Well that was fun! Although it goes without saying that we’re sad to see the Grizzlies end their storybook season and Memphis in May winding down, it’s hard to be disappointed in what the last few weeks had to offer. As always, there was also plenty of news going on in the local music scene, and if you were too busy to keep up with it all, then we can’t blame you. Here’s a quick recap of the past week’s news in case you missed it…
Singer-songwriter Kevin Morby records new album in Memphis
This week, both the New York Times and Rolling Stone published pieces about Kevin Morby’s recent time spent in Memphis recording his new album “This is a Photograph.” The album was primarily written at the Peabody Hotel, and Morby says that he chose Memphis for a specific reason. “Memphis became the representation of all of the American cities and towns I wanted to talk about,” he said in a release about the album. “Because of all it had been through, there’s a resilience there that spoke to what we were all dealing with in different ways at the time.”
Classic Funk Fest announced in conjunction with Southern Heritage Classic
Each year, thousands of fans travel down to Memphis for the annual football game between Jackson State and Tennessee State, better known as the Southern Heritage Classic. This year, the legendary battle of the bands at halftime isn’t the only notable musical component of the weekend. Earlier this week, it was announced that on September 9th the SHC will be hosting the Classic Funk Fest at Landers Center, a concert featuring The Bar-Kays, ConFunkShun, Original Lakeside, and SOS Band. Count us in!
St. George’s named ‘Best High School Blues, Pop, Rock Group’ in the nation
St. George’s Independent School’s American Music Ensemble has been named Top ‘Best High School Blues, Pop, Rock Group’ this year by DownBeat Magazine in the 45th Annual Student Music Awards. Considered one of the top student music competitions in the world, the annual SMAs have been a stepping stone for many of the world’s greatest musicians for 40 years. Congrats to all of the students and faculty!
