ME.HarpDoc
209 posts
Nov 12, 2016
1:22 PM
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I'm going to be driving through Nashville and Memphis on a road trip from the East coast at the end of the month. Any suggestions on best Blues spots? who to see? best bets to hear blues harp?
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STME58
1868 posts
Nov 12, 2016
10:24 PM
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It has been a long time since I have been to Memphis, but as I recall, on Beale street are BB King's and the Rum Boogie Cafe where you are likely to hear some good blues. WHen I was there last there was a pretty goo harp player in one of the regular bands at the Rum Boogie. Right nearby is Gibson Guitar, the museum there is definitely worth a browse through. The Peabody hotel has an interesting history. It is mentioned in a few blues songs and is also right in the Beale Street neighborhood.
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timeistight
2059 posts
Nov 12, 2016
11:23 PM
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I loved Stax studio, even though it's a reconstruction of the original building (which was, criminally, torn down). The Civil Rights Museum at the old Loraine Motel is very moving. I skipped Sun studios due to the lineup; I wish now that I'd have persevered.
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Estragon
15 posts
Nov 12, 2016
11:49 PM
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I was in both places earlier this year. My experience was on Beale St the venue with the best music changed daily if not every few hours, it's not a big street so you can easily walk the light and get the vibe. Having said that for me the music. In Blues City Cafe, the Jerry Lee Lewis cafe & honky tonk and the Rum Boogie Bar were all great.
In Nashiville, on Broadway, there isn't much blues, however, the Full Moon Saloon is a great bar and I was lucky to catch Slick Joe Fick (the best upright bass player I've ever known) in there playing and having a beer. Again it is a street you can easily walk the length of and get the vibe so you can seek things out. Ernest Tubbs record store is there which is great.
I saw one of the best gigs of my life virtually by accident at The Station Inn, this is not on Broadway but not too far away. Might be worth a short cab ride. The bad I saw were a 9 piece Bluegrass outfit led by Carl Jackson. He and various others in the band were Grammy nominated / hugely experienced musicians who'd played with so many great people. This gig felt like their night off, jamming at their local, intimate, exceptional musicianship, amazing. It still ain't blues but if you appreciate the music that sits with and around blues too then it's amazing. Oh, and the sell cheap pizza too!
Remember when you're in Memphis it's extremely easy to drive down 61 to Clarkesdale in under an hour. From my experience, the ONLY have blues there!
Whatever you do, enjoy!
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Sundancer
50 posts
Nov 13, 2016
9:56 AM
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There's loads of truly great & historic stuff to see in Memphis. Sun Studios & Stax will make you shudder when you stand where the music you love was recorded. The Civil Rights Museum is especially poignant in these times - and there's a terrific BBQ joint just over the road. And the Memphis Rock n Soul Museum pulls all those threads together showing what a multi- cultural musical city Memphis was prior to MLKs assassination.
Oh, and Graceland is well worth a few hours of your life - if only to peruse the decorating style and ponder what life is like for a leader who is cloistered amongst Yes Men who agree with his every ridiculous thought. "Carpet on the walls E? Damn you are smart! Wonder why nobody thought of that before?!?" Somebody needs to be able to tell the Emperor his is naked. Or foolish. Or worse.
Last Edited by Sundancer on Nov 13, 2016 9:43 PM
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