A COMPLETE GUIDE
M EMPHIS AND THE D ELTA B LUES T RAIL
The ducks at the Peabody Hotel, Memphis
A COMPLETE GUIDE
1ST EDITION
M EMPHIS AND THE D ELTA B LUES T RAIL
Melissa Gage & Justin Gage
The Countryman Press Woodstock, Vermont
Copyright 2009 by Melissa Gage and Justin Gage
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the publisher, except by a reviewer, who may quote brief passages.
ISBN: 978-1-5815-7101-1
Cover photo courtesy of Memphis Convention & Visitors Bureau
Interior photographs by Melissa Gage unless otherwise specified
Maps by Mapping Specialists Ltd., Madison, WI, The Countryman Press
Composition by PerfecType, Nashville, TN
Published by The Countryman Press, P.O. Box 748, Woodstock, VT 05091
W. W. Norton & Company, Inc., 500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110
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Recommended by National Geographic Traveler and Travel + Leisure magazines
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Great Destinations guidebooks are known for their comprehensive, critical coverage of regions of extraordinary cultural interest and natural beauty. Each title in this series is continuously updated with each printing to ensure accurate and timely information. All the books contain more than one hundred photographs and maps.
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T HE A DIRONDACK B OOK
T HE A LASKA P ANHANDLE
A TLANTA
A USTIN , S AN A NTONIO & THE T EXAS H ILL C OUNTRY
T HE B ERKSHIRE B OOK
B IG S UR , M ONTEREY B AY & G OLD C OAST W INE C OUNTRY
C APE C ANAVERAL, C OCOA B EACH & F LORIDAS S PACE C OAST
T HE C HARLESTON, S AVANNAH & C OASTAL I SLANDS B OOK
T HE C HESAPEAKE B AY B OOK
T HE C OAST OF M AINE B OOK
C OLORADOS C LASSIC M OUNTAIN T OWNS
C OSTA R ICA : G REAT D ESTINATIONS C ENTRAL A MERICA
D OMINICAN R EPUBLIC
T HE F INGER L AKES B OOK
T HE F OUR C ORNERS R EGION
G ALVESTON, S OUTH P ADRE I SLAND & THE T EXAS G ULF C OAST
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T HE H AMPTONS B OOK
H AWAIIS B IG I SLAND : G REAT D ESTINATIONS H AWAII
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T HE J ERSEY S HORE : A TLANTIC C ITY TO C APE M AY
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L AKE T AHOE & R ENO L AS V EGAS
L OS C ABOS & B AJA C ALIFORNIA S UR : G REAT D ESTINATIONS M EXICO
M AUI : G REAT D ESTINATIONS H AWAII
M EMPHIS AND THE D ELTA B LUES T RAIL
M ICHIGANS U PPER P ENINSULA
M ONTREAL & Q UEBEC C ITY : G REAT D ESTINATIONS C ANADA
T HE N ANTUCKET B OOK
T HE N APA & S ONOMA B OOK
N ORTH C AROLINAS O UTER B ANKS & THE C RYSTAL C OAST
N OVA S COTIA & P RINCE E DWARD I SLAND
O AXACA : G REAT D ESTINATIONS M EXICO
P ALM B EACH, F ORT L AUDERDALE, M IAMI & THE F LORIDA K EYS
P ALM S PRINGS & D ESERT R ESORTS
P HILADELPHIA, B RANDYWINE V ALLEY & B UCKS C OUNTY
P HOENIX, S COTTSDALE, S EDONA & C ENTRAL A RIZONA
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S ALT L AKE C ITY, P ARK C ITY, P ROVO & U TAHS H IGH C OUNTRY R ESORTS
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W ASHINGTON, D.C., AND N ORTHERN V IRGINIA
Y ELLOWSTONE & G RAND T ETON N ATIONAL P ARKS & J ACKSON H OLE
Y OSEMITE & THE S OUTHERN S IERRA N EVADA
The authors in this series are professional travel writers who have lived for many years in the regions they describe. Honest and painstakingly critical, full of information only a local can provide, Great Destinations guidebooks give you all the practical knowledge you need to enjoy the best of each region. Why not own them all?
C ONTENTS
A CKNOWLEDGMENTS
We would like to thank the following people for their assistance during the writing of this book: Kappi Allen, Luther Brown, Michael Curran, Jim ONeal, Jackie Reed, Richard Stolle, and all of the friendly Memphians and people of the Mississippi Delta who offered their endless advice, opinions, and guidance. We would also like to thank all of our friends and family who have encouraged and supported us throughout this process.
I NTRODUCTION
There is a rhythm in the air around Memphis, there always has been. I dont know what it is, but its magic.
Carl Perkins
The Deltas rich musical heritage runs deeper than the rolling waters of the Mississippi River. Long before a young Elvis Presley ever stepped foot inside Sun Studio, the cotton fields south of Memphis were alive with haunting lyrics of love, loss, and sorrow. Out of the flat, fertile fields of the Mississippi Delta, the blues were born. Blues music, with its syrupy lyrics and infectious rhythm, connects this region at its roots. From the ramshackle juke joints along Highway 61 to Memphiss famed barbecue shops, timeless melodies transport visitors back to another era.
While Memphis has long celebrated her musical heritage, historical landmarks throughout the Delta have been difficult to find and, at times, nearly forgotten. Thankfully, thats all starting to change. Founded in 2004, the Mississippi Blues Commission is working to create the Mississippi Blues Trail, which at its estimated completion in 2011 will be comprised of about 150 historical markers and interpretive sites around the state. As of press time, around 60 markers have been erected throughout the Delta and beyond, but more are going up every month. (For more information about the Blues Trail, visit www.msbluestrail.org.)
If the Mississippi Delta is the birthplace of the blues, Memphis gets credit for the conception of rock n roll. Visitors flock to the city to tour legendary recording studios, listen to live music on Beale Street, and gawk at Graceland. An impressive number of museums pay homage to Memphiss musical heritage, while cultural attractions like the National Civil Rights Museum, located at the site of Martin Luther King Jr.s assassination, are reminders of a long history of social unrest.
Located on a bluff overlooking the mighty Mississippi, Memphis has experienced a wave of development since the turn of the 21st century. Downtowns landscape has changed dramatically with the addition of Peabody Place entertainment complex (1999), AutoZone Park (2000), and the FedEx Forum (2004). The more recent rejuvenation of the historic South Main Arts District is a sign of continued city improvements, giving travelers even more reasons to visit.
To truly experience the birthplace of the blues, a stint in Memphis must be followed by an adventure down into the Delta, which is sparsely populated, often impoverished, and most definitely rural. If youre looking for cushy luxury and poolside cocktails, youd best continue south to the casinos on Mississippis Gulf Coast. But if you want to sleep at the hotel where Bessie Smith took her final breath, stand at the crossroads where Robert Johnson (allegedly) sold his soul to the devil, and sip a cold beer while listening to a living legend at one of the few remaining juke joints, the Blues Trail is a dream destination. The air may be thick as molasses and the pace slow, but the music will seep into your very pores. From fried catfish and friendly locals to endless cotton fields and jumpin jukes, this is travel at its most authentic.
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