Memphis soul

“Memphis music is rooted in human experience. In the 19th century, enslaved Africans would bring crops from the rural Mississippi Delta to market in Memphis. It was around this time that Beale Street became a hub for Black music.

Memphis soul was born later, in 1957, when the legendary Stax Records opened.this record company was unusual in that it was a white-owned business in a virtually all-black neighbourhood during a time of segregation. Otis Redding and Isaac Hayes were among the biggest stars to be signed up by Stax.

At Stax Museum of American Soul Music, you’re treading hallowed ground. It’s not the original studio building, but it’s an authentic recreation in the same location. It’s also one of Memphis’ ‘Big Four’ music attractions, which include the Memphis Rock ’n’ Soul Museum, Graceland (longtime home of Elvis Presley) and Sun Studio, where Elvis, Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins and Jerry Lee Lewis all recorded.

Full Gospeltabernacle Church is another must-visit.this was established by soul singer Al Green, and it’s really the only place you can see him perform now.

In the Cooper-young neighbourhood, Bar DKDC has some great line-ups.you might see a rare soul DJ set one night and power-pop the next. On Beale Street, Memphis musicians ply their craft every night at the Blues City Café Bandbox. And Gonerfest in September draws bands from across the world in genres from rock ’n’ roll to R&B.”

Jeff Kollath is the executive director of the Stax Museum of American Soul Music in Memphis,tennessee.

Soulful USA (this page; clockwise from top) Live venues abound on Beale Street in Memphis; Elvis bought Graceland in 1957 for just over $100,000 at the age of 22; Stax co-founder Jim Stewart was a banker by day and a fiddle player by night; Jeff Kollath of Stax Museum knows his soul music