There are 29 articles by Ezra Wheeler :
“We talk a lot about ‘the Memphis Sound,’ which means something very different if you’re discussing rock or soul or hip-hop. Our goal was to build a lineup that showcases what the ‘Memphis Sound’ means in various contexts.”
2022 has been a banner year for new Memphis music, and this fall is no exception.
In 1963, “Sivad Buries Rock and Roll” failed to reach the heights of “Monster Mash,” but Watson Davis, aka Sivad, was backed by an assemblage of respected Memphis musicians for the single, which has an unexpectedly solid and infectious groove.
Shangri-La Records is bringing back its popular summer event, with an impressive line-up and a pandemic-sized backlog of record deals.
“It’s all about establishing a rhythm,” said Ashley Wimbush/DJ Alpha Whiskey. “When I’m talking to planes, I have to keep things focused and moving, which isn’t that different from working a crowd with my music.”
It might have began as a joke, but Memphis’ MVP Fest — started by a group of high schoolers — is a serious commitment to the local music scene.
At Eight & Sand, where old-school vibes meet state-of-the-art technology, Chad Weekley is responsible for making sure the music is bumping — and that it’s primarily from Memphis.
Now in its seventh year, the River Series announces its spring concerts on three Saturdays: April 30, May 14, and June 4.
Although she just celebrated her 22nd birthday, Bailey Bigger is already a well-established presence in the local music scene and a rising star within the world of Americana.
Much of the local buzz around Son.Person has sprung from his dynamic and self-assured live performances, which have been ramping up recently as COVID-related restrictions are lifted.
Music Export Memphis’ annual Tambourine Bash brings local musicians together, showcases them for local fans, and helps them take their music on the road.
With his band Blvck Hippie, Josh Shaw’s joined a growing Memphis renaissance of young Black artists. And with a debut album getting buzz, he’s taking the show on the road.
After a streaming-only 2020, Gonerfest will bring punk and garage-rock bands and fans to town for an all-outdoor, fully vaccinated return festival, but will keep last year’s virtual option.
“Like Sam Phillips, one of our goals is to release local music that is raw, visceral, and real,” says Graham Winchester.
Second-generation Memphis musician Rodd Bland, the son of late soul/blues great Bobby ‘Blue’ Bland, pays tribute to his father’s sound, on a new tribute album and a Beale Street concert.
The Memphis Listening Lab lets visitors explore more than half a century of pop music.
Despite suffering from COVID-19 just last year, Bobby Rush has been on a tear since his recovery.
Legendary drummer Howard Grimes discusses Stax, Hi and his biggest influences as a drummer. His autobiography, “Timekeeper: My Life In Rhythm,” co-written with author Preston Lauterbach, will be released on Devault Graves Books on July 1.
The opening show features Grammy-winning singer PJ Morton on June 5. Ten more free concerts will follow on Thursdays through Aug. 12 at the newly renovated W.C. Handy Park on Beale Street.
For his album ‘It Is What It Isn’t,’ Memphis musician Paul Taylor plays every note himself — on guitar, bass, drums, synth and more.
A mainstay of Memphis’ live music scene for years, Los Psychosis hadn’t recorded professionally until last year, when the album “Rock and Roll Dreams” was made.
The Memphis musician’s blend of hip-hop and R&B finds nationwide airplay. ‘I grew up on Memphis music and I just try to compact all of those influences into one thing,’ he says.
‘Lost in Orion,’ Don Lifted’s somber yet catchy debut single with Fat Possum Records, is ‘the culmination of a really tough, frustrating and death-ridden time,’ the artist says.
The two-day event is a thank-you to supporters of Black Lodge’s Indiegogo campaign, which reached its financial goal before it was set to end.
Rev. Juan Shipp of D-Vine Spirituals introduced King to the head of Bible & Tire Recording Co., and she soon found herself back in front of a studio microphone: ‘It was pure magic, almost like her voice had been frozen in time,’ said the producer.
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