Although Memphis has undoubtedly earned its title as âThe Home of the Blues,â the fact remains that the cityâs defining genre isnât quite as prevalent as it once was. That said, there are still plenty of great options around town to catch some live blues music that will appeal to both locals and tourists alike. Below is our one-stop guide for the clubs, venues, and bars that are helping to ensure the Bluff City remains at the epicenter for authentic Delta blues.
Wild Billâs Juke Joint (1580 Vollintine Ave)
The sad reality is that genuine juke joints have been rapidly disappearing throughout the South over the past several decades, and Memphis is no exception. Thankfully this cozy North Memphis club is still carrying the torch and providing some of the best blues in the region into the wee hours of the morning. For the past 25+ years, Wild Billâs has reigned as one of the cityâs best neighborhood music clubs and its stature continues to grow. While the club is celebrated for its great music, friendly atmosphere, and throwback style, its smoke-filled rooms and raunchy dancing arenât necessarily for the faint hearted. Whether you catch the house band, the Juke Joint All Stars, or a special guest performer, Wild Billâs is the spot for real blues.
CC Blues Club (1427 Thomas St)
Known as much for their chicken as their live music and old school atmosphere, CC Blues Club is such a hidden gem that Iâm guessing most native Memphians arenât even aware of its existence. While this certainly adds to its mystique, it also means that itâs a bit more difficult to know what exactly is happening on any given night (Like a real blues club, CCâs doesnât have a website). That said, if youâre looking to explore the more uncharted areas of Memphis and take a risk, CCâs may be the place for you.
Hernandoâs Hideaway (3210 Old Hernando Rd)
While not a blues club per se, Whitehavenâs legendary Hernandoâs Hideaway frequently features blues musicians and other related roots genres such as country and R&B. The club, which was once frequented by Memphis royalty like Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, and BB King, retains its old-school cool and can often feel like a portal into a bygone era. In the recent past, Hernandoâs has hosted some of the worldâs premiere blues players and also frequently serves as the home to various Memphis Blues Society events. To see whatâs coming up soon, be sure to check out their calendar.
Earnestine & Hazelâs (531 S Main St.)
Americaâs most haunted bar is also a great place to catch some live blues on the weekends (if you arenât too scared, that is). This Memphis institution has been hosting live music since at least the 1950s and remains a local favorite for late night dancing, drinking, and revelry. If you happen to stumble upon E&H on a weeknight when there isnât a band playing, donât fret. They have one of the cityâs best jukeboxes filled with local blues heroes like B.B. King, Bobby âBlueâ Bland, John Lee Hooker, and many more.
The Crosstown Concourse (1350 Concourse Ave.)
The Crosstown Concourse, a converted Sears warehouse that is now a dynamic âvertical village,â offers a ton of great options for music lovers of all stripes, including blues aficionados. For live music, be sure to check out the calendars for the Green Room at Crosstown Arts and the Crosstown Theater, both of which regularly feature blues and Americana artists. You should also check out the massive collection of rare records at the Memphis Listening Lab, a unique musical library that includes hundreds of hard-to-find blues LPs, 78s, and 45s. The Lab also features live performances and listening parties from time to time.
Beale Street
Okay, perhaps we buried the lede here, but you kinda knew this one already, right? For over a century, Beale Street has served as the most important site for blues music in America (and probably the world). The genre remains the lifeblood of the famed street and there are countless clubs dedicated to bringing you the music that made it famous. While you canât go wrong with the famous clubs like B.B. Kingâs and Rum Boogie, we find that some of the best acts are nestled in smaller clubs like Mr. Handyâs Blues Hall, the Beale Street Tap Room, or right in the middle of historical Handy Park.
You might also be interested in: Live Music Memphis Tonight | Memphis Live Music Calendar
