Nomad in Memphis

The nomads have arrived in musical Memphis, Tennessee. The magical melting pot of Blues and Country. The birthplace of Rock and Roll. But also known as Soul ville. That Urban City that became the fertile grounds for the Roots. The roots of the worlds most powerful mixed race music. The meeting place where black and white music culture started their longlasting love affair. They had it out. First slugged it out. Or perhaps just made out. But in any case it did become hot and sweaty, funky and sexy, smelly and sweet. Preacher preach: Oh deliver to us that wonder that changed the world forever! Or alternatively worded : Rock n Roll, man!

Yes, yes I am talking about Memphis Tennessee. A place permanently bustling with creativity. From its' old legendary recording studios and its' music museums to the Royal Palace Graceland and the Gibson factory, Memphis is full of amazing musical attractions. And of course the actual live music of jam session littered Beale street. Lets not forget that. No, no, not that.


The Blues originated in the Mississippi Delta, but found a warm home in Memphis, before it left cotton country and moved even further north to Chicago to electrify its' sound. The strong Blues tradition to the south of Memphis and the strong Country and Western tradition to the North (Nashville) magically merged in this wondrous spot along the Old Man River.

This attracted an ocean of artists of which Mississippi born Elvis became the most influential one. He not only personified, but even embodied the fusion of black and white music called Rock and Roll and became its greatest ambassador. The legendary King of Rock and Roll. But also the King of the Blues, Mississippi born, B.B.King found his artistic home here.

Other musical nobility include the likes of Albert King and even Isaac Hayes, also prolifically baptized Black Moses. All iconic Memphis residents. Lest I forget, I must mention the queens: Aretha Franklin and Mavis Staple. Unsurprisingly the Memphis music scene also spawned legendary recording studios like the Sun Studio and Stax Studio.

A succer for nostalgia... at the Sun Studio we actually recorded 2 songs in honour of all these legendary talents that recorded there in the mythical past. Standing in the spot. Magnetic. Touching the mic Elvis growled in. Irresistible. I have a typical 'Thinking of the Tardis' moment and than enthousiastically burst out into belting a Presley classic. "Not bad.", the recording lady says afterwards. "Really?", I ask. "Better than what we usually get.", she replies. "This is encouraging news.", I smile.

We also purchased an amazing cd (Million Dollar Quartet) I highly recommend to any real music lover: Sun Studio jam session (by Elvis, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl 'Blue Suede Shoes' Perkins and Johny Cash). This record became our road trip's soundtrack. We could not listen to these epic jamsessions without repeatedly being astonished by Jerry Lee and Elvis competing in who could vocally relish more in some very spiritual down south gospel. Delicious treats for your eardrums.

Now to taste all these wonderful flavours I tried to describe above, Nomads just had to leave Lonely street and take a stroll down Beale street by night. Something we did frequently. But tomorrow what else could our first order of business be... but to pledge allegiance to the King?

TBC