Memphis

Elvis statue at the top of famous Beale Street.

Elvis again!  He can be found everywhere in Memphis from Graceland to the souvenir shops to Sun Studio!

Beale Street

Live musicians in W.C. Handy Park on Beale Street.

Dewey Phillips, pioneering Memphis rock 'n' roll disk jockey.

Gibson Guitar Factory

Balls along the street in front of the FedEx Forum, home of the Memphis Grizzlies.

Sun Studio

Sun Studio became nationally known for giving many local artists, both black and white, their start in the recording industry.  These included Elvis Presley, Roy Orbison, Johnny Cash, B.B. King, Jerry Lee Lewis, Howlin' Wolf, Carl Perkins, Charlie Rich, and others. 

Scott entering the famous Sun Studio!

Famous photo of Sun Studio jam session with Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, Elvis Presley, and Johnny Cash is set behind the soda fountain.

Working Wurlitzer Jukebox

Disk jockey Dewey Phillips ran his radio show, Red, Hot & Blue, from this sound booth for 9 years.  In 1954, Dewey was the first DJ to play the young Elvis Presley's debut record, That's All Right/Blue Moon of Kentucky and in an on-air interview got Presley to reveal his race by asking the 19 year old singer what high school he attended.  Because of segregation, his audience would know what race attended which schools.

The musical Memphis is based loosely on Dewey Phillips' life and career.

RCA 73-B Lathe Recorder used for years by Sam Phillips, owner and operator of Sun Studios, in the early 1950s. 

Elvis Presley's Cowhide Guitar Case

Pepsi Machine in Sun Studio office.

Guitars in sound studio.

Microphones

Jerry Lee Lewis put out his cigar on the keyboard of the studio piano!

While in Memphis we sampled barbecue ribs several places but Corky's Bar-B-Q is the best barbecue ever!  Anywhere!  Indescribablely Delicious!  Fall off the bone perfection!

Lorraine Motel

The Lorraine Motel is now the site of a privately owned National Civil Rights Museum.

Room #306 is where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. stayed while he was in Memphis and on the balcony outside room #306 is where he was assassinated by James Earl Ray.

These two cars (1959 Dodge Royal and 1968 Cadillac) are the same as the original ones parked here in 1968.  Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and his friends were scheduled to go to dinner in the cars that evening.

Young and Morrow Building

It is believed that James Earl Ray fired the shot that killed Dr. King from this bathroom window in the Young and Morrow Building.

Wreath marks where Dr. King was standing when he was shot on April 4, 1968.

Graceland

A trip to Memphis wouldn't be complete without seeing Graceland.  This is as close as we got; we decided to save our money and pass on this kitschy tour!