Soulful sojourn in Memphis
September 29, 2024
Memphis draws visitors with a moving history, a rich music scene built on the likes of Elvis, Aretha and B.B. King, eclectic cuisine, and stylish, classic accommodations.
by Michael J. Solender
Like many cities of the American South, Memphis, Tennessee, has a history replete with social contradictions, economic transitions and a legacy of community collaboration. Unique to Memphis, however, is the way city leaders have interpreted and translated its past into a New South urban landscape that is more than the sum of its parts. Known as Bluff City for its perch upon the mighty Mississippi River, Memphis calls to visitors through its soulful heritage. Here’s what not to miss.
STAY
No Memphis hotel is more highly regarded than the legendary Peabody. For more than 150 years, the historic Peabody has wooed guests with its prime location, cozy rooms, ornate architectural features, stunning rooftop views, fine dining, opulent afternoon tea service and, above all, the fabled Peabody Ducks.
The Peabody’s Duck March, Graceland, Elvis Presley’s Memphis
According to Kenon Walker, the Peabody’s full-time Duck Master (his official title) the tradition of the Duck March spawned from an inebriated hunting escapade by members of the management team in the 1930s. What’s evolved is a twice-daily ritual where five well-behaved mallards waddle from their rooftop home, down the elevator, along a red carpet and into the lobby’s grand fountain to the delight of children of all ages who witness the procession with amazement.
But there’s more than the ducks to enjoy here, including a piano that belonged to Francis Scott Key; Lansky Bros, a retro menswear shop and haberdashery that clothed Elvis; and seasonal concerts on the rooftop made famous by Tom Cruise in the Hollywood thriller, The Firm. Enjoy afternoon tea at Chez Philippe, the Peabody’s classic fine-dining venue, or simply lounge in the lobby. The Peabody serves as a crossroads in Memphis’ “who’s who” ecosystem.
EXPLORE
Elmwood Cemetery, a vast park-like burial site established in 1852, is listed three times on the National Register of Historic Places: once for the Victorian Carpenter Gothic architecture of the caretaker cottage, once for the span bridge — the longest in Shelby County — traversing the grounds, and finally for the cemetery itself.
“Elmwood is a nonsectarian cemetery that has never been closed to anybody,” says Kim Bearden, Elmwood’s executive director. “It represents the patchwork quilt that is Memphis history. We’re a Level II arboretum, with more than 60 identified tree species.”
Hundreds of unique “cradle graves” are found throughout Elmwood, so named for the oval raised concrete ring surrounding the graves that volunteers adopt and decorate with garden plantings.
Visitors enjoy the serenity of the grounds and learn about fascinating backstories hidden in plain sight behind some of the 80,000 graves here via self-guided walking or driving tours. A 60-minute digital audio tour helps share the history behind these marvelously manicured grounds.
Graceland, the storied mansion of Memphis native son Elvis Presley, is the second-most visited home in America, behind only the White House. Guests may find touring the mansion itself — decorated as it was when Elvis passed in 1977 — secondary to exploring the vast Elvis exhibitions, archives and ephemera showcased across the street at Elvis Presley’s Memphis. The 200,000-square-foot entertainment complex is the most comprehensive Elvis museum in the world. Many of the King’s legendary cars and motorcycles, his private jet, film library, videotaped concert performances, jumpsuits, and jewelry are displayed in a surprisingly sophisticated manner that underscores just what a phenomenon Elvis was and remains to this day.
Rum Boogie Café, The Lorraine Motel and National Civil Rights Museum
Beyond Elvis, there’s no soundtrack more emblematic of Memphis than the tunes created by the artists and producers at Soul City’s legendary Stax Records. A fair warning, however: A visit to the Stax Museum of American Soul Music, the repurposed headquarters and recording studio founded in 1957, is all but guaranteed to trigger endless earworms of hit after hit, spinning in your head. Chart toppers from the Staple Singers’ “I’ll Take You There” and Isaac Hayes’ “Theme from Shaft,” to Sam & Dave’s “Soul Man” and “(Sittin’ on) The Dock of the Bay” by Otis Redding were recorded here. Guests learn the backstory behind the raw and gritty sounds developed here, and how producers coaxed the best from local Memphis talent like Jean Knight and Booker T. & the M.G.’s.
Live music 365 evenings a year make downtown’s Beale Street the place for catching the latest soulful sounds. Favorites in this globally recognized entertainment district include Rum Boogie Café, B.B. King’s Blues Club and Tin Roof — no reservations required.
On April 4, 1968, the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. at the Lorraine Motel was a pivotal moment in the American Civil Rights Movement and a devastating day that forever shaped Memphis’ trajectory. With a mission to share lessons from the movement and explore how the era continues to shape equality and freedom, the National Civil Rights Museum at the Lorraine Motel underscores how this history is more important than ever.
Visitors should expect a solemn, yet poignant, experience as the motel, including the room and balcony King occupied in 1968, remains intact. Beyond the King memorial, exhibitions provide context and first-hand narratives to the many stories that inform America’s complex and ongoing relationship with race. The museum is a true public square that fosters discussion, both in Memphis and beyond.
DINE
Memphis-style BBQ features meaty pork ribs, dry-rubbed and pit-cooked. There’s sauce on the side for those who are so inclined, yet traditionalists let their ribs speak for themselves. Two standouts are Charlie Vergos Rendezvous and Central BBQ. Each has fans proclaiming “Memphis’ Best Q,” and while we won’t pick a favorite, we strongly encourage a visit to both.
There’s no sleeping in when breakfast is on tap at Sunrise Memphis. Scratch-made light and fluffy biscuits, 3 Amigos breakfast tacos with housemade chorizo and the Not So Short Stack pancakes provide fuel for a day of touring the town.
At Catherine & Mary’s, James Beard-nominated chefs Andy Ticer and Michael Hudman create delightful Tuscan-inspired pastas like Lumache, a sharp cacio e pepe, and Conchiglie with gulf shrimp, pomodoro sauce and spring onion sofrito. Entrees range from seafood, like fresh halibut, to a lamb shank or veal cutlet. The light, airy room and attentive service make dining here a special night out.
Midtown’s fresh and vibrant Cooper-Young neighborhood has a new culinary star with The Public Bistro. Start with mussels braised in white wine with chorizo and garlic paired with the fried goat-cheese appetizer served with a tangy tomato jam. Mains might include mushroom gnocchi bathed in a Parmesan cream sauce or a melt-in-your mouth short rib served with a demi-glace, grits and roasted root vegetables.
GETTING THERE: American Airlines offers daily nonstop flights from Charlotte to Memphis, with a flight time of under two hours. SP
Photographs by Alex Shansky, Andrea Zucker, Craig Thompson, Justin Fox Burks, Phillip Van Zandt, Sean Fisher (Mr. Bootstraps), The Peabody Memphis, Vasha Hunt, courtesy Memphis Tourism.
