MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE

Home of the Blues, the Birthplace of Rock 'n' Roll

Memphis, TN skyline along the Mississippi River
Downtown Memphis along the Mississippi River
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      \    (  o  o  )   /
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A very good boy, Memphis-style 🐾

🎸Birthplace of Rock 'n' Roll

Sun Studio, opened in 1950, recorded early sessions from Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, B.B. King, and Jerry Lee Lewis — earning Memphis the title "Birthplace of Rock 'n' Roll."

👑Graceland

Elvis Presley's mansion, Graceland, is one of the most visited private homes in America, drawing roughly 500,000 visitors every year.

🎶Beale Street

Beale Street is legendary for its role in shaping the Blues. W.C. Handy, the "Father of the Blues," got his start performing there in the early 1900s.

🍖Barbecue Capital

Memphis is famous for pulled pork and dry-rub ribs. The city hosts the World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest, the largest pork BBQ competition in the world.

🦆The Peabody Ducks

Every day at The Peabody Hotel, a flock of ducks marches from their rooftop palace to the lobby fountain on a red carpet, led by a "Duckmaster" — a tradition dating back to the 1930s.

🌉Named After Egypt

Memphis was named after the ancient Egyptian capital because both cities sit on great rivers — the Mississippi and the Nile. Nearby is even a 32-story pyramid building (now a Bass Pro Shops!).

🎤Stax Records

Memphis-based Stax Records shaped the sound of Southern soul music, launching artists like Otis Redding, Isaac Hayes, and Booker T. & the M.G.'s.

🐘Home of the Blues

Memphis anchors the Mississippi Blues Trail and is officially designated by Congress as the "Home of the Blues" and "Birthplace of Rock 'n' Roll."