soul music soul food and the heart and
soul of the American civil rights
movement Memphis is one of the great
American stories situated in Shelby
County Tennessee Memphis is the second
largest city in the state after
Nashville and the largest city on the
Mississippi River
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named after the capital of ancient Egypt
just like its namesake Memphis has risen
from the shores of one of the world's
most storied rivers into a shining
center of commerce and culture Memphis
has also endured its share of hard times
yet ever since the plantation era the
city has found solace in the unifying
power of its music music which would one
day take pride of place in the
soundtrack of the 20th century
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head downtown to the Memphis Cotton
Exchange and walk the trading floor
which was once the center of the world
cotton trade then follow the threads of
an industry which has woven its
prosperous and painful legacy through
Tennessee's DNA
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take the trolley down south Maine to the
National Civil Rights Museum built
around the historical Lorraine Motel
follow 400 years of african-americans
footsteps from those made in leg irons
to the Long March to Washington and
beyond featuring the bus on which Rosa
Parks took a stand by staying seated and
the Freedom Riders Greyhound coach which
was brought to a fiery stop by Klansmen
the museum is the sometimes sobering
experience
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but there is no exhibit more moving than
room 306 peer into the suite where
Martin Luther King jr. spent his final
hours before he was slain by a gunshot
which reverberate 'add around the entire
world
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just a mile and a half from the hotel
balcony where the civil rights leader
was shot visit the pulpit of the Mason
temple where the night before he
delivered one of his greatest and most
prophetic speeches I've been to the
mountaintop after King's death sorrow
and civil unrest descended upon the
nation but the Memphis Spirit refused to
break as always it found solace in its
deep faith and in the unifying power of
song at the Memphis rock and soul museum
learn how the uplifting field hollers
and porch songs of Delta sharecroppers
evolved into a new cathartic musical
expression the Blues and how in the
1950s the Blues gave birth to a wild
liberating sound which jumped the racial
divide rock and roll
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[Applause]
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groove on into the Stax Museum of
American soul music and experience the
sounds costumes and moves that in the
1960s made Memphis the epicenter of the
soul music universe the museum is
stacked with incredible artifacts
including Isaac Hayes incredible
Superfly Cadillac El Dorado forever
spinning in all its shag carpet and
24-karat glory of course no one loves
shag pile and gold-plated caddies more
than Elvis Presley stop by Sun Studios
where in 1954 a 19 year old kid from the
other side of the tracks recorded that's
all right mama
changing the course of popular music
forever just three years later
Elvis purchased Graceland a 13 acre
estate on the outskirts of town tour the
mansion where Elvis resided for 20 years
then in the meditation garden paused by
his final resting place with fans from
across the globe whose lives have been
touched by the boy from Tupelo
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just across the road take off on a
joyous ride through Elvis's life and
times at Elvis Presley's Memphis from
his galaxy of gold records and jumpsuits
through his years as a Hollywood star to
his lifelong obsession with fine
automobiles there's a whole lot of Elvis
to explore here so set aside at least a
few hours
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as Elvis knew well you can't enjoy music
on an empty stomach thankfully Memphis
is home to some of the best soul food
and southern barbecue in America from
Monroe Avenue follow your nose down an
alleyway named after the restaurant
which put Memphis on the barbecue map
just like the city's music the menu at
Charlie Vergos rendezvous who was born
out of hardship buying up cheap ribs
which in the 1950s were considered
offcuts Charlie combined the art of
backyard cookouts with a secret spice
rub today this subterranean restaurant
serves up and astonishing five tons of
charcoal fire dry rub ribs every week it
might not look like much from the
outside but just around the corner at
Gus's joint pilgrims from all over the
world who come to savor fried chicken so
lips smacking good it's been called a
spiritual experience
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after visiting chicken heaven head over
to the big rooster which stands proudly
over the rooftop of old Dominic
distillery take a tour and enjoy a few
samples at this memphis icon which has
been crafting fine bourbon and tennessee
toddy since the 1800s
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as evening approaches head down to Beale
Street Landing as the Sun drops like
liquid gold across the far shores of the
timeless Mississippi after sundown
Memphis lights up and Beale Street is
where it all comes together the history
the food the music it was here where a
teenage Elvis pressed his ear to Blues
Club windows to hear legends like Howlin
wolf and it's here where you'll feel the
true spirit of Memphis a city that's
learned the secret of turning hard times
and trouble into a magic that soothes
nourishes and lifts the soul
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