City of Memphis Considered the Home of the Blues and the Birthplace of Rock ’n Roll, the city of Memphis’ musical roots run deep. However, music is just a chapter in the history as well as the future of the city located in the heart of MidAmerica. Memphis, named after the capital of ancient Egypt, boasts all the amenities you would expect in a city with over 1,000,000 residents while retaining the charm and down-to-earth feel of a small town. Downtown Memphis is in the midst of a building boom valued at $2.3 billion which is transforming the heart of the city. One of the most visible projects has been the construction of AutoZone Park, the downtown ballpark which is the home of the Memphis Redbirds, the St. Louis Cardinals’ Triple-A club. The new 14,320-seat stadium includes 1,500 club seats, 48 luxury suites and is located at the corner of Third Street and Union Avenue across from the world-famous Peabody Hotel. Downtown is served by the Main Street Trolley. The trolley system, which first opened in April of 1993, currently consists of the Main Street Line which passes near such Memphis landmarks as Beale Street, the Pinch District, Court Square and the National Civil Rights Museum. The Riverfront Loop includes a station in front of The Pyramid and offers riders a unique vista of the Mississippi River. Memphis musical roots can be traced to band
leader W.C. Handy who wrote the first blues song here in 1909, a campaign theme for Memphis mayor “Boss” Crump called “Boss Crump Blues” and later published as “The Memphis Blues.” The sound soon caught on and blues bands filled the clubs along Beale. Young musicians who have performed along Beale include Muddy Waters, Furry Lewis, Albert King, Bobby “Blue” Bland, and B.B. King. Beale Street has rapidly become the entertainment center of Memphis and visitors and locals alike enjoy the food and music offered in the various nightclubs. From B.B. King’s to the Daisy Theatre, from Elvis’ Place to the Hard Rock Cafe, from Pat O’Briens to the Rum Boogie Cafe, Beale Street has something to offer for everyone. Where Beale Street meets the Mississippi River is Tom Lee Park, site of the annual Beale Street Music Festival. The weekend-long musical festival is just a part of the month-long Memphis in May International Festival which also includes the World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest and the Sunset Symphony. Located just off Beale Street is the Peabody Place Retail and Entertainment Center which opened in 2002. The 300,000 square foot retail complex offers visitors a one-stop-shop for fun and excitement with a unique mix of entertainment, dining and shopping options unlike anything else in the
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region. The complex features a 22-screen movie theater and 3D IMAX as well as several theme restaurants, including Jillian’s, which is a multi-dimensional entertainment venue complete with a bowling alley, billiards, a sports video cafe’, and more than 150 electronic stimulation games. Also located within a block of Beale Street is Gibson Guitar Memphis which includes factory tours and cultural
exhibits. Also on the same property is the Smithsonian’s Rock ’n’ Soul Museum which includes artifacts documenting music’s past. Memphis’ musical roots also includes Stax and Hi-Records as well as Sun Records recording studios. Stax became known for “sweet soul music” through such artists as the MarKeys, Booker T. and the MGs, Otis Redding, Wilson Pickett, Sam and Dave and Isaac Hayes. The Stax Museum reopened on it’s original location at McLamore and Crump in the summer of 2003 and offers visitors a complete history of ‘Soulsville USA”. One of Hi-Records premier artists was Al Green. Sun Records’ most famous recording artist was Elvis Presley and also boasted Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Pickens and Johnny Cash among its recording artists. Riverboats are a common site along the banks of the Mississippi River in downtown Memphis.