Ways of Hearing: Reflections on Music in 26 Pieces

Abstract

recording company executives, and fellow Memphis music scholars. Both prickly and profound, the author’s observations are grounded in years of rubbing elbows with black and white Memphians. Truth resonates in his writing. It is the rough-and-tumble truth of the old Beale Street barkeeps rather than the polished, glamorous truth of Chamber of Commerce con men. This is not just a paean to the magical music of Memphis. It is a salute to the hard labor, sweat, luck (good and bad), and personal convictions that allowed black and white men to produce truly memorable music. Out of political mayhem, racial strife, broken banking agreements, and untimely deaths a group of integrated performers and record label executives produced a treasury of unforgettable tunes. From “Last Night” to “Green Onions,” from “Memphis Blues” to “Please Accept My Love,” and from “Blues Power” to “In the Midnight Hour,” Memphis provided the world with a brilliant new soundscape. The river city gained international “Respect” – and wisely urged each listener to “Respect Yourself.”