I am going to sun studio in Memphis. I feel like I am going somewhere sacred. Anything I should look for, take Note of, or ask while I am there?

Go Dawgs!

You are going somewhere sacred. My favorite 'tourist' stop in Memphis. Check out a bar called Ernestine and Hazel's. It's an old converted whorehouse where Ray Charles lived when he was strung out on smack, The upstairs bar is right next to Ray's old room, and his old piano is still there. I played it on my last visit.

And take some nice pics !


[doctorstonesblog.blogspot.com]

Great town...Check out the Lorraine Motel, where Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated. Also, Argent Studios is still there where Big Star, The Replacements, Jim Dickinson, and many others made magic.

Make sure to catch some music in Mr. Handy's Blues Hall on Beale Street.

Beale St sucks. Complete tourist trap!

just look where the killer was. great, i envy you!!! have a nice time!!!

I'm jelous!!!

It surely is a great place. I have never been there (never been to the States in fact), but my dad visited the Sun studios this summer, he showed me the pictures just about two weeks ago. Great pictures.

He bought me an Elvis boigraphy there (Careless Love - the second part of the bio). He asked whether they could put some Sun Studios stamp on it, unfortunately they didn't have any. Strange. I read the book right now, it is great. Hopefully I will get the first part the next year.

Dad also visited the Graceland - even better pictures...I hope I will visit those places too some day.

Do The Stones have anything to do with the Sun Studios by the way? Did they record anything there? I don't think so, but I better ask.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2010-12-04 13:08 by Happy24.

Quote
nankerphlege
Anything I should look for, take Note of, or ask while I am there?

If I remember right, they let you make a recording of your own there.
I suppose maybe you have to pay extra to do that.

Check it out: [www.sunstudio.com]

Quote
Happy24


He bought me an Elvis boigraphy there (Careless Love - the second part of the bio). He asked whether they could put some Sun Studios stamp on it, unfortunately they didn't have any. Strange. I read the book right now, it is great. Hopefully I will get the first part the next year.

I´ve read this book about two years ago. it´s one of the best readings, really!

In the summer 94 I decided that I was going to check out where Rock and Roll was born : Memphis, Tennesse. I drove by myself(my wife isn't as much a fanatic as I am). I grabbed a box of K7 to listen to and drove from Washington DC to my first stop(10hours) : Nashville, Tennesse. Nashville has some amazing bars where bands and musicians play live. The best players you'll ever hear.They play effortlessly, and beautifully. The music stores are also impressive, loaded with all sort of customized and vantage guitars; just a dream for a guitar player. And there are the recording studios like RCA where Elvis went after he left Sun records. The grand old opry and the museum of country music which also are interesting to visit.
Then it's Memphis. Beale street, Sun record studios and of course Graceland.
At Sun record one can visit the room where Elvis, Cash, Jerry Lee, Ike Turner and others created and recorded Rock and Roll music. It's impressive to stand in that little building, in that tiny room and to realise that is most likely where the first recordings of rock and roll were made!! Quite @#$%& touching in fact. That 5hit changed my life completely.
Then it's Graceland. Also amazing if one is a rock and roll nut. A must if you love rock and roll. On Beale street there some good clubs(BB King) and bars.

Have a nice trip my friend
Rock and Roll,
Mops

I've been to Sun twice - It's awesome. Much better take than Graceland.

Oh yea,actually more important than Graceland, stand in that little room and remember, that's where it all began, the big bang. Enjoy yourself.

In 1979 I went to the States travelling coast to coast (Rhode Island to Seattle and back again) on Greyhound buses and had a fantastic time. On the return journey I made whistle stop visits to New Orleans, Memphis and Nashville.
Whilst in Memphis I really wanted to go to the Sun records studio and Beale Street.
When I got to Sun, it was closed, so I never got to have a look around!

I took this picture from across the road.

I was also disappointed by Beale Street as I was expecting it to be hotbed of bars and Blues but it turned out to be almost completely derelict:


I bought a local newspaper that had this article announcing federal funding to redevelop the area:


I also visited Handy Park where there is a statue of W.C. Handy unfortunately situated next to a W.C.!


I hope you have better luck than I did!
Maybe it's time for a return visit.


"As we say in England, it can get a bit trainspottery"



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2010-12-06 00:49 by Deltics.

Don't forget to get a SUN shot glass (even if you don't drink).

Also Graceland is a mecca, although they should sell T-shirts that say

"If ELVIS was still alive he would've MOVED!!!"

Quote
Deltics
In 1979 I went to the States travelling coast to coast (Rhode Island to Seattle and back again) on Greyhound buses and had a fantastic time. On the return journey I made whistle stop visits to New Orleans, Memphis and Nashville.
Whilst in Memphis I really wanted to go to the Sun records studio and Beale Street.
When I got to Sun, it was closed, so I never got to have a look around!

I took this picture from across the road.

I was also disappointed by Beale Street as I was expecting it to be hotbed of bars and Blues but it turned out to be almost completely derelict:


I bought a local newspaper that had this article announcing federal funding to redevelop the area:


I also visited Handy Park where there is a statue of W.C. Handy unfortunately situated next to a W.C.!


I hope you have better luck than I did!
Maybe it's time for a return visit.

Wow, Beale sure has changed in 30 years! I made my first trip in the mid 80's and it was much improved over that. Downtown Memphis in general is like a new city compared to only about a dozen years ago.

Quote
nankerphlege
I am going to sun studio in Memphis. I feel like I am going somewhere sacred. Anything I should look for, take Note of, or ask while I am there?

If you're going to do the full music tour, make sure to take in STAX too. Head over to nearby Interstate BBQ for some of the best anywhere (do both of these during the day though, bad neighborhood).

There's also the Rock 'n Soul museum downtown, the only Smithsonian outside of Washington D.C. It has some of Sun, Stax, Hi records (where Al Green recorded), and more. If you're the religious type, might check to see if Rev. Green is preaching that weekend!

And of course there's Graceland. That's a good 4 hours minimum though.

Go to the Arcade for breakfast, oldest restaurant in Memphis, over by the Lorraine motel.

Stop in Lansky's at the Peabody hotel (old world class!), he used to sell Elvis all his early clothes and still works there on occasion although he's in his 80's and his son does most of the work these days (and grand daughter). But you might get lucky and catch him in there! He has some autographed posters and books for sale.

Bum Boogie Cafe has the best late night music on Beale. Lots of STAX hits. For just pure fun, hang out at Silky O'Sullivans Saturday afternoon, good local guitar player singer.

Late night food craving, head to downtown Huey's, kitchen's open until 1:30 I think.

..says Hello!

find out where elvis has been hanging out the past 33 years; he's long overdue for another comeback

Deltics, thanks for the photos, esp. the jaw-dropping image of Beale St. They sure fixed the place up, big time [www.bealestreetmerchants.com]

I would love to do a roots of rock 'n roll kind of trip: going to Clarksville, Mississippi/the Delta, Memphis and Nashville.

Nanker,

As has been said above, definitely visit the Stax studios, and Satellite record shop beside it. They're a little way out of Memphis city centre, but well worth it if you're into your old soul. (There might still be a shuttle bus service linking Sun, Stax and the Smithsonian, which is another must see and is right in the centre, just off Beale Street.) I've been to Memphis twice in the last three years, the second time as part of my honeymoon, and I love it. I do understand what some say about Beale Street being a tourist trap, but when one doesn't know the city too well it's difficult to know where else to head for, particularly if you can't spend a long time there.

And Beale Street, thankfully, doesn't look anything like it does in Deltics' photos above; funny, the cream building with the fancy entrance in the second photo is one I took a photo of - because of how impressive it was! Suffice to say, it looks very different now. (And yes, Deltics, it is time for you to go again - I'm sure you'll be pleasantly surprised.) The Civil Rights Museum, housed in the Lorraine Hotel, should, in my view, be seen by everyone - very interesting and informative, although not too cheering in places, obviously.

Mr Lansky, mentioned by kovach above, was in his shop when I visited - he gave me his card! If you want to buy anything in there, though, you'll need reasonably deep pockets. I also managed a visit to Al Green's church on a day on which he was preaching. Great, upbeat service, plenty of music, very welcoming (although those who are gay or lesbian might wish to avoid the place as Mr Green seems to have a problem with that).

Finally, as Happy24 says, the two-part Peter Guralnik biography of Elvis is a most interesting read.

I hope you have a great time, enjoy it.

Declan

You must go to Stax! Wonderful restoration. Worth it just to see Isaac hayes' gold plated Cadillac and the 4-track machine "Green Onions" was recorded on.

I was just in Memphis over the summer. Go to the Rock 'n Soul museum by the Fedex Forum (near Beale Street and across the street from the Gibson factory, itself worth a tour). If your an Elvis fan I drove around Memphis one afternoon seeing places associated with Elvis (e.g his high school, early performing places, etc). I also believe that the former Crown Electric Company where Elvis was working when he auditioned at Sun is nearby the Sun Studios. Also near Sun studios is the Memphis Recording Studio where Sam Phillips moved after Union St. I can get you the address if interested to all of these places mentioned. Sadly American Sound is no longer standing.