This episode traces the influence of Delta blues pioneers like Charley Patton, Son House, Robert Johnson, and Howlin’ Wolf, and follows the rise of B.B. King from Beale Street radio to international blues icon. It also highlights how Sun Records and Sam Phillips helped launch the careers of artists like Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins, and Jerry Lee Lewis, creating a new sound that would become rock ’n’ roll.
Mike also dives into the legacy of Stax Records, the gritty soul of Otis Redding, Booker T. & the MG’s, Rufus Thomas, and Isaac Hayes, and the vital role Memphis gospel played through figures like Bishop Charles Mason, Sister Rosetta Tharpe, and Reverend Wm. Brewster. Along the way, he connects Memphis music to the civil rights movement, showing how the city’s churches, streets, studios, and stages became central to America’s cultural identity.
If you love blues, soul, gospel, and rock history, this is a deep dive into one of the most important music cities in the world.
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The Musicscope is a podcast intended for educational, non-commercial purposes. All music (aside from the title theme) are the intellectual property of the original artists.