvis came from Tupelo, Jerry Lee Lewis from...
View ArticleRoy Orbison Runs From Sun To Monumental Success
Memphis was the summit of success for many singers, and a jumping-off point for others. Roy Orbison was born in Vernon, Texas, and grew up in Wink. He went to North Texas State to study geology, but...
View ArticleIt's Lonesome At The Top
In 1960, America was on the verge of exploring the new frontier, getting ready to pass the torch to a new generation. Who would imagine that two of the years biggest hit melodies would be written in...
View ArticleAs Luck Would Have It
Its easy to say Elvis Presley had a career run of good luck as he headed into the sixties. From his first Sun Records single, he created a stir, and fostered a following that would set records and...
View ArticleThe Sound That Left Stax Speechless
From early on Memphis musicians have had no problem making a statement without the encumbrance of words. As a young man, W.C. Handy found music in the wordless sounds of the tapping of shovels, as his...
View ArticleGus Cannon Rocks The Sixties In His Seventies
Folk music enjoyed a revival of sorts in the mid 20 th century. Springing from the Greenwich Village epicenter of the movement in the late 40s, The Weavers were among the first to gain acclaim by...
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