BackinMemphis

Nestled among the South Memphis neighborhoods that produced musicians Aretha Franklin, Booker T. Jones and Earth, Wind and Fire founding member Maurice White, the Stax Museum of American Soul on Saturday helped ensure the beat will go on for other local musicians. At "Takin' It Back To Stax," the museum helped raise funds for the Memphis Musicians Healthcare plan, an initiative by the Memphis and Shelby County Music Commission to provide affordable health care for local musicians. Stax and the commission sold copies of "A Taste of Memphis Music: The Cookbook" and A Taste of Memphis Music: The CD at the event, with a portion of the proceeds going to support the plan. Attendees were treated to samples from the cookbook, which features recipes from Memphis musicians like Larry Dodson and Memphis Mayor AC Wharton, and live music from several local performers. Johnnie Walker, the commission's executive director, said the gig- to-gig lifestyle of some musician...

Earlier this year, Elvis Costello stood in the middle of the studio floor at Sound Emporium, conducting musicians while he sang. Producer T Bone Burnett and engineer Mike Piersante perched behind the soundboard, charged with capturing real, live music in real time. “An awful lot of the records we love the most were made under these conditions,” said Costello, recalling the making of his new National Ransom album, out Tuesday, Nov. 2 through Hear Music. “We take advantage of modern techniques of editing, but 95 percent of what you hear on this record you could hear when we declared it to tape.” These were not three-chord country songs Costello was intent on capturing. Costello was leading Nashville musicians including vocalist Jim Lauderdale, Dobro great Jerry Douglas, bass man Dennis Crouch and guitarist Buddy Miller through works of considerable complexity and nuance. And while most studio vocalization is done without theatrics or visible emotion, Costello performed as if in front o...

Jakob Dylan ( Bob Dylan's son) brought his band “Three Legs” to Memphis, Tennessee this past Friday to tape an episode of Sun Studio Sessions, at the legendary studio where Elvis, Johnny Cash, Howlin’ Wolf, Carl Perkins and other icons got their start. Dylan performed tracks from his latest record, Women & Country, including “Nothing but the Whole Wide World” and “Everybody’s Hurting.” The episode is set to air in Season 2 of Sun Studio Sessions in early 2011. Sun Studio Sessions Season 1 aired on 150+ PBS affiliates across the U.S., including some remaining airings in select markets such as Denver (CPT) and Los Angeles (KCET). Season 2 will also feature The Walkmen, Langhorne Slim, Grace Potter, and Truth & Salvage Company.

   Jerry Lee Lewis performing in Budapest        Jerry Lee Lewis spent his Halloween performing live in Budapest! Source: Szabo

The U.S. Department of Transportation has awarded Memphis more than $470,000 for improvements on Elvis Presley Boulevard. This money will be used to study how to enhance quality of life, reduce congestion, and improve overall transportation on the boulevard The new federal funds will be used to provide preliminary engineering and environmental work associated with improving U.S. Highway 51/Elvis Presley Boulevard from Craft Road to Winchester Road. The project proposes to widen segments of U.S. 51; relocate utilities; and construct sidewalks, medians, crosswalks, bicycle facilities, and street scape in order to meet future multi-modal needs and stimulate reinvestment in this economically challenged section of the city.

 Tom Jones, legend, national treasure and international superstar was honoured last night with the prestigious annual Music Industry Trusts Award sponsored by Ingenious, PPL, PRS for Muisc and Spotify, In recognition of his outstanding contribution to music.Tom Jones was presented with the accolade by Award-winning film director Tim Burton. The BRIT School Choir kicked off proceedings with a memorable Tom Jones medley and continuing the Welsh theme for the evening Cerys Matthews gave a very special performance in honour of tonight’s Award recipient. A specially made tribute film about his life was shown as he collected his Music Industry Trusts’ Award featuring tribute messages from friends and contemporaries, including Priscilla Presley who said, “They would sing songs together and jam together, for Elvis to do that he really had to have a lot of trust in someone because he admired Tom's voice so much.” Kelly Jones, Don Black, Paul Anka and many more also passed on their congratu...

Myrna's condition continues to be serious.  As of Oct. 31, Myrna is back at the Canyon Oaks center after again spending time in the hospital with an infection.  The repeated infections & the dialysis treatments take their toll & make her weak.  Please know that Myrna very much appreciates your cards & prayers.  She is so grateful to those who have helped her financially.  It means a lot to Myrna to know how may people love her.  Please keep Myrna in your prayers.