Memphis  Sizzles!

By Tab Hauser
GoNOMAD Senior Writer

People come to Memphis to soak up its musical historical sights, eat some good food, and wander Beale Street. Spending three fun days here will have you get the most out of Memphis in a leisurely way.

Memphis has historical importance in the music world, claiming to be the birthplace of the blues and rock’n’roll.

Memphis is so prominent in the music world that according to the Rock n Soul Museum, there are over 1000 recorded songs with its name in the lyrics.

Beale Street is the center of Memphis’s entertainment. It is here where Elvis got his first paid gig to open for another band.

It is where artists like B.B. King, Muddy Waters, and Louis Armstrong perfected their craft. It is also rated one of the top entertainment streets in the country.

Take to Beale Street slowly. Wander its three blocks until you feel the music of a band that calls you in for a set. We hit five different clubs or bars during our three nights here. Admission is free or reasonable at most clubs.

Many clubs on Beale Street serve dinner. While the food is usually OK, I would stick to the music when there. For a listing of events and where the music is playing go to   https://bealestreet.com/

Sun Studio

The 45-minute Sun Studio tour is a must-do when in Memphis. It is said that a mix of blues, gospel, and country music at Sun Studio gave birth to the origin of rock n roll.

Sun Studio launched music legends like Elvis Presley, Charlie Rich, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, Johnny Cash, BB King, and Ike Turner.

Holding the original microphone Elvis and others used at Sun StudioThe tour includes the original radio station DJ’s office downstairs.

Upstairs you see the recording studio that is still used today. It is here that Elvis Presley cut his first song with $4 he saved. (you get to hear this scratchy piece that was never a hit).

In the studio you can stand on the same “X” and hold the same microphone Elvis did. In the studio is a large black and white poster of the “Million Dollar Quartet”. Visitors get to hear some of the recordings of that famous pop-up jam session that included Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, and Johnny Cash.

Tours are daily from 10 AM to 6 PM. Advanced purchasing does not reserve a time. Budding musicians can hire the studio at $200 per hour. https://www.sunstudio.com/

Touring Memphis in Style

Eyes (and photos) were upon us when Tad Pierson pulled up to Sun Studio in his 1955 Cadillac and opened the door for us. He was here to give his American Dream Safari Tour of Memphis. Tad has been driving visitors and celebrity artists around Memphis for years. His tours are laid back and geared toward your interest.

We spent almost three hours roaming the city to see different points of interest. We started our drive by passing some beautiful street art. Elvis’s places passed included his high school and family apartment building.

We went into high-end neighborhoods as well as the shabbier side of town to learn about Memphis’s music and history. It was sad to see the boarded-up small home that was the birthplace of Aretha Franklin. Not far from there, we stopped at the Stax Museum, said to be where Southern Soul got its foundation.

Our tour continued along the river and onto Beale Street for an old-fashioned pump-flavored soda at A. Schwab where fourth generation Elliot served us personally. While Beale Street is closed to traffic, Tad’s Caddy seemed to be the exception on this quiet time of the day. The tourists there loved his moving piece of nostalgia.

The American Dream Safari Tour can accommodate up to five people. The car is big, comfortable, and gives that cushy ride of the time. Inside you will the signatures of different artists on both rear doors. Tad can be reached by text at 901-527-8870 or by email at tad@americandreamsafari.com.

Rolling On the River

Memphis River Boat Cruises offers a pleasant 90-minute ride going several miles up and down the mighty Mississippi River. This is done on a 65-foot, three-level replica paddle wheel boat that holds 400 people. Cruises are well narrated so you get to learn about the history of the city and river. Afternoon tours are $25 and go rain or shine. Also available are a dinner and music cruise and a Sunday Blue’s lunch. https://memphisriverboats.net

Going to Graceland

Memphis and Elvis are connected at the hip. Going to Graceland is not just about a visit to the King’s home.

It is about having an entire Elvis Presley experience and the best admission ticket to buy is the Elvis Experience Tour. This will get you into the mansion and the ten museums that show his life and style.

Elvis’s Home

The 10,266-square-foot Colonial Revival Mansion that Elvis lived in was built in 1939. He purchased it in 1957 for $102,000 (worth about $1.1 million today).

It sits on 13.8 acres and is the second most visited home after the White House. Visitors on the Experience ticket, self-tour the house and grounds with audio guides.

Open to viewing are the living room, his parent’s bedroom, the kitchen, TV room, billiard room, the famous Jungle Room, his father’s office, the Trophy Building, and, the restored Racquetball Building.

Outside the house, you can see the vast grounds where his family rode horses, drove golf carts, and swam in the pool. There is also a meditation garden where Elvis, Priscila, and Elvis and Elvis’s parents are buried.

All Things Elvis

There are 200,000 square feet of exhibits that cover the King’s life.

You can see his hundreds of gold and platinum records, his famed costumes, posters, and artifacts from his 31 movies. There is a building dedicated to his army days.

The “Icon” building features wardrobe and instruments from 25 famous musicians influenced by Elvis. On display are his many cars and motorcycles along with two jets you can enter.

There is a Hollywood Backlot building with the sets from the 2022 movie, Elvis. The takeaway here is that Elvis’s love of life and living large.

All visits end at the over-the-top gift shop on all things Elvis. I have never seen so many different T-shirts, hats, magnets, mugs, and other souvenirs dedicated to one person. https://www.graceland.com

National Civil Rights Museum

My National Civil Rights Museum experience had me overwhelmed and enlightened on this important part of American history.

Too little on this subject is taught in high school history and after my almost two hours here, I got a deeper understanding of the civil rights movement. This museum puts things in perspective in an easy-to-understand layout.

The museum opened in Memphis 1991 and is located at the historic Lorraine Motel where Dr Martin Luther King was assassinated. His motel room is still intact. Hundreds of exhibits range from slavery in the 1700’s, continuing through to civil rights issues of today.

One display showed that in the early 1900s, southern white teachers were paid two-thirds higher than black teachers and that educating white students was five times higher in cost than black students.

An old black-and-white training film I found stirring, taught passive protesters how to act peacefully when being arrested or manhandled.

Exhibits include the burned-out Greyhound bus used by the Freedom Riders, videos of protesters being savagely attacked, and lots of informative boards, documents, and photos to help understand the movement.

www.civilrightsmuseum.org/

Memphis’s Millionaire Row

Sitting on what is known as “Millionaire’s Row” on Adams Avenue is the French Victorian mansion, Woodruff-Fontaine House.

This 16-room home was built in 1870 and restored in 1961. It is a time capsule of how the rich lived in Memphis. Guides take you through the house that is filled with period furnishings.

Inside you will see the grand staircase, stained glass windows, and rooms meticulously decorated as if the family still lived there.

After walking by the set dining room, parlors, children’s room, bedrooms, and dressed mannequins, visitors can climb up the front tower to survey the neighborhood.

While here, take a look at the Mallory-Neely House to the west, built in 1852 and 1848 James Lee House Bed and Breakfast to the east.

These were part of what was called the Victorian Village.
www.woodruff-fontaine.org

Memphis Ghosts

Back Beat Tours runs a two-hour ghost tour in the South Main Historic District. They call it, “the most notoriously haunted neighborhood of Memphis”.

The two-mile walk is all about ghost sightings. It starts at the popular Orpheum Theater and continues to several other locations including a bar where the jukebox was reported haunted. The ghosts are mentioned by name with their history to the building. https://www.backbeattours.com  

 Blues Hall of Fame

The Blues Hall of Fame has 10 small galleries with artifacts spotlighting some of the best blues artists. There are inactive exhibits and headphones to listen to music. Boards have the names and years people were inducted into the hall of fame. Allow 45 minutes here unless you are a serious fan.

The Memphis Pyramid

Memphis was named after the ancient Egyptian city known for its pyramids. In 1991 the city built the ninth largest pyramid standing at 321 feet. It was originally a 20,000-seat arena that failed. In 2010 Bass Pro Shops signed a 55-year lease on the pyramid and I recommend a visit here just before sunset.

Bass Pro Shops turned the pyramid into an unusual mega store. Among its features are 600,000 gallons of water holding 1800 fish giving it a cypress swamp look. The top of the pyramid hosts a restaurant, bar, and observation deck with stunning sunsets. To get to the top you take America’s tallest free-standing elevator. In the store, you will find a waterfowl museum, archery and pistol range,

bowling alley, and a 103-room hotel and spa. The store sells clothes and anything sports-related when it comes to the outdoors.

Tennessee Whiskey in Memphis

Old Dominick Distillery is Memphis’s place to sample and see how Tennessee whiskey is made. The 45-minute tour starts with their 180-year family history. It continues to the distillery area where you learn about barrels, and see the charcoal filtration that makes Tennessee Whiskey different.

Visitors get close enough to the mash to take in its sweet smell. Tours end with a sampling of six of their spirits. There is a full bar on the premises. https://olddominick.com

Memphis Food Favorites

Central BBQ is all about being slow-smoked, dry-rubbed, and well-marinated. Their three-meat platter of pulled pork, and smoked turkey and brisket with sides for $26 was enough to feed two.

My biggest regret about Central BBQ was not being able to make it back for their ribs and smoked wings. Their in-house banana pudding is a must if you have room. This is a good place for lunch or dinner when near the National Civil Rights Museum https://eatcbq.com/

The Majestic Grille is housed in the former 1913 Majestic Movie House and has a classy vintage style both inside and out. This award-winning restaurant has a continental-inspired menu that includes hand-cut steaks, fish, chicken, flatbreads and salads.

We loved the grilled oysters, the giant portion of tempura onion rings, their “famous” grilled cheese sandwich, and a 16-ounce rib-eye. To remember their past, there are always silent movies playing on a large wall. Cocktails were crafted and service was flawless. https://majesticgrille.com/

At the Arcade Restaurant, you can sit in the same booth where Elvis had his famous fried peanut butter sandwich. Memphis’s oldest landmarked restaurant is still run by the same Greek family that started the place in 1919. In the 1950’s it restyled the old section of the restaurant and has kept its “50’s” look. We enjoyed our breakfast called the “hash brown bowl” and the “eggs redneck”. https://arcaderestaurant.com

Gus’s Hot and Spicy Fried Chicken should be on your Memphis food list. Founded in 1953, they distinguish themselves from Nashville Hot Chicken in the way they spice their hand-battered fresh chickens. We found the seasoning had plenty of flavor and was not too as spicy as the Nashville version. We ate well for under $40 including two beers. The Old Dominick Distillery invites you to take your food across the street and have a craft cocktail or whiskey at their bar. https://www.gusfriedchicken.com

Edge Alley was our Sunday brunch place to watch all the young locals enjoying themselves. The biscuits, shrimp & grits, avocado toast, and mimosas were perfect. https://www.edge-alley.com/

The Blues City Café was fine for dinner when we were on Beale Street. The ambiance here is to eat and get to the music. The gumbo, ribs, and catfish were served quickly and were good. Attached through a doorway is the stage and bar where we heard good music. https://bluescitycafe.com/

Lodging

I cannot speak highly enough of the Central Station Memphis, a Curio Collection by Hilton. I liked it for a few reasons. Architecturally, this is a beautifully restored eight-story brick railway hub built-in 1914.

Amtrak stops here twice a day going between New Orleans and Chicago. The hotel has a nice vibe. There is a large and inviting lounge area having a DJ play each evening. On the wall are 3500 records.

The location is perfect being only a mile from the bustle of Beale Street. Getting to Beale Street costs you $1 on the Main Street trolley that stops in front of the hotel every 12 minutes.

The hotel is across the street from the Arcade Restaurant and a five-minute walk to the National Civil Rights Museum.

The Central Station Hotel has 123 spacious rooms and nine suites. In the rooms are high-end speakers where guests can access the hotel’s daily playlist by scanning the QR code. There is a fitness center, restaurant, and conference facilities.

The staff always greets you with a smile and is attentive. While at the hotel wander the hallways to view old photos and its art. https://www.hilton.com/en/hotels/memcuqq-the-central-station-memphis

A complete guide to Memphis can be found at https://www.memphistravel.com/