Memphis

The first thing I’ll do in Memphis is head over to the Double J Smokehouse for a plate of ribs.

 http://doublejsmokehouse.com/memphis-tn-bbq-menu.htm

Stax Records

http://www2.concordmusicgroup.com/labels/Stax/

After that, I’ll take the time to bask in one of the South’s finest cultural exports: Soul music. Memphis is home to Stax Records, the justly beloved center of Southern Soul. Stax luminaries include such soul legends as Otis Redding, Isaac Hayes, the underrated Carla Thomas, Rufus Thomas, The Bar-Kays, and Booker T. & The M.G.s. As I visit Stax’s headquarters, and as I immerse myself in the beautiful music that it has given the world, I’ll meditate on the Bundrens’ record player. Technology makes music into a cultural commodity; a record company depends on the notion that music can be unitized, purchased and sold, not just performed but produced. Technology allows for the diffusion of artistry and meaning through culture, but it demands that such artistry be commoditized. How does that mediate our understanding of, and our appreciation of, the beautiful things created by the artists of Stax? How does the structure of the music business affect the construction and the spread of Southern Black culture?

But, lest I slip too deeply into undergraduate reverie, I'll be sure to just enjoy the music:

Can anything be more heartbreakingly beautiful than Otis' delivery here? I once jokingly observed that having a good cry to this song is better than happiness- NOT to be listened to while driving or operating heavy machinery.

I'll seek out a roadside motel for the evening, largely because I love the spontaneity of choosing one's  accommodations as one finds them.