The City Where the Music Found Its Voice
Memphis is a river city in the south-west corner of Tennessee, standing on bluffs above the Mississippi and known worldwide as the home of the blues, soul and rock and roll. It is the place where Elvis Presley made early recordings at Sun Studio in the 1950s, where Stax Records shaped Southern soul, and where W. C. Handy's music turned Beale Street into a legend. Few cities carry such a concentration of musical history in so compact a centre, and much of it is still played live every night.
Beale Street is the obvious starting point, a neon-lit strip of clubs and eateries running down towards the river. Sun Studio offers an intimate guided tour of the room where so much began, while the Stax Museum of American Soul Music celebrates the label's extraordinary catalogue. Graceland, Elvis's home, draws pilgrims from across the globe. A tourist board could hardly ask for a stronger, more instantly recognisable story.
Ribs, Ducks and a Riverside Setting
Memphis cooking is a destination in itself. Dry-rub ribs, pulled pork sandwiches and barbecue nachos are local specialities, and the city's pitmasters take quiet pride in their smokers. At the Peabody Hotel, a daily parade of ducks walks the red carpet to the lobby fountain, a tradition that dates back to the 1930s and delights guests of all ages. The riverfront, with Mud Island Park and the Big River Crossing footbridge, gives the city an open, breezy edge.
The National Civil Rights Museum, housed at the former Lorraine Motel, is among the most moving museums in the South and an essential part of understanding the city's role in American history. South Main and Cooper-Young are good neighbourhoods for galleries, coffee and independent shops. Nearby Mississippi and its Delta blues trail extend the music story, while Tennessee ties Memphis to Nashville, and Chicago shares its blues lineage.
Read the full Memphis guide on Visit Travel Group, or see VisitMemphis.co.uk on Visit Travel Group.