Tuesday, July 17, 2012

Tennessee - Part I (Memphis)

I'm back! I had an amazing time in Memphis. I was in town for an event filled weekend with friends, sorority sisters, and fraternity brothers, and managed to get my inner nerd fed in between outings at several museums and sites. In fact, I actually had to pare down my list of things to do because of social and financial reasons- but what I found I am more than excited to share with you!
The now-defunct Memphis Pyramid.
Soon to be a Bass Pro Shop (lame!) it was the building I was pretty geeked to see.
I mean seriously, how cool is it to have a PYRAMID in your city?!
Having never been to Memphis (well, I passed through the airport once on my way to Alabama several years ago...but that doesn't count), there were four things that I heard that defined the city: Great music- especially the blues, Beale Street, amazing barbecue, and Elvis/ Graceland (technically the fifth thing I always heard was an abnormally high crime rate-- but I'll keep the blog positive and not dwell on that). For a detailed history (which I found interesting!) of the largest city in Tennessee, you can click HERE, but for the fun touristy things I did in my three days there, read on!
W.C. Handy Memphis Home and Museum



Hidden at the end of the touristy end of Beale Street, the W.C. Handy Memphis Home and Museum, tells the story of W.C. Handy- the Father of the Blues. I was the first visitor of the day, getting there right as the lone attendant/ tour guide opened the door. He actually seemed a little surprised I was there, saying that other than tourists from Europe and Asia, and the occasional school group, few people (and especially not locals) came to visit. Quite sad because it sets a beautiful tone for enjoying and seeing everything else on Beale Street and the general music history of Memphis, and it only costs $4 to see. No pictures are allowed inside, but there isn't really much to take pictures of anyway it's only two rooms big. The first is set up with some period pieces and a few artifacts that actually belonged to him, and the second has pictures and sheet music covers framed in (cheap) frames, and a table with merchandise for sale. There's a bathroom and I'm assuming an office or closet that I was told was added on later. While not thoroughly impressed with the presentation (I understand that money is tight for places like this, but I think a fixtures upgrade and thorough dusting is very much so doable) I loved the story of this place and the important life and history it preserves.

Gibson Factory in Memphis

Another no-photos-inside location, this isn't Gibson's headquarters, but actually their third (and newest) manufacturing plant. The lobby had a piano, a few juke boxes and guitars, and what looked like a rentable ballroom that was being aired out- but nothing super notable. Tours cost $10, sell out quickly, and last about 40 minutes give or take. If you're lucky (as I was on July 14th!) you'll get to see the actual employees working on making guitars- a much more labor intensive process than I originally thought! You walk into a large warehouse like facility stacked floor to ceiling with cases and a rainbow of various guitars. As you are guided through carefully marked off walkways that snake between different work stations, you learn about Gibson's special methods for preparing and cutting wood, assembling different guitar shapes, and getting them painted, polished, and ready for purchase. If you are there when the workers are using their tools and equipment, it gets pretty noisy, so it's best to stick as close to the tour guide as possible so you can actually hear what's going on. 

Sun Studio

You know how Graceland is supposed to be the Mecca of all things Elvis? Yeah, well, I refuse to pay $30+ to tour that place- even if I wasn't on a budget I just think that's a little astronomical. Luckily, there's another way to get your Elvis fix in the city that has such a deep connection to "The King"- Sun Studio, the place where Presley was discovered. But that's not all Sun was known for. In fact, one of the first artists to record there was B.B. King. Howlin' Wolf, The Prisonaires, Jerry Lee Lewis, Johnny Cash, and more, all recorded in this building- and there are photos, records, documents, and other memorabilia all over the place, telling not only the history of the physical place, but the evolution of blues and rock by Sun Studios. This was another two room tour (and cost about $13 after taxes), but the second room is certainly the highlight: the actual studio where all that musical magic happened! According to my amazingly awesome tour guide, the floor, wall and ceiling tiles, and reception area are all original. People still record there today, and at the end of the tour you have the option to take a picture with the microphone that Elvis actually used to record with- in the same spot he stood in while recording. It should be noted that while I didn't utilize it, there is a free shuttle to and from Sun Studio that also goes to Graceland. Good option for those of you not afraid of that Graceland admission fee!

Stax Museum of American Soul Music

This was actually the last place I went to before going home, and was the only place my friends decided to tag along to. I can honestly say this place was probably my favorite. With a student ID I got into Stax and the National Civil Rights Museum (more on that later) for $18. The tour starts with a 20 minute video of the history of the Stax label and soul music in general. While in the theater, you also learn about the charter school and other charitable work done through the Soulsville organization. Then you enter the galleries, which have an actual old Baptist church (to talk about the gospel music at the roots of soul music), and the history of the genre and label through instruments, costumes, awards, and even Isaac Hayes' blue and gold plated Cadillac that rotates so you can see the white fur interior. There was a section that had clips of Stax artists that appeared on Soul Train on a mega screen, complete with a dance floor so you could dance along. 
Isaac Hayes' Cadillac
Towards the end of the tour there's a room with a huge green screen where visitors can play dress up with costume pieces from the 50s and 60s, and be superimposed onto different backgrounds- including a disco dance floor and the front of Stax with the blue Caddy parked in front (of course the option we chose!)
Entrance to the National Civil Rights Museum
I'll be honest about this museum- it is EXCELLENTLY executed. It's immaculate, easy to navigate, informative about well known and lesser known issues in the struggle for African-American equality, and has probably THE friendliest staff of any place I went to the entire time in Memphis. However, if you've ever been to any other civil rights themed museum (as I have), the only selling point that makes this place a must-see is the fact that it is located at the hotel where MLK was assassinated. That sounds incredibly harsher than I mean it to be- but it's the truth. With that in mind, the highlights of this place for me where being able to look into the room King stayed in, and seeing the balcony where he lost his life. A newer expansion has also purchased the property across the street from the hotel, and allows you to see the gun that James Earl Ray used to snipe King, as well as look into the bathroom he stood in to complete this crime. Very surreal indeed standing in both places, seeing things from both the perspective of victim and murderer, and to be honest I didn't take a photo of either direct view because I just felt it would be a little disrespectful.
Outside view of the balcony where MLK was shot
Another selling point for my fellow museum-hoppers is the fact that you can save a few bucks by purchasing tickets for both this place and Stax. But honestly, you can take a photo of the balcony outside without having to pay admission if you just want to see this historic spot but not pay to go inside. 
Doormat to the hotel
Apparently, in order to be a really cool old school hotel, you have to have an animal mascot and tradition that goes back in history a really long time. My first experience with this was The Jefferson in Richmond, Virginia who used to keep gators in their fountains ans still uses them as a logo to this day. In Memphis, this is accomplished by The Peabody Hotel and it's world famous duck march! Pretty much four ducks get treated like royalty for a few months, and twice a day (at 11 and 5) they "march" from their penthouse, to an elevator, down a red carpet, and into a lobby fountain where they play and pretty much ignore the hundreds of people that photograph and film them (like myself! I even got a picture with their Duckmaster!) The event is actually pretty quick, but upon the advice of a hotel employee, I watched the ducks from the upstairs balcony, and filmed this footage:
My footage of the Peabody Ducks
Mind you, I didn't actually STAY at The Peabody- it's a little pricey. I actually stayed at the Econolodge two blocks up the street, but perhaps next time!
EATING IN MEMPHIS
Okay, so I ate a LOT my two and a half days in Memphis. In an effort to wrap this up I decided to lump them all together. I had dry rub barbecue ribs at Rendezvous- and loved the flavor so much a brought a jar of the seasoning home with me.  I ate chicken and waffles for breakfast at Miss Polly's Soul City Cafe on Beale Street before my Gibson tour. And for lunch one day, I had sauce-drenched take out ribs from A&R BBQ that was actually right next door to my hotel. A&R was the favorite (of the two rib places) of my friends actually from Memphis- who all especially demanded I avoid Corky's because of it's "touristy flavor". 
Rendezvous dry rubbed ribs with slaw and beans
Miss Polly's Chicken and Waffles
A&R take out BBQ ribs with baked beans and green beans
Well, that concludes my time in Memphis. I had an amazing weekend, even outside of the places you see here- I WAS in town to fellowship with my fraternity brothers and sorority sisters. That was fun too, but I'm glad I got to get blog things accomplished as well. As always, check out my Facebook page where you can look at all of my photos and "like" my page. Take a gander at my Pinterest page where you can see state themed pics I gather on the internet. Finally, see all my videos on my YouTube channel, and subscribe. Thanks for reading, and I'll see you next adventure!