Walk The Line: From Blues to Soul and Rock 'n' Roll
Graceland
(Suggested Tour time (not including shopping): "Platinum Tour"= 3 hrs. or mansion only = 1.5 hrs.)
Now that the legendary home to Elvis Presley and his family is a National Historic Landmark, we can argue that a trip to Memphis that doesn't include a tour of Graceland is an act of treason against the state. Well, maybe just against the city of Memphis. Either way the 14-acre home of the King is a must-do for any visitor. Take in the mansion, the Hall of Gold, "Sincerely Elvis" museum, the vintage automobile collection and his airplanes. That's right, there's more than one.
- Audio tours are available in Dutch, English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese and Spanish.
- Some attractions are available for special events and private parties.
- Phone: (901) 332-3322 / Fax: (901) 332-1636 / www.elvis.com
Historic Beale Street
When the blues migrated north from the Delta it found a permanent home in Memphis, and that home is alive and well today on Beale Street. Dance to the many bands and artists that perform in open-air Handy Park or spend a night sliding in and out of any number of nightclubs. Juke to the beat at Rum Boogie Cafe, cool down with some jazz at King's Palace, grab some late night grub at the Blues City Cafe or hit the district in May when the city jams with our annual Memphis in May festival.
Gibson Guitar Beale Street Showcase Factory Tours
(Suggested Tour time: 1-2 hrs.)
From the body to the bridge, from the fingerboard to the fret, the pieces have come together for over 100 years from Gibson Guitars. Take an unforgettable tour of the Memphis guitar factory and watch highly skilled luthiers craft the one instrument most associated with pop music and culture, the Gibson guitar. Afterwards, check out the Lounge where guests are welcomed with food, drink and music.
FedExForum
(Suggested Tour time: 1 hr.)
With eighty club boxes and fifty executive suites, there's no question FedExForum is a den of luxury when it comes to watching basketball, but the home to both the NBA's Memphis Grizzlies and the University of Memphis Tigers Basketball team also moonlights as a special event venue. From major concerts to American Idol auditions, FedExForum is the premier venue in the region.
Memphis Rock'n'Soul Museum
(Suggested Tour time: 2 hrs.)
No place better dramatizes and organizes the cultural and social ramifications of Memphis' musical connection to the world better than this Smithsonian Institute seven-gallery chronicle. With over 100 songs, the audio tour is a museum in and of itself.
Soulsville: Stax Museum of American Soul Music
(Suggested Tour time: 1.5 hrs.)
This 17,000-square-foot museum - on the original site of Stax Records - houses more than 2,000 cultural artifacts, celebrating the music made famous by Otis Redding, Booker T. and the MGs, Isaac Hayes, the Bar-Kays, Al Green, Aretha Franklin, Earth, Wind & Fire and more. In addition to Stax music and memorabilia, you'll also find exhibits dedicated to the artists of Muscle Shoals, Motown, Atlantic and Memphis' own Hi Records.
Sun Studio
(Suggested Tour time: 45 min.)
Sam Phillips' famous recording studio is ground zero for rock 'n' roll's explosion onto the world stage. Literally packed with memories and memorabilia, the "Birthplace of Rock 'n' Roll" gives visitors a chance to hear historical outtakes and even touch Elvis' first microphone. Experience the stories that put legends like Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins, Jerry Lee Lewis and more on the map, and see why artists like U2, Tom Petty and Maroon Five continue to flock here today.
Center for Southern Folklore
(Suggested Tour time: 30 min.- 1 hr.)
A melting pot for everything Southern, the Center for Southern Folklore celebrates the region's wonders, lifestyles, people, history and cultures. The facilities here include the Folklore Store, which showcases original music, books and works by local artists, as well as entertainment hall that features live jazz, blues, rockabilly, soul and gospel performances.
W.C. Handy House Museum
(Suggested Tour time: 30 min.)
Composer, teacher, publisher, bandleader and businessman, William Christopher Handy is credited as the first musician to document the raw, emotional lyricism of the blues. His modest Beale Street home-turned-museum may be small, but it is the axis upon which Memphis music turns, and quietly captures the spirit of Old Beale like no other place on Earth.
- Phone: (901) 527-3427 / Fax: (901) 527-8784
B.B. King Museum and Delta Interpretive Center
(Suggested Tour time: 1.5 - 3 hours)
Born in the deep south of Mississippi, BB King rose from the fine Mississippi delta dirt to become one of the greatest guitar legends to ever play the blues. Some of the most respected guitar players in the world have flocked to his side +to learn his trade – from Eric Clapton and Stevie Ray Vaughn to John Lennon who once said, “I wish I could play the guitar like BB King.”
Now forever holding its place in music history, Indianola, MS has become home to the BB King Museum and Delta Interpretive Center. Here you can trace the life and career of this blues icon from his humble roots in Itta Bena, up to Beale Street in Memphis, TN and then across the global stage as the world embraced his music.