Memphis Tennessee. The central city is in serious decline; lots of boarded up buildings, it is pretty sad. Beale Street is pretty tacky, too although there is some decent music in the clubs. Despite this, there is still a lot of spirit and pride and thriving places left behind after many people fled to the suburbs and out of town. Gus's World Famous Fried Chicken is still packed feeding the people the best fried chicken around. Gibson Guitars makes its hollow body and semi hollow body electric guitars in downtown Nashville (like the E 390). We toured the factory and it was cool. The National Civil Rights Museum is in Memphis too. It is located on the site of The Lorraine Motel where Dr. Martin Luther King was shot in Memphis. This museum is interesting because it is privately run and pitches a pretty good case that the authorities weren't exactly doing everything they could to protect Dr. King. I was never aware that James Earl Ray (the man who eventually confessed to the crime) slipped out of Memphis after the shooting and flew from Atlanta to Toronto where he obtained a fake Canadian passport and then flew to London England where he was eventually arrested. The old Sun Records studio still operates and runs tours during the day. This is where Johnny Cash and Elvis Presley started their careers. Speaking of the King, we did make the pilgrimage to Graceland to see Elvis' home and possessions. It was pretty surreal. People were crying at his gravesite. Last stop, the Stax Museum where some truly amazing music was recorded back in the sixties.

Gus has the best fried chicken in Memphis

Gibson Guitar Factory, Memphis

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Dr. King at the Lorraine Hotel

MLK shot at the Lorraine Hotel

James Earl Ray flew from Memphis to Toronto under an alias after the assassination of Dr. King

The legendary Sun Studio, Memphis

This is the microphone used by elvis to record his first vocals

Emily and a wall of hits 

Sun Studios

Memphis Redbirds, the Triple A affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals baseball team

Charles Vergos' Rendezvous smoked ribs with pulled pork......delicious

Graceland

The Music Room

The King

The Jet

The Stax Museum