"Starting when I was a young teenager, our family drove down to Memphis from Kentucky two or three times every year, just to hear the music. There was (and is) something special about this place, especially its sound. I studied classical music in college, and I still enjoy it, but I fell in love with blues and folk music. The lyrics are incredibly raw and real. Most of the blues musicians had hard lives, and that's reflected in their work, but that doesn't mean it's all sad; a lot of it is happy and energetic, but it all comes from a passionate place in their souls. The music is secular, not religious, but listening to it is a deeply spiritual experience for me.
"My favorite blues musician was Walter 'Furry' Lewis (1899-1981). He was a street sweeper for thirty years, lost a leg in a hoboing accident, traveled with medicine shows, and recorded here in Memphis on top of the Peabody Hotel in 1928. He faded from view for a while but was rediscovered in 1959. There are lots of recordings of his music out there.
"The Center for Southern Folklore is a great place to find out about both well-known and lesser-known musicians who played such a great part in making Memphis what it is today."
"My favorite blues musician was Walter 'Furry' Lewis (1899-1981). He was a street sweeper for thirty years, lost a leg in a hoboing accident, traveled with medicine shows, and recorded here in Memphis on top of the Peabody Hotel in 1928. He faded from view for a while but was rediscovered in 1959. There are lots of recordings of his music out there.
"The Center for Southern Folklore is a great place to find out about both well-known and lesser-known musicians who played such a great part in making Memphis what it is today."
Tyler Frittz is a PhD candidate in Musicology and Southern Regional Studies at the University of Memphis.
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