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What is Memphis identified for? Quite a bit truly! Located on the banks of the Mississippi River within the southwest of Tennessee, Memphis is a soulful metropolis, identified for its gospel, blues and rock ‘n’ roll music. Visitors can hint the historical past of those music genres by visiting the town’s numerous museums, together with the Rock ‘n’ Soul Museum, Stax Museum of American Soul Music and the Blues Hall of Fame.
The metropolis can be house to Sun Studio, the place artists like Johnny Cash, B.B King and Elvis recorded a few of their music. 8 miles south of Memphis lies the Graceland Mansion – Elvis Presley’s former house – which has now been become a museum.
Let’s check out all of the issues that Memphis is known for, from meals and music to landmarks and well-known artists.
What is Memphis Known For?
Birthplace of Rock ‘n’ Roll
Memphis is sometimes called the “birthplace of rock ‘n’ roll”. Sun Records, a report firm in downtown Memphis, churned out chart-topping hits from artists equivalent to Elvis Presley (the “king of rock ‘n’ roll), Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins and Jerry Lee Lewis.
America’s Distribution Center
Memphis is commonly nicknamed “America’s Distribution Center, as a result of the town is house to the nation’s largest cargo and freight airport. Global supply firm FedEx is headquartered in Memphis and numerous distribution facilities are positioned there, together with a Disney Warehouse And a Nike distribution middle.
The metropolis occupies a strategic location in a flood-free zone on the Mississippi River and is a significant transportation hub, boasting one of many nation’s largest inland ports and a whole lot of truck terminals.
Memphis Grizzlies
Memphis is house of The Memphis Grizzlies – an American skilled basketball workforce that performs within the NBA’s Western Conference Southwest Division. Their house is the FedExForum – a 805,850 ft² (75,000 m²) enviornment able to seating 18,119 folks.
The franchise started in 1995 as an NPA enlargement workforce referred to as the “Vancouver Grizzlies” primarily based in Vancouver, British Columbia. The workforce relocated to the U.S. through the 2000-2001 season and had been renamed the Memphis Grizzlies. Today, the Grizzlies are the one Memphis workforce to play in any of the most important North American sports activities leagues. They’re additionally the one skilled basketball workforce within the state of Tennessee.
Dogwood Trees
The dogwood is the official tree of Memphis and is an emblem of the town’s resilience and its skill to beat adversity.. The metropolis has many dogwoods lining streets, planted on lawns, or rising wild in parks.
The Dogwood Festival takes place every spring at Shelby Farms Park – a preferred park positioned simply outdoors of downtown Memphis – and celebrates all issues associated to this lovely tree!
Home of the Blues
Memphis is understood for being house of blues music and spawned many well-known blues musicians, together with W.C. Handy, Memphis Minnie, Furry Lewis and B.B King.
B.B King first made an impression on the blues scene within the Nineteen Forties when he performed on Beale Street with different well-known musicians. Although he handed away in 2015, his music nonetheless lives on and also you’ll see proof of his lasting affect all through the town. B.B. King’s Blues Club on Beale Street presents dwell music each evening, whereas Memphis Rock ‘n’ Soul Museum showcases all types of B.B. King memorabilia.
Peabody Ducks
When visiting Memphis, be sure to pop right down to The Peapody Memphis to see the well-known Peabody geese parade. Back within the 1930’s, the resort’s supervisor Frank Schutt and his pal returned from a weekend of looking with some dwell decoy geese. They put the geese within the resort’s fountain, and so they settled proper in. Today, the geese march to and from the fountain at 11am and 5pm.
What Food is Memphis Known For?
Catfish
“They’ve obtained catfish on the desk
They’ve obtained gospel within the air” – Marc Cohn, Walking in Memphis
Memphis sits on the Mississippi River, which is a high spot to fish for catfish. Blue catfish weighing over 100 kilos have been caught from this river!
Catfish is among the most iconic meals in Memphis and may be present in quite a few eating places throughout city. It’s normally served breaded and deep fried, with fries on the facet. Some of the perfect spots to search out catfish embody A&J’s Catfish Station, Souls Fish Cafe and Flying Fish.
Barbecue
In addition to catfish, Memphis can be actually well-known for its barbecue. Many of the eating places are family-run, serving up brisket, ribs and scrumptious smoked meats served with sides like mac n’ cheese and crunchy slaw.
Among the perfect BBQ spots in Memphis are Corky’s Ribs & BBQ, The Bar-B-Q Shop, Charlie Vergos’ Rendezvous, Bain Barbecue & Bakery, and Arnold’s BBQ and Grill.
Famous Attractions in Memphis
Beale Street
Beale Street is probably the most iconic avenue in Memphis
Graceland
“Saw the ghost of Elvis
On Union Avenue
Followed him as much as the gates of Graceland
Then I watched him stroll proper by way of
Now safety they didn’t see him
They simply hovered ’spherical his tomb
But there’s a reasonably little factor
Waiting for the King
Down within the Jungle Room”
National Civil Rights Museum
The National Civil Rights Museum is positioned on the historic web site of the Lorraine Motel, the place Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated in 1968. The museum was based by the Lorraine Motel Foundation and opened in 1991.
The displays function artifacts from main occasions in American historical past, together with gadgets associated to slavery and Jim Crow legal guidelines; additionally they embody shows about civil rights leaders like Rosa Parks and Thurgood Marshall who fought for equality through the Nineteen Fifties-Nineteen Sixties Civil Rights Movement. The museum’s focus is on telling tales about atypical individuals who participated on this motion–from activists to bystanders–and the way they had been affected by it as people or teams (e.g., Native Americans).
Memphis Pyramid
The metropolis of Memphis was named after the traditional capital of Egypt and even has its personal pyramid, which is positioned in Pinch District on the banks of the Mississippi River. The pyramid is 321 ft (98 m) tall with base sides of 591 ft (180 m), and was initially constructed as a 20,142-seat enviornment. Unlike the traditional pyramids of Giza, which had been manufactured from limestone rocks, the Memphis Pyramid is manufactured from metal and concrete, and took rather a lot much less time to construct!
Until 2007 it functioned as a sports activities and leisure venue, however now incorporates a Brass Pro Shops megastore, a resort, a bowling alley, an statement deck and numerous bars and eating places.
Stax Museum of American Soul Music
If you need to study extra in regards to the music that made Memphis well-known and see a number of the devices that had been used, head to the Stax Museum of American Soul Music. The museum is positioned in Soulsville USA–probably the most well-known neighborhood in all of Memphis. It was based by Isaac Hayes and his spouse Joan as a manner for them to honor their father who had been an artist at Stax Records earlier than his loss of life.
The museum options displays on artists like Otis Redding and Isaac Hayes himself, together with loads of artifacts from those that carried out on the unique location on McLemore Avenue between 1968-1971 (when it was torn down). You may also participate in dwell performances by native musicians throughout your go to!
Sun Studio
Sun Studio is a well-known recording studio that was based by Sam Phillips in 1950. Phillips was a neighborhood radio DJ who wished to open a recording studio in Memphis, Tennessee. The first artists to report at Sun Studio had been Howlin’ Wolf, Ike Turner and B.B. King. In 1952 Johnny Cash recorded “I Walk the Line” at this legendary location!
Famous People from Memphis
Elvis Presley
A family identify around the globe, Elvis Presley was dubbed the “King of Rock and Roll” and is taken into account one of many biggest music icons of all time.
He was born in Tupelo Mississippi however later relocated to Memphis along with his household on the age of 13. His former house, Graceland, and died there in 1977 on the younger age of 42. He was laid to relaxation within the gardens of Graceland and
Morgan Freeman
Born in Memphis on June 1, 1937, Morgan Freeman is among the world’s biggest and best-known actors.
Famous for his deep, soulful voice, he’s starred in all types of hit motion pictures, together with Million Dollar Baby, Driving Miss Daisy, The Shawshank Redemption and The Bucket List. Throughout the course of his profession he’s received quite a few awards, together with an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor in 2004.
Justin Timberlake
Pop star Justin Timberlake was born in Memphis in 1981 and grew up listening to nation and gospel music. He went on to hitch boy band NSYNC in 1995, recording quite a few chart-topping albums and hit singles.
After the band’s breakup, Timberlake went on to take pleasure in a profitable solo profession and is taken into account one of the crucial profitable male artists of all time. He’s received ten Grammy Awards, 4 Primetime Emmy Awards, 9 Billboard Music Awards, and a complete host of different accolades.
A Final Word…
So there you could have it – all of the issues that Memphis is understood for. If you haven’t visited already, it is best to! Pop in your blue suede footwear, take a stroll down Beale Street, style some fried catfish and watch some dwell soul music for a style of what Memphis is all about.