This fall, three classical musicians moved to Memphis to take part in a new fellowship between the Memphis Symphony Orchestra and the University of Memphis’ Rudi E. Scheidt School of Music.
While the rest of the world bobs for apples, fans of hardcore Memphis rap bob their heads to a collection of artists in the 1990s who built a repertoire around slasher film samples, cartoonish descriptions of grotesque violence and occult imagery.
Elizabeth Cawein’s lifelong love affair with radio informs her new WYXR show, “Straight from the Source,” and the October Playlist.
The federal lawsuit claimed the city interfered with Graceland’s plans for a Whitehaven arena.
Hi-Tone stages have hosted innumerable local record-release shows and been at least a partial home for signature Memphis events.
Recorded at Midtown’s Ardent Studios in late 1986 and early 1987, the Replacements’ “Pleased to Meet Me” is a fusion of the Minneapolis’ band’s ramshackle, often poetic post-punk with soul-honed Memphis studio sensibilities.
The vision for the new era of the radio station is to truly, purely and honestly represent Memphis and its surrounding area.
Memphis doesn’t loom quite as large on this list as it does in pop music history writ-large, or larger.
GonerFest, the internationally known purveyor of one of Memphis’ most famous exports, rock music, takes a step beyond livestreaming to replicate the intangibles that make each year’s event feel like a meeting place.
As a fan at a virtual concert, you always have the best seat in the house, the bathrooms are clean and close, and the drinks are strong and really cheap.
Though initially regarded as the second-tier of talent in a stable of gospel acts led by record producer and DJ Juan Shipp, acts of the JCR Records label are enjoying a revival with the help of a new vinyl reissue.
Memphis soul singer Wendy Moten’s 1990s pop career left a lasting impression in Japan, where American commodities are often given a new context.
From King’s WDIA debut in 1949 to his departure from Memphis only a few years later, he recorded a handful of early sides in the city.
Three decades ago, Hibbert brought his sound — and all of reggae’s — back to one of its sources with a 1988 album recorded at Midtown’s Ardent Studios that went on to a Grammy nomination.
Children who go on to become successful adults are more likely to have had some arts education enrich their experiences on that path. Studies show the correlation between arts education, academic achievement and compassion for others.
Record Store Day will be several days this year, with stores varying how they let people in. The pandemic has forced retailers and store reps to find creative ways to package and promote records.
Named after a Memphis grocery store chain, Big Star recorded three haphazardly distributed albums over the course of just a few years, toured sporadically, got good press and had no hits. This obscurity grew over time into a considerable cult.
Buy some Memphis music, y’all. Our independent record stores are back open and doing shopping by appointment, which, honestly, is pretty cool.
Adopting Stax Records' approach to tackling Black liberation through song, several local artists responded to recent protests with lyrical activism.
On its 20th anniversary, the Stax Music Academy is using the break from in-person instruction to prioritize solo musicianship over live performance.
Elvis’ popularity may have started this week in 1956. That’s when “Hound Dog” and “Don’t Be Cruel”— constituting two sides of one 45 rpm single — reached the top of Billboard's pop singles chart.
Elvis Week ended with an abbreviated version of the annual candlelight vigil, commemorating the death of the iconic entertainer.
Memphis is the central focus of the Porretta Soul Festival held in Porretta Terme, Italy, an hour outside Bologna.
This 1969 album established Hayes’ sound and persona. It not only made him a star, but it made him a new kind of star.
Hassell, who has collaborated with Brian Eno, Talking Heads and Ry Cooder, remembers a transformative introduction to music in his hometown: “You just never forget the things that happened first in your life.”