The Key » Sense of Place: Memphis

The Week’s Best MP3 Downloads, incl. Caitlin Rose, Arctic Splash, Rev. John Wilkins

Julie Miller — Sun, 20 Jan 2013 19:00:23 +0000

Pissed Jeans sure know how to make the most of two and a half minutes. The first single from the local band’s upcoming Honeys LP is called “Cathouse,” and it’s a relentless punk jam with a killer shred explosion two minutes in. Honeys will be out on Sub Pop on February 12th, with a record release show at Underground Arts on February 15th. Tickets and information for the 21+ show can be found here. Download the song via Soundcloud here.

Photo by Josh Anderson

Nashville singer-songwriter Caitlin Rose‘s new single “I Was Cruel” is a sweetly presented confessional song with a swinging groove thanks to some twangy steel guitar lines and a reflective coda. Rose will release her sophomore record The Stand-In on March 5th through ATO Records and plays MilkBoy Philly on Wednesday, April 3rd; tickets and information for the 21+ show can be found here.

Philly’s Everyone Everywhere stopped in for this week’s Key Studio Session, recording five songs from their latest self-titled full-length. Though the album was released last summer, the charming emo quartet just celebrated the record last night with a hometown show at The Barbary. Stream and download “Queen Mary II” below and go here for the full session.

Queen Mary IIby Everyone Everywhere, from The Key Studio Sessions Download

This week on World Cafe, host David Dye delved into the musical history of Memphis for his Sense of Place travel series. Between tours of Memphis’ historic recording studios and excursions to the city’s most famous landmarks, Dye sat down with some of the country’s top musicians to record World Cafe episodes. Included in those sessions is blues musician Rev. John Wilkins, who recorded a version of his father’s “Prodigal Son” for the Cafe – stream and download it below, then listen back to the full World Cafe session here.

Local rock and roll band Arctic Splash were the featured band for Monday’s My Morning Download. The Joey Sweeney-fronted outfit recorded a Key Studio Session last month and their track “When You Say My Name” is included on the latest Key Studio Sessions, Volume 6 compilation alongside contributions from Bad Braids, Aspiga and Nothing. Download the full collection here. Arctic Splash will open for Creem Circus at Kung Fu Necktie on Saturday, February 16th; tickets and information for the 21+ show can be found here.

Memphis Sense of Place: American Sound Studio, then and now

John Vettese — Fri, 18 Jan 2013 16:48:27 +0000

All week on World Cafe with David Dye, the Sense of Place series is exploring the city of Memphis and its musical heritage. Today, David Dye is exploring the late great American Sound Studio, where Elvis Presley recorded his final number-one hit, “Suspicious Minds,” in 1969. Above, check out a photo of the studio in its heyday. Below, see the studio in the mid-80s, and a video tour of the room shot in 1987. At the bottom, see what the site of American Sound Studio looks like today. You can listen to the Sense of Place series on WXPN at 2 p.m. Monday through Friday all this week, or at 7 p.m. on XPN2: Singer-Songwriter Radio.

Memphis Sense of Place: Download Rev. John Wilkins performance of “Prodigal Son”

John Vettese — Thu, 17 Jan 2013 22:20:06 +0000

All week on World Cafe with David Dye, the Sense of Place series is exploring the city of Memphis and its musical heritage. Today, we listen in on the World Cafe concert recorded with Memphis blues musician Rev. John Wilkins. Below, download his performance of “Prodigal Son,” written by his father, Rev. Robert Wilkins, later recorded by The Rolling Stones on Beggar’s Banquet. You can listen to the Sense of Place series on WXPN at 2 p.m. Monday through Friday all this week, or at 7 p.m. on XPN2: Singer-Songwriter Radio.

Memphis Sense of Place: David Dye’s top five sites

David Dye — Thu, 17 Jan 2013 16:00:41 +0000

All week on World Cafe with David Dye, the Sense of Place series is exploring the city of Memphis and its musical heritage. Today, David Dye shares his top five Memphis sites. You can listen to the Sense of Place series on WXPN at 2 p.m. Monday through Friday all this week, or at 7 p.m. on XPN2: Singer-Songwriter Radio.

Some more of the places you should not miss on any Memphis visit: Graceland and the National Civil Rights Museum were the two most defining visits of our trip. Spend a Sunday morning at Reverend Al’s. And Leavitt Shell is a beautiful outdoor venue.

Graceland
3734 Elvis Presley Boulevard Memphis, TN 38116
(901) 332-3329
http://www.elvis.com/graceland/

National Civil Rights Museum
450 Mulberry Street Memphis, TN 38103
(901) 521-9699
http://www.civilrightsmuseum.org/

Full Gospel Tabernacle Church (Al Green’s church)
787 Hale Road Memphis, TN 38116
(901) 570-1464
http://www.algreenmusic.com/fullgospeltabernacle.html

Leavitt Shell
1928 Poplar Avenue Memphis, TN 38104
(901) 272-2722
http://www.levittshell.org/

Memphis Rock N Soul Museum
191 Beale Street Memphis, TN 38103
(901) 205-2533
http://memphisrocknsoul.org

Memphis Sense of Place: Download two songs from Lucero’s session at Ardent Studios

John Vettese — Wed, 16 Jan 2013 22:19:31 +0000

All week on World Cafe with David Dye, the Sense of Place series is exploring the city of Memphis and its musical heritage. Today, we listen in on the World Cafe session recorded with Memphis indie band Lucero at famed Ardent Studios (Big Star, Al Green, etc.). Download performances of “Slow Dancing” and “Nobody’s Darling” below. You can listen to the Sense of Place series on WXPN at 2 p.m. Monday through Friday all this week, or at 7 p.m. on XPN2: Singer-Songwriter Radio.

Memphis Sense of Place: Watch David Dye get a walking tour of Memphis with Brian Venable of Lucero

John Vettese — Wed, 16 Jan 2013 20:11:06 +0000

All week on World Cafe with David Dye, the Sense of Place series is exploring the city of Memphis and its musical heritage. Today, David takes a walking tour of Memphis with Brian Venable, guitarist of Lucero. They grab lunch, go record shopping, check out a skateboard shop and stroll through Venable’s neighborhood; watch it in the video below. You can listen to the Sense of Place series on WXPN at 2 p.m. Monday through Friday all this week, or at 7 p.m. on XPN2: Singer-Songwriter Radio.

Sense of Place Memphis – Brian Venable from WXPN FM on Vimeo.

Memphis Sense of Place: David Dye’s top five music venues

David Dye — Wed, 16 Jan 2013 15:59:43 +0000

Wild Bill's

Here is a variety of clubs and theaters to check out on your Memphis trip. The New Daisy is a large (1000+) showcase theater. Wild Bill’s is a late night Juke Joint that is hard to find anywhere else. Minglewood Hall and Young Avenue Deli will give you an idea of what is happening with young bands. And The Mud Island Ampitheater is a seasonal venue in the middle of the Mississippi.

The New Daisy Theater
330 Beale Street Memphis, TN 38103
(901) 525-8981
http://www.newdaisy.com/

Wild Bill’s
1580 Vollintine Avenue Memphis, TN 38107
(901) 726-5473
http://travel.nytimes.com/travel/guides/north-america/united-states/tennessee/memphis/33437/wild-bills/nightlife-detail.html

Minglewood Hall
1555 Madison Avenue Memphis, TN 38104
(901) 312-6058
http://www.minglewoodhall.com/

Young Avenue Deli
2119 Young Avenue Memphis, TN 38104
(901) 278-0034
http://www.youngavenuedeli.com/calendar

Mud Island Ampitheater
125 N Front St Memphis, Tennessee
800-507-6507 www.mudisland.com/c-4-amphitheater.aspx

Memphis Sense of Place: Take a video tour of Graceland

John Vettese — Tue, 15 Jan 2013 22:28:58 +0000

All week on World Cafe with David Dye, the Sense of Place series is exploring the city of Memphis and its musical heritage. Today, we take a video tour of Elvis Presley’s home, Graceland, from the living room to the jungle room. You can listen to the Sense of Place series on WXPN at 2 p.m. Monday through Friday all this week, or at 7 p.m. on XPN2: Singer-Songwriter Radio.

Memphis Sense of Place: Top five most ridiculous Elvis impersonators

John Vettese — Tue, 15 Jan 2013 20:30:27 +0000

All week on World Cafe with David Dye, the Sense of Place series is exploring the city of Memphis and its musical heritage. A big part of that heritage is the King of Rock n’ Roll, Elvis Presley, and today we scoured the internet for the most ridiculous Elvis impersonators out there. Check them out below. You can listen to the Sense of Place series on WXPN at 2 p.m. Monday through Friday all this week, or at 7 p.m. on XPN2: Singer-Songwriter Radio.

Memphis Sense of Place: Take a video tour of Sun Studio

John Vettese — Tue, 15 Jan 2013 18:02:59 +0000

All week on World Cafe with David Dye, the Sense of Place series is exploring the city of Memphis and its musical heritage. Today, we take a video tour of historic Sun Studio – where Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash and more recorded their hit singles. You can listen to the Sense of Place series on WXPN at 2 p.m. Monday through Friday all this week, or at 7 p.m. on XPN2: Singer-Songwriter Radio.

Memphis Sense of Place: David Dye’s top five BBQ joints

David Dye — Tue, 15 Jan 2013 15:30:24 +0000

All week on World Cafe with David Dye, the Sense of Place series is exploring the city of Memphis and its musical heritage. Today, we continue David’s Top Fives by exploring the city’s famed BBQ scene. You can listen to the Sense of Place series on WXPN at 2 p.m. Monday through Friday all this week, or at 7 p.m. on XPN2: Singer-Songwriter Radio.

The story goes that if you ask anyone in Memphis for their favorite Barbecue joint they will give you a passionate answer. But then no two will agree! In that spirit here are five of the best that earned high praise from our Sense of Place sources.

Charley Vergos’ Rendezvous
52 South 2nd Street Memphis, TN 38103
(901) 523-2746
http://www.hogsfly.com/TheRestaurant.php

Cozy Corner
745 North Parkway Memphis, TN 38105
(901) 527-9158
http://www.cozycornerbbq.com/

Payne’s
1762 Lamar Ave
Memphis, TN 38114
(901) 272-1523

Interstate Barbecue
2265 S 3rd St
Memphis, TN 38109
(901) 775-2304
http://www.interstatebarbecue.com/

A & R Barbecue
1802 Elvis Presley Blvd Memphis, TN 38106
(901) 774-7444
http://aandrbbq.com/

Memphis Sense of Place: Three Stax women who rocked just as hard as the men

David Dye — Mon, 14 Jan 2013 23:30:53 +0000

All week on World Cafe with David Dye, the Sense of Place series is exploring the city of Memphis and its musical heritage. Digging a bit deeper into the Stax Records roster, David Dye presents a roundup of Stax women who rocked just as hard as its men. Listen to the Sense of Place series on WXPN at 2 p.m. Monday through Friday all this week, or at 7 p.m. on XPN2: Singer-Songwriter Radio.

For our Sense of Place visit to Stax studio, here is Just a sample of the female talent at Stax records in Memphis, starting with “Soul Girl.” That’s right the answer to Sam and Dave’s “Soul Man,” also written by Dave Porter and Isaac Hayes. The artist, Jeanne and The Darlings, are from Arkansas. “Mr Big Stuff” by Jean Knight was the biggest female hit on Stax, although the track was recorded in ~~New Orleans~~ Jackson, Mississippi. And you may have heard Wendy Rene’s “Bar-B-Q” coming out of your TV on a commercial. Sassy, soulful, funky – give it up for the women of Stax.

Memphis Sense of Place: Five Stax songs you don’t know yet

David Dye — Mon, 14 Jan 2013 19:30:16 +0000

Delaney and Bonnie

All week on World Cafe with David Dye, the Sense of Place series is exploring the city of Memphis and its musical heritage. Since the Cafe is focusing on Stax Records today, David Dye compied a Spotify playlist of lesser-known artists from the iconic label, which you can read about (and hear) below. Listen to the Sense of Place series on WXPN at 2 p.m. Monday through Friday all this week, or at 7 p.m. on XPN2: Singer-Songwriter Radio.

Eddie Kirk is how Eddie Kirkland was billed on the two singles he released for Volt. He was guitarist in Otis Redding’s band at the time. Originally from Atlanta Barbara Stephens recorded four singles for Stax including this gem “Wait A Minute.” Johnny Jenkins is best known for bringing Otis Redding to Stax with his band The Pinetoppers. He went on to record Dr John’s “Walk On Gilded Splinters” on his album Ton Ton Macoute that was later sampled for Beck’s “Loser.” “Spunky’ is a funky instrumental and his only single for Stax. The Del-Rays were from Illinois and cut two single for Stax. The flip of the other single (not included here) features the first recording by Michael McDonald-that’s right of Doobies fame – on a version of “There’s Always Something There to Remind Me.” And Delaney and Bonnie cut their first album Home at Stax backed by The MGs.