Memphis – City Of Music: Interactive Map – History Of Soul, Blues, Gospel And Rock ‘n’ Rol

Learn about the music history of Memphis. Or plan your next trip to Memphis, Tennessee with this map.

Memphis’ contribution to the history of popular music is amazing. Soul, gospel, funk, blues or rock ‘n’ roll wouldn’t be the same without the musical creativity of this city.

The map shows the places where music history was made. See where the music was played and recorded. Find the homes of Aretha Franklin, Maurice White or W.C. Handy. Learn about forgotten swing legend Jimmy Lunceford.

Al Green, Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, B.B. Kind, O.V. Wright, Albert King, Memphis Minnie and many more contributed to the great music of Memphis.

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Great Rockabilly-Country-Rock ‘n’ Roll Online Discography: Rockin’ Country Styleen

The rockabilly discography Rockin’ Country Style (RCS) is a hard labor of love. In 1979 Terry Gordon started working on it and it has been growing ever since.

Terry Gordon’s rockabilly discography concentrates on the years 1951 – 1964 and includes music that blends country,  rhythm and blues and rock ‘n’ roll. The meticulous discography include dates, label and numbers, label shots and sometimes music samples. It also links the original songs to compilations.

The database is very user friendly because you can access it through artists, labels,  song titles, and chronological or geographical listing.

So, if you love rockabilly, check this site out. But be careful, it can be addictive.

Rene Hall: Influential But Forgotten Guitarist And Arranger Of Rock ‘n’Roll And Rhythm And Blues

Rene Hall is one of the most important founders of rock’n’roll and rhythm and blues.

If you don’t know his name, don’t worry. Unfortunately his name is only known to a few insiders. Although it’s him who’s  playing that raunchy guitar on Ritchie Valens’ “La Bamba” and who wrote the arrangement for Sam Cooke’s “A Change Is Gonna Come”.

TheHoundDog published a wonderful article with Rene Hall that gives some insight into his great achievements. Be sure to read it and learn more about a very important musician.

Shot & Found: Nellie Lutcher

Selected music photographs from the Google LIFE photo archive

-> Visit the music photographs gallery

Nellie Letcher (Lutcher?)

Source: Google LIFE Photo Archive

I think that this is singer/pianist Nellie Lutcher, although in the Google LIFE Photo Archive she is labeled “Letcher”. Does anybody know for sure? Please let me know.

Who Do You Love? – Follow Up To “Bo Diddley And His Women”

In the recent entry Bo Diddley And His Women I wrote about some of the female musicians Bo Diddley worked with. The article Who Do You Love? by Ned Sublette mentions his collaborations with women:

At a time when black men were not allowed overt expressions of sexuality in mainstream popular music, Bo Diddley, like his Chicago colleagues, was unequivocally masculine. But that did not make him antifeminist: he was the first major rock ‘n’ roll performer—and one of the few ever—to hire a female lead guitarist, Lady Bo (Peggy Jones), in 1957, and he employed female musicians throughout his career.

Please make sure to read the original article, it’s a wonderful tribute to the late Bo Diddley.