"Walking with my feet 10 feet off of Beale, walking in Memphis, do I really feel the way I feel?"
As I've mentioned in previous posts, I love Memphis! It's my favorite place to go back and visit! Even though I am not a Tennessee native, I can't help but feel at home every time I go back.
Beale street is located in downtown Memphis and runs 1.8 miles from the Mississippi River to East Street. This is a significant part of the city's history and landscape as well as in music history. Beale Street is a major tourist attraction for any visitors that are looking for good music, good food, and good drinks!!
From 1920 to the 1940s, musicians like Louis Armstrong, Muddy Waters, Albert King, Memphis Minnie, BB King, Rufus Thomas, and Rosco Gordon played on Beale Street and helped create the musical style now known as the Memphis Blues.
However, during the 1960s, Beale Street started to become rundown and many business on the street closed. In May of 1966, Beale Street became a National Historic Landmark. In December of 1977, it was officially delclared "Home of the Blues."
Today, during the first week of May, the Beale Street Music Festival brings a variety of different acts to this famous street. It has become an official kickoff for monthly festivities in the city known as Memphis in May. Located near this downtown area, there is also a Hard Rock Cafe full of Elvis memorabilia, a Coyote Ugly, the Fed Ex Forum where you can catch a Grizzlies game, Gibson Guitar showcase, and as mentioned in a previous post, the world famous Peabody Hotel!
This famous street is lined with many bars, restaurants, shopping, and of course, the original BB King's Blues Club. BB King (1925-2015) open his world famous blues club in Memphis in 1991. Since then, he has opened other locations in Los Angeles, New York City, Orlando, Las Vegas, Nashville, West Palm Beach, and Foxwoods Casino in Connecticut.
I posted this post today in honor of Riley B. King. Known by his stage name "B.B. King", he was a revolutionary blues singer, songwriter, and guitarist. BB King died on May 14, 2015 in Las Vegas, NV peacefully in his sleep.
A follower of mine on Facebook posted this following statement on one of my photos and I felt that it perfectly summed up BB King:
"One of the Kings favorite quotes. When I eventually drop I pray to God that it'll happen in one of three ways; Firstly on stage or leaving the stage. Secondly in my sleep. And the third way... well you'll have to figure that out for yourself. I had the great pleasure of seeing B.B. King in concert a few times he was not only a fantastic musician but also a great storyteller. RIP B.B. King."
