100 great records from Memphis

http://www.theguardian.com/music/2014/feb/20/ann-peebles-girl-with-the-big-voice

Didn't realize Ann had a stroke a few years ago.

Nice interview by an ilxor

https://soundcloud.com/dummymag/legowelts-memphis-rap-mix

https://soundcloud.com/legowelt-official/memphis-rapmix-2-the-legends

http://www.clarionledger.com/article/20140306/COL0207/303060010/Scott-Barretta-Enhanced-version-1976-album-captures-Selvidge-s-skill

http://www.memphisflyer.com/memphis/furry-and-sid/Content?oid=3625226

http://www.vqronline.org/nonfiction-criticism/2014/04/sister-cities-louis-armstrongs-new-orleans-and-stax-records-memphis

http://prestonlauterbach.com/2015/03/16/the-real-beale/

http://www.commercialappeal.com/go-memphis/book-reviews/preston-lauterbachs-beale-street-dynasty-reveals-colorful-forgotten-history-of-memphis_38561510

Lauterbach, who wrote a great book on the Chitlin' Circuit, has a new book on the early days of Beale Street, from the civil war to the 1940s or so. The links highlight the Beale Street Symposium this weekend at Rhodes College there, which includes a walking tour led by Lauterbach and 12:30 p.m.Lunchtime lecture with Charles Hughes, author of “Country Soul: Making Music and Making Race in the American South.”

I saw Hughes talk once and he's aslo worth hearing if you're in Memphis this weekned.

I despise the blues, and Mempis is way too much based on the blues.

― Geir Hongro, Saturday, February 16, 2008 3:05 PM (7 years ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

Good lord the exchanges from 7 years ago. Robert Gordon has some Stax records outtakes on his website that are more interesting to me than "The Long And Winding Road."

http://therobertgordon.com/ghost-of-stax-past/

classic geir thread

x-post-Wow, Gordon found those tapes in the debris at Stax

I know, I think that's fascinating. I wandered around the vacant lot in the late 80s and brought home what I think is a piece of floor tile.

I love the riff in "Early Mar Keys 1" so much I think I'm going to try to learn it for my band.

Thank you for that link, Dan -- those outtakes are great! And the lore of something being rescued from literal rubble is too much to resist.

I know! I just finished the book "Respect Yourself," and Gordon mentions the rescued tapes in the appendix. (Note to Hollywood: The Stax Records story is BEGGING to be made into a movie - but don't screw it up a la Cadillac Records.) I told my friend who owns a record store I'd pretty much rather listen to Mar Keys outtakes right now than anything released in 2015.

lol Cadillac Records was SO bad

beyonce as etta oh yeah there's a match

I sometimes want to rewatch it to see if it could possibly be as bad as I thought the first time, but nah... life is too short.

Am curious about Memphis the musical, but this advertising blurb for it kinda scares me

From the underground dance clubs of 1950s Memphis, Tennessee, comes a hot new Broadway musical that bursts off the stage with explosive dancing, irresistible songs and a thrilling tale of fame and forbidden love. Inspired by actual events, MEMPHIS is about a radio DJ who wants to change the world and a club singer who is ready for her big break. Come along on their incredible journey to the ends of the airwaves -- filled with laughter, soaring emotion and roof-raising rock 'n' roll. Winner of four 2010 Tony Awards® including Best Musical,

5 years after its NYC run, a touring version is coming to my hood, for theatre typical pricing--$50 an up

Never heard of that, would totally see. (But yes, the blurb is yucky.)

A Memphis legend is gone -- the mighty Chips Moman:

http://www.commercialappeal.com/entertainment/music/music-titan-chips-moman-is-dead-at-79-35315a2e-5feb-5bbe-e053-0100007f82f0-382850711.html?d

RIP Chips

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tzcdNwIkmYA

What? RIP :(

Bummer. RIP

Would post "Luckenbach Texas (Back to the Basics of Love)" but the only Youtube video I can find of it is super cheesy.

RIP Chip.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1aikUcvbTQE

RIP. Wow, From co-writing with Dan Penn "Dark End of the Street" to his American Studios involvement with , per that obit, the hits of Dusty Springfield ("Son of a Preacher Man"), Neil Diamond ("Sweet Caroline), Merrilee Rush ("Angel of the Morning") , B.J. Thomas ("Hooked on a Feeling"), Joe Tex ("I Gotcha"), Bobby Womack ("Fly Me To The Moon") and, perhaps most famously, Elvis Presley ("Suspicious Minds").,,,

don't think i ever knew his name but damn that's some resume

yep

***** EAST COAST DATES ANNOUNCED *****
Hey Los Angeles, been good to know ya.
Carrying the MEMPHIS RENT PARTY eastward!
Rare videos, reading, Q&A, signing.
5/14 – Baltimore, Creative Alliance
5/15 – Philadelphia, Penn Book Center – with Jonny Meister
5/16 – DC Solid State Books
5/17 – Brooklyn, Kings County Distillery – with a set by Jonathan Kane’s February
Thanks in LA to the Grammy Museum—really fun night, and to Skylight Books, great place!
Further.

That’s Memphis author Robert Gordon for his new book

I am looking forward to this. Hoping to see rare video, like at the reading I saw him do years ago, with Alex Chilton and the Cramps on a Memphis tv local station, obscure blues folks , etc

Bookstore popup wasn't full set up for tech, so writer Robert Gordon just showed a few clips on his laptop-- Furry Lewis footage and also some Mudboy & the Neutrons film. Great stuff. Plus he talked about buying booze at 14 and bringing it to Lewis when he went to see him play at his home; an uh interesting lunch with James Carr; hanging with Tav Falco; Bobby Bland being unhappy with Gordon's pick of a roadhouse diner rather than Peabody's Hotel for an interview

https://www.seattletimes.com/entertainment/reggie-young-renowned-guitarist-for-elvis-waylon-has-died/

RIP Reggie Young , Memphis and later Nashville guitarist

He played on OV Wright and James Carr songs

http://reggieyoung.org/discography-project?fbclid=IwAR0oubOLN_RoVZydcHirsxk0OLxjjydwSvwHbtl5C8yw-GqPfeWyTl9Lu34

Thanks. I knew he played on a lot of stuff, including those two artists but as often is the case with The Memphis Boys etc., am always finding new layers, like when I found out all about Noel Gilbert here: Stroke It Noel

https://www.commercialappeal.com/story/news/local/2020/10/27/stan-kesler-obit-memphis-music-elvis-jerry-lee-lewis-sam-the-sham/3746810001/

RIP guitarist, songwriter, producer, engineer Stan Kesler who wrote “I'm Left, You're Right, She's Gone," & "I Forgot to Remember to Forget” for Elvis, engineered soul classic “Dark End of the Street,” played w/ Jerry Lee Lewis on “Great Balls of Fire,” and produced Sam the Sham’s “Wooly Bully “.

Quite a life and never got that much attention

https://nicklosseatonmedia.com/iconic-memphis-drummer-howard-grimes-pens-autobiography-timekeeper-my-life-in-rhythm-with-acclaimed-author-preston-lauterbach-out-july-1-on-devault-graves-books/

Memphis drummer Howard Grimes has written his autobiography Timekeeper: My Life In Rhythm with acclaimed writer Preston Lauterbach, which will be released on Devault Graves Books on July 1 as part of the imprint’s Great Music Book Series. Known as Bulldog, Grimes tells his unvarnished story, portraying mid-century Memphis music clubs, juke joints, and cafes in North Memphis and around Beale Street, with WDIA always on the airwaves. In a conversational mode, he unveils tales of recording with Rufus Thomas, William Bell, and Carla Thomas at STAX and on all of Al Green’s genre-defining work at Hi Records. He recounts his immortal percussion contributions to Green’s “Let’s Stay Together” and Ann Peebles’ “I Can’t Stand The Rain.”

Wow

The Birth of Soul Music,” a documentary by Memphis filmmaker George W. Tillman Jr Premiered in Memphis last night I read, followed by a Bobby Rush concert

The film highlights Memphis' The Club Paradise and talented entertainers that have performed there — Ray Charles, Johnny Taylor, Aretha Franklin, Bobby Rush, BB King, Albert King, Little Milton, Elvis Presley, Ike and Tina Turner, and the list goes on and on

A great Memphis record by a local group:

The Goodees - Jilted

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QNUIo4Exgyw

Sadly seeing on Facebook now that Memphis drummer Howard Grimes has passed away. He played on Stax and Hi records and efforts by Al Green and Ann Peebles. He released a book about his life last year (mentioned upthread April 3 2021)

Grimes said that Stax co-founder Jim Stewart welcomed Grimes into the fold and asked him to record on Carla Thomas’ first solo singles, including the smash, “Gee Whiz.” Grimes writes that they cut that song at nearby Royal Studios, with Willie Mitchell and Moman as co-producers, after an equipment malfunction at Stax.

Grimes also would play on William Bell’s “You Don’t Miss Your Water,” released in 1961 and the first hit on the newly christened Stax Records. Otis Redding cut the song in 1965 right there at Stax...he band also would back visiting acts such as B.J. Thomas and Dusty Springfield. That’s how tour man Jerry Williams spotted Grimes and asked him to tour with Paul Revere and the Raiders.

“I was the only Black (person) in the band at the time,” Grimes said.

But that was the late 1960s. After Grimes endured threats in Dallas and Montgomery, Alabama, he began to consider his safety.

Teenie Hodges had mentioned to Grimes that they needed a drummer at Willie Mitchell’s studio...

Then worked with OV Wright and then Al Green, Ann Peebles and more

https://staxmuseum.com/howard-grimes-and-memphis-greatest-grooves-july-21-book-signing-by-the-legendary-timekeeper-where-it-all-began/

What an amazing history Grimes had. Sadly based on that link he had a down period ( after his 70s success) where he was living in his car for a bit. Glad his last years were up, playing with Bo-keys, backing Don Bryant & others, the book.

Hadn’t realized Grimes drummed on so many awesome OV Wright records

picked up the goodees' "condition red" 45 recently not realizing they were memphis gals. it's so good! great addition to the bad-boy-boyfriend-in-horrible-wreck subgenre.

https://www.commercialappeal.com/story/entertainment/music/2022/07/28/sidney-kirk-obit-isaac-hayes-sideman-jazz-pianist-memphis-history/10176527002/

RIP Sidney Kirk , Memphis sideman for Isaac Hayes, Denise Lasalle and others

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VAEHXTiQEmQ

RIP Spencer Wiggins who recorded for Goldwax and lived in Memphis till 1973 when he moved to Miami, Fl

https://www.commercialappeal.com/story/entertainment/music/2023/02/15/spencer-wiggins-dies-obit-memphis-soul-music-history/69907734007/

I need to dig into Wiggins catalog. Wiggins and a number of folks who need up on Stax all went to same high school