Early in the morning on June 1, 1953, five African American men boarded a van to make the 200-mile trip from Nashville to Memphis for a daylong recording session at the legendary Sun Studios, to be overseen by Sun founder Sam Phillips. One of the two tracks cut that day, "Just Walkin' in the Rain," would go on to become a regional R&B hit, Sun Records' biggest record of the pre-Elvis era. It would, however, be the group's only hit. They were the Prisonaires, a vocal quintet who had honed their skills while inmates at the Tennessee State Penitentiary in Nashville.
In this book, John...
Early in the morning on June 1, 1953, five African American men boarded a van to make the 200-mile trip from Nashville to Memphis for a daylong rec...
Memphis has been described as both "the Metropolis of the American Nile" and "a small town with a whole lot of people in it." This volume of vintage photographs captures the unique mix of urban culture and rural roots in a community where great bridges and modern buildings tower within sight of cotton plantations. In some 200 historic photographs accompanied by insightful captions, Memphis traces the development of this truly American city. From the age of steamboats that carried cotton, lumber, and industrial products throughout the Mississippi River Valley to...
Memphis has been described as both "the Metropolis of the American Nile" and "a small town with a whole lot of people in it." This volume of v...
