At the Stax Museum of American Soul Music I learned about the history of Soul and many of its great musicians.
Gospel and the blues are the building blocks of soul music. Both are expressions of the heart: the blues of love & pain, gospel of celebration & joy.
Jim STewart and his older sister Estelle AXton founded STAX Records. Some of their biggest hits came from Rufus Thomas, Booker T. and the MGs, Otis Redding, Carla Thomas and Isaac Hayes.
Isaac Hayes won an Academy Award for "Best Original Song" for the Theme from Shaft.
Hayes superstar status brought more recognition to STAX. As a perk, Hayes' contract specified that STAX would lease this gold-plated Cadillac for Hayes.
The mixing of musical genres changed our planet and placed Memphis, Tennessee on the world map.
We also visited the Memphis Music Hall of Fame which celebrates not just the history, but the musical heroes who shook our world.
Here are pictures of memorabilia from a few of those musical heroes:
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| Roy Orbison's Black Shirt |
While Johnny Cash will always be the "Man in Black," Orbison was quite fond of the monochromatic look. He once claimed that he preferred to wear all black because it was easier to keep clean.
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| Johnny Cash's Black 3-Piece Pin Stripe Suit |
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| Johnny Cash Handwritten Working Lyrics |
These lyrics were written by Cash on his personal stationary for a proposed song which begins "Children Tell the Old Place Goodbye." A note written by Cash across the top reads "I was sorta wonderin' if you misss me tonight?"
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| Kay Starr Tramp Costume |
Starr performed on radio, live at Memphis' Peabody Hotel and on TV variety shows. This costume is from a skit on one of those variety shows.
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| B.B. King Autographed Guitar |
This original Gibson "Lucille" guitar was played and autographed by Riley B. King. Lucille originated in 1949 following a bar fight in Twist, AR where King was playing. Two guys, whose rambunctious fight caused a fire, were fighting over a waitress... named Lucille.
Speaking of Arkansas, that's where we go next to visit family and friends.
