Memphis Tourism Foundation Salutes Music Heritage With New Album
June 4, Memphis – The Memphis Tourism Foundation – part of the Memphis Convention and Visitors Bureau, launched its new album of Memphis Music with an album release party that attracted more than 100 members of the Memphis music community.
The album, This Is My Memphis, features 12 songs by current Memphis bands and performers interpreting Memphis classics. The release party at CVB headquarters in downtown Memphis will be followed by a special June 14 concert to celebrate the release of the album at the Hard Rock Café on legendary Beale Street.
“We wanted to call attention to a central truth,” said Tourism Foundation head and CVB vice-president Calvin Taylor. “Great Memphis music is not just a historical footnote. It is happening here every day right now.” Besides calling attention to current musicians, he said that the Tourism Foundation produced the album in partnership with Electric Room’s Matt Timberlake and Jeremy Shrader as part of the foundation’s positive self-image agenda for Memphis.
Members of the bands on the album were joined by dozens of music supporters that included Dean Deyo, president of Memphis Music Foundation; members of the Memphis and Shelby County Music Commission; Memphis City Councilman Myron Lowery; Memphis philanthropist Pat Kerr Tigrett; and WMC reporter Kontji Anthony.
The album release concert at 8 p.m. on June 14 at the Hard Rock Café on legendary Beale Street will feature three bands on the album as part of the iconic restaurant’s Founders Day – Groundspeak (jazz-tinted R&B), Soul Enforcers (reggae), and Joecephus and the Georgejonestown Massacre (Southern punk rock and roll).
Other Memphis performers who contributed songs to the album included William Lee Ellis, Eric Gales, Rind Stars, New Memphis Hepcats, Noise Choir, Rabid Villain, Johnny Lowebow, Sean Murphy with Jason Northcutt, and Amy Levere. Their interpretations included songs by Bukka White, Albert King, Big Star, The Dramatics, Booker T and the M.G.’s, Elvis Presley, Mississippi Fred McDowell, and Charlie Feathers.
CVB President Kevin Kane said that the Memphis Tourism Foundation has undertaken a number of important projects in the past year, but that he was especially proud of this salute to current Memphis bands. “Memphis Music: No matter where you are on the globe, those two words are all you have to say to explain the special place you are from,” he said. “That's because no city in the world has a more storied musical heritage. Music is our most famous international export, and these current bands continue a tradition that deserves to be honored and supported. We’re proud to help make it happen.”
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Posted by Thomas Jones on in News
