The Flickr Birthplaceofrocknroll Image Generatr

The Hernando de Soto Bridge, built in 1973, is a through arch bridge carrying Interstate 40 across the Mississippi River between Memphis, Tennessee and West Memphis, Arkansas. The architectural design is a continuous cantilevered cable-stayed steel through arch, with bedstead endposts. Memphians also call the bridge the "New Bridge", as it is newer than the other option carrying Interstate 55 downstream, and the "M Bridge", due to its distinctive shape. The bridge is named for 16th century Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto who explored this stretch of the Mississippi River, and died south of Memphis.

Photo was taken with my Samsung Galaxy S21 just as we were crossing into Arkansas from Memphis, Tennessee. Additional adjustments were made in Photoshop CS6.

-- Technical Information (or Nerdy Stuff) --
‧ ISO – 40
‧ Aperture – f/1.8
‧ Exposure – 1/2000 second
‧ Focal Length – 5.4mm

"For I know the plans I have for you", declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." ~Jeremiah 29:11

The Peabody Hotel, completed in 1925, occupies the entire block bounded by Union Avenue, Second & Third Streets, and an un-named alley in Downtown Memphis. Built to replace the old Peabody which had stood at Main & Monroe Streets since 1869, both hotels were named for financier George Peabody, who had been a close friend of founder Robert Campbell Brinkley. Designed by the architectural firm of Walter W. Ahlschlager, Inc., it was the symbolic center of the social, cultural, and commercial life of the Mid-South region for over fifty years. It was also the largest and most elegant hotel in the south and represented the area's finest example of the opulence, grandeur, and complexity which characterized the era of the grand hotel.

With its grand opening ball in 1925, the hotel quickly established a reputation as the center of social life for the entire region. The Peabody's Night-Cap Club, Venetian Dining Room, and open-air Marine Roof (later partially enclosed and known as the Skyway and where the famous sign in the photograph above is located) soon became institutions among the socially elite of both Memphis and the rich Mississippi River delta areas of West Tennessee, eastern Arkansas, and northern Mississippi. The later 1920's, 1930's, and 1940's saw a steady stream of the wealthy and prominent flock to the Peabody to dine and dance to the music of such entertainers as George Hamilton, Les Brown, Harry James, Dorothy Lamour, Benny Goodman, and the Andrews Sisters. Beginning in 1937, the music of the Peabody's bands was broadcast nationwide on CBS radio.

As David Cohn wrote in 1935, "The Mississippi Delta begins in the lobby of the Peabody Hotel and ends on Catfish Row in Vicksburg. The Peabody is the Paris Ritz, the Cairo Shepheard's, the London Savoy of this section. If you stand near its fountain in the middle of the lobby, where ducks waddle and turtles drowse, ultimately you will see everybody who is anybody in the Delta..."

The Peabody, as it's known to most, was added to the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) on September 14, 1977. All the information above was found on the original documents submitted for listing consideration and can be viewed here:
npgallery.nps.gov/NRHP/AssetDetail/bd5ab2a6-0296-46d9-aa8...

The photograph above was taken with a handheld Galaxy S21 and additional adjustments were made in Photoshop CS6.

"For I know the plans I have for you", declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." ~Jeremiah 29:11

The best way to view my photostream is through Flickriver with the following link: www.flickriver.com/photos/photojourney57/

Closest to my camera above is the Memphis/Arkansas Bridge that is a significant historic bridge all on its own. However, what makes this setting even more unique is that this bridge sits right next to two even more significant historic bridges, the Frisco Bridge (railroad bridge in the middle) and the Harahan Bridge (or Big River Crossing that is farthest away from the camera above). Three historic cantilever truss bridges over the Mississippi River side by side by side with two of those bridges being nationally significant...there is no other historic bridge trio like this in North America.

The first bridge, the Memphis/Arkansas Bridge was built to provide a new crossing for vehicular traffic, replacing the two cantilevered vehicular traffic decks that are on the Harahan Bridge (or Big River Crossing). Harahan Bridge was designed by famous bridge engineer Ralph Modjeski. Although he had died by the time the Memphis/Arkansas Bridge was built, his firm, Modjeski and Masters was the engineering firm for it as well. Contractors for the bridge included the Harris Structural Steel Company of South Plainfield, New Jersey, the Virginia Bridge Company of Roanoke, Virginia (formerly the Virginia Bridge and Iron Company), and the Merritt-Chapman & Scott Corporation of New York, New York. Although this bridge carries heavy Interstate Highway traffic, it retains good historic integrity with no major alterations including the pedestrian sidewalks that remain on the bridge with original railings.

While the Frisco Bridge was designed by one of the greatest bridge engineers of the 19th Century, the Harahan Bridge was similarly designed by one of the 20th Century's greatest bridge engineers, Ralph Modjeski. As such, works by two of the greatest engineers of their respective centuries can be seen side-by-side. This affords a unique comparison between both engineering thinking, and also changing needs of two different periods in railroad history. The Harahan Bridge was designed to carry railroad traffic in between truss lines, and highway traffic on cantilevered decks outside of the truss lines. The construction of the Memphis/Arkansas Bridge ended the use of the Harahan Bridge for vehicular traffic. In 2016 however, a unique project converted the north vehicular deck into a pedestrian walkway named the Big River Crossing. This new walkway is unique because of its size, and also because it is rare for a railroad company to allow a public walkway to exist on one of their bridges. As might be expected, substantial fencing separates pedestrians from the railroad tracks. However, the truss is so large that despite the fencing, the walkway still offers excellent up-close views of the impressive details of the trusses. Another important aspect of the walkway is that despite addition of modern railing on the outside, the original riveted lattice railings for the vehicular deck were not removed. This helps convey the former vehicular usage of the deck, and also maintains the original appearance of the bridge. As part of the walkway, a modern full-color decorative lighting system was also installed, allowing for impressive light shows to bathe the entire bridge in a rainbow of animated colors. Note that if you visit this bridge in the evening and do not see the lights in operation, it may be due to a train or barge in the area, as this was a condition for the operation of the lighting system.

Finally, the Frisco Bridge is one of the most important historic bridges in the country, all on its own. It is one of the few surviving cantilever truss bridges that date to before 1900 in North America. Completed two years after the larger and more famous Forth Bridge in Scotland, this bridge is nevertheless significant in terms of American history as one of the earliest large-scale cantilever truss bridges. It is also the crowning achievement of engineer George Morison, who designed some of the first large-scale metal truss bridges in America, including many record-breaking spans. Most of his large-span truss bridges were simple spans however, so this cantilever truss bridge stands out as unusual among his bridges. Sadly, nearly all of Morison's bridges have been demolished, and even among those which remain today, not all are being preserved. Even this monumental, nationally significant historic bridge was as of 2016 facing the most significant alteration to its historic integrity since its construction in 1892: the entire western approach system was being demolished and replaced! While this does not affect the cantilever spans, this is regardless an alarming and disappointing outcome. The replacement of these spans is an unfortunate casualty of this bridge's remarkable status as a railroad bridge that continues, despite its age, to be used today by an enormous amount of railroad freight trains. As might be expected of such a large bridge, more than one notable engineer was involved with it, and many contractors fabricated and constructed the bridge. In addition to Morison, who was chief engineer, noted engineer Alfred Noble was resident engineer for the project. Union Bridge Company, Pencoyd Iron Works, and the Pennsylvania Steel Company all played a role in fabrication. The main superstructure contractor was Baird Brothers of Pittsburgh. There is 2,597 feet of the bridge that is composed of the cantilever through truss spans and the deck truss span is at the western end. The total length of the bridge including approaches is roughly 5,000 feet.

Historically, the Frisco Bridge was listed with the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) as a Historic Civil Engineering Landmark in 1987. And the Memphis/Arkansas Bridge was listed on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) on February 16, 2001.

Three bracketed photos were taken with a handheld Nikon D7200 and combined with Photomatix Pro to create this HDR image. Additional adjustments were made in Photoshop CS6.

"For I know the plans I have for you", declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." ~Jeremiah 29:11

The best way to view my photostream is through Flickriver with the following link: www.flickriver.com/photos/photojourney57/

Beale Street's entertainment district is an important site in the history of the blues, that influential musical form which has had an impact on American rock, jazz, pop, and symphonic music. Theaters also held an important place in the life of Beale Street. The largest show-house for blacks in the South was the Palace Theater on Beale. It was famous for its traditional Tuesday night amateur shows. The old Pastime, opened in 1909, was the first theater for blacks on Beale Street. The Daisy Theatre (seen in the photo above) was constructed in 1912 and a loan was secured on a handshake. The 'Old' Daisy is a prime surviving example of nickelodeon architecture from the early cinema era. The tiny hall features a grand half dome entrance on Memphis’s famous Beale Street.

The Daisy Theatre is unusual in that the stage and screen are on the sidewalk end of the building. Double doors on either side of the half-dome enter into small vestibules one on either side of the stage. Emerging from the vestibules, you have the audience looking at you! There is a small balcony, vaguely horse-shoe shaped, supported from above with iron rods. This is the reason for the reverse design, the fire escapes from the balcony and booth could only open onto the alley behind the building. There was no lobby at all, just hallways. Despite its tiny stage, The Daisy was a prime performing venue on the so-called “Chitlin' Circuit” from the 1930’s up into the 1960’s.

During much of the 20th century Beale Street served as the business and entertainment center for African-Americans from all over the Mid-South. This extensive history resulted in the Beale Street Historic District being listed as a National Historic Landmark (NHL) and included on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) on October 15, 1966. In addition, the historic district had its boundary increased on July 29, 1993. Included in the original listing as a contributing structure was The 'Old' Daisy Theatre. All the information above about the historic district (and much more) was found on the original documents submitted for listing consideration and can be viewed here:
npgallery.nps.gov/NRHP/AssetDetail/86ff03b2-f33a-4377-b51...

Information about The Daisy Theatre above was found on the following website:
cinematreasures.org/theaters/10962

Three bracketed photos were taken with a handheld Nikon D7200 and combined with Photomatix Pro to create this HDR image. Additional adjustments were made in Photoshop CS6.

"For I know the plans I have for you", declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." ~Jeremiah 29:11

The best way to view my photostream is through Flickriver with the following link: www.flickriver.com/photos/photojourney57/

Flying back from Texas over Memphis, Tennessee with several distinct landmarks visible from cruising altitude...most obviously, the mighty Mississippi River; the Pyramid; Downtown Memphis; the large train yard to the south; Mud Island; the Hernando de Soto Bridge; and the triple bridges further south that include the Harahan Bridge, the Frisco Bridge, and the Memphis/Arkansas Bridge. And, to the west of the Mississippi River is Arkansas and more specifically, West Memphis, AR as you follow the interstates to the left.

Technical Information (or Nerdy Stuff):
Camera - Nikon D5200 (handheld)
Lens – Nikkor 18-300mm Zoom
ISO – 640
Aperture – f/5
Exposure – 1/30 second
Focal Length – 18mm

The original RAW file was processed with Adobe Camera Raw and final adjustments were made with Photoshop CS6.

"For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." ~Jeremiah 29:11

The best way to view my photostream is through Flickriver with the link below:
www.flickriver.com/photos/photojourney57/

On April 4, 1968, the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., was assassinated here at the Lorraine Motel (standing where the wreath is located in the photograph above), just a day after delivering his prophetic "I've Been to the Mountaintop" speech at the Mason Temple Church of God in Christ. Built in 1925, the Lorraine Hotel was a typical Southern hotel accessible only to whites in its early history; it was renamed the Lorraine Motel after the second floor was added. However, by the end of World War II, the Lorraine had become one of the few black establishments, and one of the only hotels providing accomodations to African Americans. Early guests to the Lorraine included Cab Calloway, Count Basie, and other prominent jazz musicians, in addition to later celebrities such as Roy Campanella, Nat King Cole, and Aretha Franklin. Partly because of its historical importance to the black community of Memphis, Martin Luther King chose to stay at the Lorraine during the 1968 Memphis sanitation workers strike. King, Ralph Abernathy, Andrew Young and other black leaders came to Memphis to support 1,300 striking sanitation workers. Their grievances included unfair working conditions (on rainy days, black workers had to return home without pay while paid white supervisors remained on the job, and black workers were given only one uniform and no place in which to change clothes), and poor pay (the highest-paid black worker could not hope to earn more than $70 a week). Following a bloody confrontation between marching strikers and police, a court injunction had been issued banning further protests. King hoped their planned march would overturn the court injunction, but such plans were cut short on April 4 when an assassin shot and killed King on the balcony of King's room (as depicted in the photograph above). The 'scene' has been restored and preserved just as it was in 1968 with multiple monuments detailing the layout as well as the events of that fateful day.

In 1991, the Lorraine Motel was converted into the National Civil Rights Museum. And on July 9, 1999 the Lorraine was included in the South Main Street Historic District listing on the National Register of Historic Places.

www.nps.gov/places/tennessee-the-lorraine-hotel-memphis.htm

Three bracketed photos were taken with a handheld Nikon D7200 and combined with Photomatix Pro to create this HDR image. Additional adjustments were made in Photoshop CS6.

"For I know the plans I have for you", declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." ~Jeremiah 29:11

The best way to view my photostream is through Flickriver with the link below:
www.flickriver.com/photos/photojourney57/

The Lorraine Motel was forever etched in America’s collective memory with the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr. in 1968, but even before that fateful day, the property at 450 Mulberry Street had a fascinating history in its own right. Before it was the Lorraine, it was the Marquette Hotel that catered to black clientele in segregated Memphis. Then, in 1945 black businessman Walter Bailey purchased the hotel, which he re-christened the Lorraine after his wife Loree and the popular jazz song, “Sweet Lorraine.” The motel became a destination for blacks and appeared in the Negro Motorists Green Book or “Green Guide,” which identified establishments that welcomed black travelers when Jim Crow restrictions offered limited options for services and lodging.

Over the next two decades, the Lorraine added a second floor and almost thirty more rooms, in addition to drive-up parking, large front windows, and a swimming pool. The Lorraine’s new design reflected the Space Age-inspired Googie style (geometric shapes and bright colors) that was popular in California in the fifties and sixties. The Lorraine’s sign, with its turquoise frame, yellow oval, and white circles is an excellent example of this trend. With its stylized exterior, excellent café, and superior service, the motel hosted more than just travelers; the Lorraine was also the site of important business meetings and celebratory gatherings, such as weddings.

The Lorraine was the preferred stop for many blacks who came to Memphis. Its guestbook was a veritable who’s who of black celebrities in the forties, fifties, and sixties. Entertainers like Louis Armstrong, Cab Calloway, Nat King Cole, Sarah Vaughn, Sam Cooke, Aretha Franklin, and Otis Redding were all guests at the motel, and two famous songs, Wilson Pickett’s “The Midnight Hour” and Eddie Floyd’s “Knock on Wood,” were both composed at the Lorraine. Negro League baseball greats like Satchel Paige, Josh Gibson and Jackie Robinson stayed at the Lorraine when they were in Memphis. It was also preferred by important figures in the black business and political communities. And, Martin Luther King, Jr. stayed there on his trips to Memphis.

The Lorraine Motel reflected the monumental changes experienced by blacks in postwar America well before that moment in 1968 outside room 306 cemented the building’s place in American history.

All information above was borrowed from the following website:
www.civilrightsmuseum.org/news/posts/the-famous-lorraine-...

The Lorraine is included in the South Main Street Historic District listed on the National Register of Historic Places on July 9, 1999.

Three bracketed photos were taken with a handheld Nikon D7200 and combined with Photomatix Pro to create this HDR image. Additional adjustments were made in Photoshop CS6.

"For I know the plans I have for you", declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." ~Jeremiah 29:11

The best way to view my photostream is through Flickriver with the link below:
www.flickriver.com/photos/photojourney57/

The Calvary Episcopal Church (1843) & Parish House (1903) occupy the southeast corner of Second Street and Adams Avenue in Downtown Memphis, Tennessee. The church building was designed by the third Calvary rector, Reverend Philip Alston, in 1843 and constructed the same year by W.A. Bickford, a communicant of the church. After the tower was added in 1848, there were no major alterations to the church until 1881. At that time, an architect and English immigrant to Memphis, James B. Cook, added the chancel and the exposed truss and rafter ceiling. Calvary Episcopal is the oldest church building remaining in Memphis, preceding by twelve years the construction of the city's other extant pre-Civil War church, St. Peter's Catholic Church. The building is equally important as a good local example of a simple Gothic Revival structure, one which is less elaborate than the city's other two remaining Gothic churches—St. Mary's Catholic Church (begun in 1864 and dedicated in 1870) and the previously mentioned St. Peter's. The parish house, constructed in 1903, also exhibits a restrained Gothic influence as well.

This historic church was added to the National Register of Historic Places on April 27, 1982 and all the information above plus much more can be found on the original documents submitted to the NRHP for listing consideration here:
npgallery.nps.gov/NRHP/AssetDetail?assetID=74b4ebf0-2ce4-...

Three bracketed photos were taken with a handheld Nikon D7200 and combined with Photomatix Pro to create this HDR image. Additional adjustments were made in Photoshop CS6.

"For I know the plans I have for you", declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." ~Jeremiah 29:11

The best way to view my photostream is through Flickriver with the link below:
www.flickriver.com/photos/photojourney57/

The One Hundred North Main (aka 100NM) Building was determined eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places under Criterion C as an excellent local example of the late International style in Memphis, Shelby County,Tennessee when it was included on April 24, 2015. Completed in 1965, and designed by architect Robert Lee Hall and Associates, the building exhibits the hallmarks of International style including a pilotis, vertical panels with marble chip sheathing and vertical ribbon-style anodized aluminum windows which are the character defining features of the exterior of the building. Inside, book matched marble in the entry and elsewhere, aluminum and anodized aluminum trim, multiple elevators, dual escalators and extensive use of glass on the main floors remain intact, adding to the architectural significance of 100NM. As with most International style buildings, the use of high quality and unique materials is concentrated on the exterior, main entries and lobbies. Secondary floors of the building exhibit an International style free-floor plan with only the central core (elevators, restrooms, utilities) being an important feature. The flat roof with a landscaped garden invokes Modernist architect, Le Corbusier’s, seminal Villa Savoye. A unique Mid-century feature of the building is the extant revolving restaurant. The One Hundred North Main Building, builder and developer Harry Bloomfield’s grand architectural vision, remains a unique focal point of the Memphis riverfront skyline, as much today as when originally constructed. All the information above was found in the original documents submitted to the NRHP and can be seen on Here:
npgallery.nps.gov/NRHP/AssetDetail?assetID=a0c17a52-568e-...

Three bracketed photos were taken with a handheld Nikon D7200 and combined with Photomatix Pro to create this HDR image. Additional adjustments were made in Photoshop CS6.

"For I know the plans I have for you", declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." ~Jeremiah 29:11

The best way to view my photostream is through Flickriver with the link below:
www.flickriver.com/photos/photojourney57/

The Arcade has the honor of being Memphis’ oldest restaurant. Speros Zepatos founded the diner in 1919 after immigrating from Cephalonia, Greece. Situated at the corner of South Main Street and G.E. Patterson, the original building was a small, one story, wood framed building. Food was actualy cooked on potbelly stoves! Today, third generation owners Harry and Karan Zepatos have now handed over the keys to the fourth generation! Jeff, Kelcie, and Michael can be found running the day to day operations of the Arcade. The South Main Historic District, the whistle of the trolley, and the Arcade Restaurant… it doesn’t get any more Memphis than this!

For more information, see the history page of their website below:
arcaderestaurant.com/history/

This area just south of Downtown Memphis is known as the South Main Historic District and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on September 2, 1982 (with boundary increases being added on 3/8/1997, 7/9/1999, and 8/13/2013).

Image was taken during my trek to photograph all 95 county courthouses across my home state of Tennessee...now revisiting in order that the courthouses were photographed!

Three bracketed photos were taken with a handheld Nikon D7200 and combined with Photomatix Pro to create this HDR image. Additional adjustments were made in Photoshop CS6.

"For I know the plans I have for you", declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." ~Jeremiah 29:11

The best way to view my photostream is through Flickriver with the link below:
www.flickriver.com/photos/photojourney57/

Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Memphis,_Tennessee

Memphis is a city along the Mississippi River in southwestern Shelby County, Tennessee, United States. The 2019 population was 651,073, making Memphis the largest city on the Mississippi River, the second most populous in Tennessee, as well as the 26th largest city in the United States. Greater Memphis is the 42nd largest metropolitan area in the United States, with a population of 1,348,260 in 2017. The city is the anchor of West Tennessee and the greater Mid-South region, which includes portions of neighboring Arkansas, Mississippi, and the Missouri Bootheel. Memphis is the seat of Shelby County, Tennessee's most populous county. One of the more historic and culturally significant cities of the southern United States, Memphis has a wide variety of landscapes and distinct neighborhoods.

The first European explorer to visit the area of present-day Memphis was Spanish conquistador Hernando de Soto in 1541 with his expedition into the New World. The high Chickasaw Bluffs protecting the location from the waters of the Mississippi was then contested by the Spanish, French, and the English as Memphis took shape. Modern Memphis was founded in 1819 by three prominent Americans: John Overton, James Winchester, and future president Andrew Jackson.

Memphis grew into one of the largest cities of the Antebellum South as a market for agricultural goods, natural resources like lumber, and the American slave trade. After the American Civil War and the end of slavery, the city experienced even faster growth into the 20th century as it became among the largest world markets for cotton and lumber.

Home to Tennessee's largest African-American population, Memphis played a prominent role in the American civil rights movement and was the site of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s 1968 assassination. The city now hosts the National Civil Rights Museum—a Smithsonian affiliate institution. Since the civil rights era, Memphis has become one of the nation's leading commercial centers in transportation and logistics. Its largest employer is the multinational courier corporation FedEx, which maintains its global air hub at Memphis International Airport, making it the second-busiest cargo airport in the world. In addition to being a global air cargo leader, the International Port of Memphis also hosts the 5th busiest inland water port in the U.S., with access to the Mississippi River allowing shipments to arrive from around the world for conversion to train and trucking transport throughout the United States, making Memphis a multi-modal hub for trading goods for imports and exports despite its inland location.

Memphis is a regional center for commerce, education, media, art, and entertainment. It has long had a prominent music scene, with historic blues clubs on Beale Street originating the unique Memphis blues sound in the early 20th century. The city's music has continued to be shaped by a multicultural mix of influences: the blues, country, rock n' roll, soul, and hip-hop. Memphis barbecue has achieved international prominence, and the city hosts the World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest, which attracts over 100,000 visitors to the city annually.

Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sun_Studio

Sun Studio is a recording studio opened by rock-and-roll pioneer Sam Phillips at 706 Union Avenue in Memphis, Tennessee, on January 3, 1950. It was originally called Memphis Recording Service, sharing the same building with the Sun Records label business. Reputedly the first rock and roll single, Jackie Brenton and his Delta Cats' "Rocket 88" was recorded there in 1951 with song composer Ike Turner on keyboards, leading the studio to claim status as the birthplace of rock & roll. Blues and R&B artists like Howlin' Wolf, Junior Parker, Little Milton, B.B. King, James Cotton, Rufus Thomas, and Rosco Gordon recorded there in the early 1950s.

Rock and roll, country music, and rockabilly artists, including Johnny Cash, Elvis Presley, Carl Perkins, Roy Orbison, Charlie Feathers, Ray Harris, Warren Smith, Charlie Rich, and Jerry Lee Lewis, recorded there throughout the mid-to-late 1950s until the studio outgrew its Union Avenue location. Sam Phillips opened the larger Sam C. Phillips Recording Studio, better known as Phillips Recording, in 1959 to replace the older facility. Since Phillips had invested in the Holiday Inn Hotel chain earlier, he also recorded artists starting in 1963 on the label Holiday Inn Records for Kemmons Wilson. In 1957, Bill Justis recorded his Grammy Hall of Fame song "Raunchy" for Sam Phillips and worked as a musical director at Sun Records.

In 1969, Sam Phillips sold the label to Shelby Singleton, and there was no recording-related or label-related activity again in the building until the September 1985 Class of '55 recording sessions with Carl Perkins, Roy Orbison, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Johnny Cash, produced by Chips Moman.

In 1987, the original building housing the Sun Records label and Memphis Recording Service was reopened, by Gary Hardy as "Sun Studio," a recording label and tourist attraction that has attracted many notable artists, such as U2, Def Leppard, Bonnie Raitt, and Ringo Starr.

In 2005, Brian Setzer (of Stray Cats fame) released his Rockabilly Riot Vol. 1: A Tribute To Sun Records album. Although not recorded at Sun it did feature various Sun Records recordings including some hits and other more obscure songs. In 2007, Canadian rockabilly band the Kingmakers recorded a selection of originals and classics such as Elvis Presley's "That's All Right" at Sun Studio, released as their first CD "Live at SUN Studio". In May 2009, Canadian blues artist JW-Jones recorded with blues legend Hubert Sumlin, Larry Taylor and Richard Innes for his 2010 release at the studio. In July 2009, John Mellencamp recorded nine songs for his album No Better Than This at the studio. In 2011, Chris Isaak released "Beyond the Sun," a collection of songs recorded at Sun Studio, most of which are cover versions of songs originally released on Sun Records.

Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Memphis,_Tennessee

Memphis is a city along the Mississippi River in southwestern Shelby County, Tennessee, United States. The 2019 population was 651,073, making Memphis the largest city on the Mississippi River, the second most populous in Tennessee, as well as the 26th largest city in the United States. Greater Memphis is the 42nd largest metropolitan area in the United States, with a population of 1,348,260 in 2017. The city is the anchor of West Tennessee and the greater Mid-South region, which includes portions of neighboring Arkansas, Mississippi, and the Missouri Bootheel. Memphis is the seat of Shelby County, Tennessee's most populous county. One of the more historic and culturally significant cities of the southern United States, Memphis has a wide variety of landscapes and distinct neighborhoods.

The first European explorer to visit the area of present-day Memphis was Spanish conquistador Hernando de Soto in 1541 with his expedition into the New World. The high Chickasaw Bluffs protecting the location from the waters of the Mississippi was then contested by the Spanish, French, and the English as Memphis took shape. Modern Memphis was founded in 1819 by three prominent Americans: John Overton, James Winchester, and future president Andrew Jackson.

Memphis grew into one of the largest cities of the Antebellum South as a market for agricultural goods, natural resources like lumber, and the American slave trade. After the American Civil War and the end of slavery, the city experienced even faster growth into the 20th century as it became among the largest world markets for cotton and lumber.

Home to Tennessee's largest African-American population, Memphis played a prominent role in the American civil rights movement and was the site of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s 1968 assassination. The city now hosts the National Civil Rights Museum—a Smithsonian affiliate institution. Since the civil rights era, Memphis has become one of the nation's leading commercial centers in transportation and logistics. Its largest employer is the multinational courier corporation FedEx, which maintains its global air hub at Memphis International Airport, making it the second-busiest cargo airport in the world. In addition to being a global air cargo leader, the International Port of Memphis also hosts the 5th busiest inland water port in the U.S., with access to the Mississippi River allowing shipments to arrive from around the world for conversion to train and trucking transport throughout the United States, making Memphis a multi-modal hub for trading goods for imports and exports despite its inland location.

Memphis is a regional center for commerce, education, media, art, and entertainment. It has long had a prominent music scene, with historic blues clubs on Beale Street originating the unique Memphis blues sound in the early 20th century. The city's music has continued to be shaped by a multicultural mix of influences: the blues, country, rock n' roll, soul, and hip-hop. Memphis barbecue has achieved international prominence, and the city hosts the World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest, which attracts over 100,000 visitors to the city annually.

Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beale_Street

Beale Street is a street in Downtown Memphis, Tennessee, which runs from the Mississippi River to East Street, a distance of approximately 1.8 miles (2.9 km). It is a significant location in the city's history, as well as in the history of blues music. Today, the blues clubs and restaurants that line Beale Street are major tourist attractions in Memphis. Festivals and outdoor concerts frequently bring large crowds to the street and its surrounding areas.

Ann, Nancy, and the rest of Heart performing 'Barracuda' at the FedEx Forum in Memphis, Tennessee during their "Love Alive Tour". Everything about their performance during this concert was amazing...Thank you ladies for a great show!!

Image taken with my LG G7 (since camera's were not allowed) and edited slightly with Photoshop PS6.

"For I know the plans I have for you", declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." ~Jeremiah 29:11

The best way to view my photostream is through Flickriver with the link below:
www.flickriver.com/photos/photojourney57/

Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Memphis,_Tennessee

Memphis is a city along the Mississippi River in southwestern Shelby County, Tennessee, United States. The 2019 population was 651,073, making Memphis the largest city on the Mississippi River, the second most populous in Tennessee, as well as the 26th largest city in the United States. Greater Memphis is the 42nd largest metropolitan area in the United States, with a population of 1,348,260 in 2017. The city is the anchor of West Tennessee and the greater Mid-South region, which includes portions of neighboring Arkansas, Mississippi, and the Missouri Bootheel. Memphis is the seat of Shelby County, Tennessee's most populous county. One of the more historic and culturally significant cities of the southern United States, Memphis has a wide variety of landscapes and distinct neighborhoods.

The first European explorer to visit the area of present-day Memphis was Spanish conquistador Hernando de Soto in 1541 with his expedition into the New World. The high Chickasaw Bluffs protecting the location from the waters of the Mississippi was then contested by the Spanish, French, and the English as Memphis took shape. Modern Memphis was founded in 1819 by three prominent Americans: John Overton, James Winchester, and future president Andrew Jackson.

Memphis grew into one of the largest cities of the Antebellum South as a market for agricultural goods, natural resources like lumber, and the American slave trade. After the American Civil War and the end of slavery, the city experienced even faster growth into the 20th century as it became among the largest world markets for cotton and lumber.

Home to Tennessee's largest African-American population, Memphis played a prominent role in the American civil rights movement and was the site of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s 1968 assassination. The city now hosts the National Civil Rights Museum—a Smithsonian affiliate institution. Since the civil rights era, Memphis has become one of the nation's leading commercial centers in transportation and logistics. Its largest employer is the multinational courier corporation FedEx, which maintains its global air hub at Memphis International Airport, making it the second-busiest cargo airport in the world. In addition to being a global air cargo leader, the International Port of Memphis also hosts the 5th busiest inland water port in the U.S., with access to the Mississippi River allowing shipments to arrive from around the world for conversion to train and trucking transport throughout the United States, making Memphis a multi-modal hub for trading goods for imports and exports despite its inland location.

Memphis is a regional center for commerce, education, media, art, and entertainment. It has long had a prominent music scene, with historic blues clubs on Beale Street originating the unique Memphis blues sound in the early 20th century. The city's music has continued to be shaped by a multicultural mix of influences: the blues, country, rock n' roll, soul, and hip-hop. Memphis barbecue has achieved international prominence, and the city hosts the World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest, which attracts over 100,000 visitors to the city annually.

Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beale_Street

Beale Street is a street in Downtown Memphis, Tennessee, which runs from the Mississippi River to East Street, a distance of approximately 1.8 miles (2.9 km). It is a significant location in the city's history, as well as in the history of blues music. Today, the blues clubs and restaurants that line Beale Street are major tourist attractions in Memphis. Festivals and outdoor concerts frequently bring large crowds to the street and its surrounding areas.

Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Memphis,_Tennessee

Memphis is a city along the Mississippi River in southwestern Shelby County, Tennessee, United States. The 2019 population was 651,073, making Memphis the largest city on the Mississippi River, the second most populous in Tennessee, as well as the 26th largest city in the United States. Greater Memphis is the 42nd largest metropolitan area in the United States, with a population of 1,348,260 in 2017. The city is the anchor of West Tennessee and the greater Mid-South region, which includes portions of neighboring Arkansas, Mississippi, and the Missouri Bootheel. Memphis is the seat of Shelby County, Tennessee's most populous county. One of the more historic and culturally significant cities of the southern United States, Memphis has a wide variety of landscapes and distinct neighborhoods.

The first European explorer to visit the area of present-day Memphis was Spanish conquistador Hernando de Soto in 1541 with his expedition into the New World. The high Chickasaw Bluffs protecting the location from the waters of the Mississippi was then contested by the Spanish, French, and the English as Memphis took shape. Modern Memphis was founded in 1819 by three prominent Americans: John Overton, James Winchester, and future president Andrew Jackson.

Memphis grew into one of the largest cities of the Antebellum South as a market for agricultural goods, natural resources like lumber, and the American slave trade. After the American Civil War and the end of slavery, the city experienced even faster growth into the 20th century as it became among the largest world markets for cotton and lumber.

Home to Tennessee's largest African-American population, Memphis played a prominent role in the American civil rights movement and was the site of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s 1968 assassination. The city now hosts the National Civil Rights Museum—a Smithsonian affiliate institution. Since the civil rights era, Memphis has become one of the nation's leading commercial centers in transportation and logistics. Its largest employer is the multinational courier corporation FedEx, which maintains its global air hub at Memphis International Airport, making it the second-busiest cargo airport in the world. In addition to being a global air cargo leader, the International Port of Memphis also hosts the 5th busiest inland water port in the U.S., with access to the Mississippi River allowing shipments to arrive from around the world for conversion to train and trucking transport throughout the United States, making Memphis a multi-modal hub for trading goods for imports and exports despite its inland location.

Memphis is a regional center for commerce, education, media, art, and entertainment. It has long had a prominent music scene, with historic blues clubs on Beale Street originating the unique Memphis blues sound in the early 20th century. The city's music has continued to be shaped by a multicultural mix of influences: the blues, country, rock n' roll, soul, and hip-hop. Memphis barbecue has achieved international prominence, and the city hosts the World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest, which attracts over 100,000 visitors to the city annually.

Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beale_Street

Beale Street is a street in Downtown Memphis, Tennessee, which runs from the Mississippi River to East Street, a distance of approximately 1.8 miles (2.9 km). It is a significant location in the city's history, as well as in the history of blues music. Today, the blues clubs and restaurants that line Beale Street are major tourist attractions in Memphis. Festivals and outdoor concerts frequently bring large crowds to the street and its surrounding areas.

Blues City Cafe opened in March of 1991 under the name of “Doe’s Eat Place”. Later, in October of 1993, investors bought Doe’s and changed the name to Blues City Cafe. They have been featured on the Bobby Flay Show on the Food Network and on A Taste of America on the Travel Channel. Publications such as Bon Apetite Magazine and PS Magazine have also featured Blues City as well. You can find it on the corner of Beale Street and South 2nd Street.

www.bluescitycafe.com/

Three bracketed photos were taken with a handheld Nikon D7200 and combined with Photomatix Pro to create this HDR image. Additional adjustments were made in Photoshop CS6.

"For I know the plans I have for you", declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." ~Jeremiah 29:11

The best way to view my photostream is through Flickriver with the link below:
www.flickriver.com/photos/photojourney57/

One of my favorite finds any where that I might travel is vintage Coca-Cola murals painted on the exterior of buildings. I typically prefer the faded, weathered, ghostly versions more but restored, revived, and reworked versions like this one also look amazing. This one is on the southeast corner of Beale Street and S. BB King Boulevard in Memphis, Tennessee. It features Sprite Boy, the fun pixie-like character originally introduced in the 1940's.

Sprite Boy, illustrated by Coca-Cola Santa Claus artist Haddon Sundblom, represented the brand for nearly two decades, spreading the word that both Coke and Coca-Cola were acceptable names for the product. **Fun fact: Sprite Boy has nothing to do with the popular lemon-lime flavored soft drink and was retired from advertising several years before the beverage Sprite was introduced.**

Three bracketed photos were taken with a handheld Nikon D7200 and combined with Photomatix Pro to create this HDR image. Additional adjustments were made in Photoshop CS6.

"For I know the plans I have for you", declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." ~Jeremiah 29:11

The best way to view my photostream is through Flickriver with the link below:
www.flickriver.com/photos/photojourney57/

Open since April 28th of 2016, Jerry "The King" Lawler's Hall of Fame Restaurant on Beale Street in Memphis, Tennessee adds another title to "the Kings" list that already includes multiple world heavyweight wrestling championships, international wrestling commentator, WWE Hall of Fame, artist, musician, actor, author and now restaurant owner. Stop by and check out the menu while browsing all the great memorabilia from the life and career of the "King", Memphis Wrestling, and the WWE.

Three bracketed photos were taken with a handheld Nikon D7200 and combined with Photomatix Pro to create this HDR image. Additional adjustments were made in Photoshop CS6.

"For I know the plans I have for you", declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." ~Jeremiah 29:11

The best way to view my photostream is through Flickriver with the link below:
www.flickriver.com/photos/photojourney57/

The Hernando de Soto Bridge, built in 1973, is a through arch bridge carrying Interstate 40 across the Mississippi River between Memphis, Tennessee and West Memphis, Arkansas. The architectural design is a continuous cantilevered cable-stayed steel through arch, with bedstead endposts. Memphians also call the bridge the "New Bridge", as it is newer than the other option carrying Interstate 55 downstream, and the "M Bridge", due to its distinctive shape. The bridge is named for 16th century Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto who explored this stretch of the Mississippi River, and died south of Memphis.

This photo was taken from the Greenbelt Park located adjacent to the Mississippi River on the north end of Mud Island near Harbor Town.

Three bracketed photos were taken with a handheld Nikon D7200 and combined with Photomatix Pro to create this HDR image. Additional adjustments were made in Photoshop CS6.

"For I know the plans I have for you", declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." ~Jeremiah 29:11