[ Down-tempo guitar music plays ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Tempo increases ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Music ends ] ♪♪ Edgar: My name is Jacob Edgar.

I'm an explorer, but I don't search for lost cities or ancient ruins.

I'm on the quest for a different kind of treasure -- music.

[ Man singing in foreign language ] ♪♪ As an ethnomusicologist and world music record producer, I travel the globe hunting for the best songs the world has to offer, and I suffer through some of the worst so you don't have to.

♪♪ I've got a backstage pass to the world's music and I won't stop until I've heard it all.

♪♪ [ Mid-tempo music plays ] Memphis, Tennessee, is, without question, one of the most important cities in the history of American popular music.

Man: ♪ Didn't answer my cellphone calls ♪ ♪ You're wearing new perfume ♪ ♪ Riding home with other guys every day after school ♪ Edgar: Music's perfect storm took place in Memphis, Tennessee, in the 1950s, when African-American blues and gospel collided with country music to create the musical hurricane that we now call rock 'n' roll.

Man: ♪ It seems as if you're playing ♪ ♪ By your own set of rules ♪ Edgar: It was 1953 when a young Elvis Presley strolled into the offices of Sun Records looking to cut a record.

Elvis sparked a chemical reaction that resulted in one of the biggest musical explosions the world has ever experienced.

♪♪ Man: ♪ Your sacrifice ♪ Edgar: But Memphis was a happening place musically long before Elvis came along.

It was an essential destination for professional blues musicians looking to make a living from their music.

Man: ♪ After all the fights we had ♪ Edgar: The blues still has a strong grip on Memphis' musical identity.

And even today, young musicians are keeping the classic sound of Memphis blues alive.

One young artist who's making waves on the Memphis blues scene is 17-year-old guitarist Will Tucker.

We're going to be meeting Bobby "Blue" Bland today, who is a legend of blues and R&B.

How do these old guys react when they see this 17-year-old kid playing old-style blues?

Will: The majority, I think, appreciate it.

They know that the younger generation needs to pick it up, move it on because if the blues is going to stay alive, it's going to have to happen through people that are going to be around, you know?

[ Guitar strums ] Alright.

[ Chuckles ] ♪♪ Edgar: Bobby "Blue" Bland, a member of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame since 1992, has been covered by everyone from Van Morrison to Kanye West.

Bobby "Blue" Bland's son, Rodd, is the drummer in Will Tucker's band, and Rod invites his dad to meet Will and the "Music Voyager" crew at the office of the Blues Foundation.

♪♪ Bobby "Blue" Bland is happy to school Will on the finer points of the blues as they rehearse Bland's classic 1950s hit song "Farther Up the Road."

One, two, one, two, three.

♪♪ ♪ Further on up the road ♪ Unh-unh.

Oh.

No?

No.

That?

No.

[ Sings melody ] Edgar: At first, Bland seems a little skeptical that this pale teenager has what it takes to play the blues.

Unh-unh.

You want that -- No.

Just went -- [ Sings melody ] Oh, no.

Take your time, man.

You're not going to jail.

[ Chuckles ] And I'm only human, just like you.

Okay?

Yes, sir.

Okay.

From the top.

Okay.

♪ Further on up the road ♪ ♪ Someone'll hurt you like you hurt me ♪ ♪ Further on up the road ♪ ♪♪ ♪ Someone's gonna hurt you like you ♪ [ Sings melody ] ♪ Further on up the road ♪ [ Sings melody ] ♪ Baby, you just wait and see ♪ Edgar: But after a few run-throughs... ♪ You gotta reap just what you sow ♪ ...we head to the B.B.

King's Club on Beale Street, where the audience gets a nice surprise when the legendary Bobby "Blue" shows up for an unannounced performance.

♪ And, baby, you just wait and see ♪ [ Vocalizes ] ♪♪ Come on, son.

♪♪ What?

Edgar: Tucker proves that he's done his homework, jamming on the electric guitar like a teenage Eric Clapton.

♪ Well, further on up the road ♪ Bobby: Further on.

♪ When you're all alone and blue ♪ Both: ♪ Well, further on up the road ♪ ♪ When you're all alone and blue ♪ ♪ You're gonna ask, baby, to take you back ♪ ♪ But I'll have somebody new ♪ ♪♪ [ Vocalizing ] ♪♪ [ Down-tempo harmonica music plays ] ♪♪ Edgar: Another young Memphian who's taking the blues in new directions is Brandon Bailey.

The 20-year-old Bailey is no stickler for tradition, as you can hear with his funky fusion of classic blues with hip-hop-inspired vocal percussion, known as beatboxing, and creative use of a loop pedal.

[ Beatboxing ] [ Beatboxing continues ] [ Harmonica plays ] ♪♪ Edgar: Bailey calls his unique style "harp boxing."

So, what inspired you to start beatboxing with a harmonica?

Well, I was actually surfing through YouTube and came upon this guy whose name was Benjamin Darvill, who was one of the original members of the Crash Test Dummies.

And about 12 years ago he moved to London and started doing his own, like, solo show where he started using looping and beatboxing and harmonica playing and really worked up from there, watching every single video of him on the Internet and studying it.

And that's how I really learned how to do it.

Robert Johnson had to sell his soul to the devil to learn the blues.

But kids these days just have to surf around on YouTube.

♪ Let's have a blues ball ♪ ♪♪ Now, harmonica has played an important role in the history of Memphis music.

How do you feel that you're connected to that tradition?

All of the classic harmonica players at one point or another did move through Memphis, sort of that train line going from Louisiana to Memphis up to Chicago and back.

So, a lot of the music and culture was able to really acclimate into this area.

So, what I'm doing is basically an extension of what they were doing.

I think.

♪ Come on, come on, come on ♪ ♪ We're that sure now ♪ ♪ Come on, come on, come on ♪ ♪ The beat is slow now ♪ ♪ Come on, come on, come on ♪ ♪ Get ready ♪ ♪ Come on, come on, come on ♪ ♪ The beat's steady ♪ ♪ Come on, come on, come on ♪ ♪ Let's dance now ♪ ♪ Come on, come on, come on ♪ ♪ Let's have a blues ball ♪ ♪♪ Edgar: Will Tucker and Brandon Bailey aren't the only Memphis area musicians keeping the soul of the blues going strong.

One local band that has built a wide national following is the North Mississippi Allstars.

[ Blues music playing ] The band is fronted by brothers Luther and Cody Dickinson, and they trace their main musical inspiration to their father, legendary Memphian, musician, and producer Jim Dickinson, who passed away in 2009.

Luther and Cody invite me to meet them at their favorite Memphis record store, Shangri-La Records, a must-visit destination for collectors of rare vinyl.

[ "Let It Roll" plays ] ♪♪ ♪ Let it roll, good Lordy ♪ ♪ Let it roll ♪ ♪ Let it roll, good Lordy ♪ ♪ Let it roll ♪ ♪ There's a wheel in the sky ♪ ♪ Keep it tone by and by ♪ ♪ Let it roll, good Lordy ♪ ♪ Let it roll ♪ Our father grew up here in Memphis, you know, and a teenager in the '50s in Memphis, Tennessee?

That's like rock-'n'-roll heaven, you know?

And our dad played with the Rolling Stones and Aretha Franklin and Bob Dylan.

Edgar: I heard of some of those people.

That's cool.

Sounds familiar.

[ Laughs ] He was a piano player, you know, a rock-'n'-roll piano player and a record producer.

And did you guys play together?

Do you play with your dad growing up as well?

Yeah.

We did.

When we were teenagers, we started this little band, Jim Dickinson and the Hardly Can Playboys.

[ Laughter ] And he had this mic plugged into an amp.

He would yell at us like, "Ahh!"

That's amazing.

"Do it right"!

[ Laughter ] [ "Let It Roll" playing ] ♪♪ Tell me about the song that you played today.

Sure.

It's called "Let It Roll."

And I wrote it right after our father passed, you know?

So that was pretty emotional.

And we wrote a bunch of songs during that period of time, but that one kind of feels the best when we play it.

It was just part of our life, and our father was ill and he passed away, but then my daughter was born, and it's -- you got to let it roll.

♪ So let it roll ♪ ♪ Let it roll ♪ ♪ Let it roll ♪ ♪ Good Lordy, let it roll ♪ ♪ Smilin' down from the sky ♪ ♪ From the home on high ♪ ♪ Let it roll, good Lordy ♪ ♪ Let it roll ♪ Edgar: Cody, Luther, and I explore some of the shop's drool-inducing offerings, including an original first pressing of Elvis Presley's first 45.

Man: This is obviously one of the most famous Memphis records of all time.

It's a Sun 209 Elvis Presley "That's All Right, Mama," with "Blue Moon of Kentucky."

Elvis Presley's first record.

♪♪ Edgar: It just so happens that I'm in Memphis during Elvis Week, the annual commemoration of Elvis' death in 1977.

A good place to start one's Elvis tour is Sun Studio, where that 45 featuring "That's All Right, Mama" and "Blue Moon of Kentucky" was recorded.

Founded by Sam Phillips in 1952, Sun Records introduced the world to Carl Perkins, Roy Orbison, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Johnny Cash.

It turns out Sun Studio is still churning out great music, thanks to the current house engineer Matt Ross-Spang.

I got the coolest job in the world, man.

Yeah.

I mean, so, this is like the back room at Sun Studios.

Yeah, this is Sam's control room.

So, he would look out here, out through this window here, and out in that room.

In the recording room would be Elvis Presley... Elvis.

...Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, all the kind of legends of early rock 'n' roll.

Yeah, he'd be right in here looking down at them making history.

Wow.

I can't wait to go into that room and check it out, too.

Yeah, man.

♪♪ After giving me a tour of the studio, Matt and bandmate Jason Freeman take me to another legendary Memphis location, the funky bar and former brothel Earnestine & Hazel's.

[ Blues music playing ] This was surely the site of much debauchery over the years.

If only the walls could talk.

♪♪ ♪♪ If a tour through Elvis's musical career begins at Sun Studio, it ends, appropriately enough, at Graceland, the mansion where Elvis lived during the height of his fame and died at the age of 42.

I'm just going to ask you a few questions and see if I can stump you because...

Okay.

...I was I was talking with you earlier and I was very impressed with your knowledge.

So, I'm going to start with some easy ones.

Okay.

Alright?

Where did Elvis go to high school?

Humes High School here in Memphis.

What was the first song he recorded?

"That's All Right, Mama."

What was his favorite make of guitar?

He went from Martin to Gibsons to Fenders, then eventually back to Martins at the end.

"Music Voyager" went to the Louisiana Hayride... Uh-huh.

Yes.

...or to the building where it took place.

Do you know what the name of that building was?

I have to think about the name of the building.

Oh, you've stumped me on that one.

I do not know the name of the building of it.

It's on the tip of my tongue.

Municipal Auditorium.

Auditorium.

Yes.

It's the first place that they ever said, "Elvis has left the building."

That's right.

Mm-hmm.

Alright, I think I'm -- I'm very impressed.

I'm very impressed.

Thank you.

And I'm gonna have to do my homework because I couldn't stump you.

Yes.

And come back, and we'll do round 2.

♪♪ Edgar: The culmination of Elvis Week is the candlelight vigil in front of Graceland, where thousands of Elvis fans assemble every year.

♪♪ As I wander through the crowd, I meet grandmothers from Montreal, members of the Elvis fan club who came all the way from Brazil, young hipsters with Elvis enshrined on their bodies with tattoos, and of course many, many, many Elvis impersonators.

Or, as I learned, they prefer to be called Elvis tribute artists.

♪♪ ♪♪ Thank you very much.

♪♪ Edgar: Elvis wasn't just a rock 'n' roll singer.

Like many musicians in the region, his first exposure to music was in church, and he was especially fond of gospel.

In fact, the only Grammys Elvis ever won were for his gospel recordings.

One of those was How Great Thou Art.

Vocalists: ♪ Then sing my soul ♪ ♪ My savior God ♪ ♪ To thee ♪ ♪ How great thou art ♪ ♪ How great thou art ♪ ♪ How great thou art ♪ ♪ How great thou art ♪ ♪ Then sing my soul ♪ ♪ My savior God ♪ ♪ To thee ♪ ♪ How great thou art ♪ ♪ How great thou art ♪ ♪ How great thou art ♪ ♪ How great thou art ♪ Edgar: The blues was the sound of juke joints and Saturday nights, and gospel was the sound of the church and Sunday mornings.

But each have played an essential role in the sound of the popular music we listen to today.

♪ How great thou art ♪ ♪ How great thou art ♪ ♪ How great thou art ♪ ♪ How great thou art ♪ [ Up-tempo music plays ] ♪♪ Edgar: Memphis wasn't just a key city in the development of the blues, gospel, and rock 'n' roll.

It was also the epicenter for an energizing sound that came to be known as soul.

♪ Oh, baby, don't let this teardrop hit the ground ♪ Edgar: Memphis became one of the leading producers of soul music, thanks to the work of two local labels -- Stax Records and Hi Records.

♪ Now, when I see you go passing by ♪ ♪ It brings a teardrop to my eye ♪ Edgar: My companion on my visit to the Stax Museum is Scott Bomar, a Memphis producer, musician, audio engineer, and soul music aficionado.

Bomar composed the music for the films "Hustle & Flow" and "Black Snake Moan," both directed by Memphis filmmaker Craig Brewer.

With his band The Bo-keys, Bomar has assembled an all-star lineup of soul music legends.

Bomar: My entire life, I've been really influenced by the Memphis sound, Booker T. & the M.G.

's and The Bar-Kays, all the stuff recorded at Stax and Willie Mitchell.

And I really love that sound a lot.

And I wanted to have a band that kind of continued, that sound and -- Just fortunate enough to meet guys like Skip Pitts and Ben Cauley and Howard Grimes and -- 'Cause these guys are -- they actually played with the old Stax bands and Al Green and all these legendary figures.

To me, those those musicians, that sound just never went out of style, And it's still relevant today.

And it's just a treat to hear those guys playing even now.

You know, you hear that sound on the records, but to hear that sound now, it's really special to work with those guys.

♪ I'll treat you right, honey ♪ ♪ I'll be true, oh, baby ♪ ♪ Don't let ♪ ♪ Don't let this teardrop hit the ground ♪ Hey, Tim.

How you doing?

Good to see you.

How are you?

Edgar: While Stax closed in 1975, visitors to Memphis can discover more about the label's history and impact at the Stax Museum.

♪ Turned my world upside down ♪ ♪ Oh, baby ♪ ♪ Don't let it hit the ground ♪ ♪ No, no, no ♪ Bomar: It's been said Memphis is a cultural collision, and I think that definitely contributes to the Memphis Sound.

It's a collision of a lot of -- this whole area of the mid-south.

It's a collision of all these different cultures and people and sounds all coming together.

♪♪ Edgar: Don't get the impression that Memphis is living in the past.

There's a lot of great young talent in Memphis today who are creating new and interesting sounds.

One of those is singer, bass player, and songwriter Amy LaVere.

♪ When it was new ♪ ♪ When it was new, you ♪ ♪ You could do magic ♪ ♪ Make me laugh at the traffic when it was new ♪ Edgar: Amy is also an actress and has appeared in the Johnny Cash biopic "Walk the Line," as well as in "Black Snake Moan."

I talk with Amy and the band on a warm Memphis evening, with the buzzing of the cicadas in the background.

Edgar: Your music is really different from what you would say is the typical Memphis sound.

What's it like fronting a band as a woman and as a person with a unique voice in a town like Memphis?

Well, I haven't cornered the market.

I mean, that's for sure.

Historically, you're right.

There haven't been a ton of women that have come out of Memphis.

I mean, Memphis Minnie.

Memphis Minnie.

Right.

[ Chuckles ] But there's a number of really talented women that are making music in Memphis.

♪ Stranger, stranger, please ♪ ♪ My feet are tangled on wisteria vines ♪ ♪ I may not catch myself this time ♪ ♪ Stranger, please ♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪ Stranger, stranger, please ♪ ♪ You seem to think you can read my mind ♪ What's happening in the, you know, rock clubs around town, It's all very diverse, really very rich, Memphis is, with what's happening here.

Someone said -- Someone else said that it was a lot like the Millennium Falcon, where it's just -- it's kind of beat-up and run-down, but it's really cool and it can go light speed and it's funky and -- Mm.

[ Laughter ] I thought that sort of sounded like Memphis, yeah.

♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ Edgar: Memphis is also home to a thriving pop and hip-hop scene.

Influential Southern hip-hop artists Three 6 Mafia and 8Ball hail from here.

One of the city's most famous contemporary voices is Justin Timberlake, and the uber pop star recently started his own record label with the intention of signing great local talent.

♪ You know you want it, there it is, going fast ♪ Edgar: The first group Timberlake signed to his label is FreeSol, whose progressive hip-hop, rock, and soul blend draws on its Memphis roots, filtered through a modern urban lens.

I meet up with a couple of members of FreeSol at another popular destination for Memphis music fans -- the Rock 'n' Soul Museum.

♪ It's never enough ♪ ♪ Then rise to the top ♪ ♪ Do you do it for change?

♪ ♪ With the juice and rock ♪ ♪ Get a couple of... ♪ Edgar: Tell me about the band.

Tell me about what you guys do.

You know, it's hip-hop, hip-hop all day, but it's fused with, like, rock, pop, soul, world music, anything that we all know of, anything we grew up listening to, we just kind of fuse it together into one, you know, casserole.

Now, that seems to be -- that seems to be kind of a common theme in Memphis, music is putting things together, you know?

Yeah.

Back in the old days, it was country and blues, you know?

And now I guess you guys are kind of doing a modern version of that.

Yeah, extremely influenced by all that.

Yeah?

Yeah?

You find that you're connected to some of the music of the past?

Absolutely.

You have to be, you know?

There's so much heritage here.

♪ And cruisin' down the block ♪ ♪ Watch the...so hot ♪ ♪ Wanna see me next to... ♪ ♪ Are you running for the ♪ ♪ Fame ♪ ♪♪ Edgar: Memphis is an amazing destination for music fans.

From the blues clubs of Beale Street, the recording studios where rock 'n' roll was born, the Stax Museum, and of course, Graceland.

there's an overwhelming amount to discover and explore.

Throw in the city's funky record shops, inspiring young musical talents, and thriving nightlife, and you've got a city that isn't just resting on its laurels.

Memphis continues to live and breathe music.

♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪