Memphis, Tennessee Essay

Memphis, Tennessee is widely considered as one of the birthplaces of American music. From blues, rock and roll, soul, and gospel, Memphis has an extraordinary musical history that has influenced an abundance of artists and genres we know and love today. Not only are there all of those, but there are many more genres migrating here. There are a lot more styles of rap, heavy metal, and many more genres here today. It has brought people together no matter the race, sex, or color. The cultural and historical factors that have contributed to Memphis’ musical legacy, with an emphasis on the city’s most influential artists and style. Without the music, artists, and history here, music would never be the same. Memphis has made music what it is today

David Less, the author of Memphis Mayhem: A Story of the Music That Shook Up the World, states that music really brought the city together because there was one thing that cultures and communities had in common and that was music. David Less says that “the common denominator for both black and white residents of Memphis was entertainment, which was loved by everyone” and that “music for whites and blacks was everywhere (37).” To add more depth to this statement, David Less also likes to mention that “In the after-hours jazz world of Memphis as early as the 1940s, white and black musicians played together in African Americans clubs (37).” Everyone had something they could agree on and enjoy together no matter the ethnicity or background which was groundbreaking for Memphis at the time. The connection of coming together with no judgment is what makes Memphis music the best. Memphis is a music culture power house. The culture is so wonderful. Music was and still is such a powerful thing in Memphis. Over time, the music culture has shifted different genres. At the beginning it was mostly blues, R&B, soul, and early rock and roll music, as well as a growing presence in rap. There are so many genres in Memphis that no one could get bored of listening to music. Music has really brought people together no matter the race, sex, gender, age, and many other communities and

From the blues, rock and roll, and soul music, Memphis has produced some of the most influential musicians of the 20th century. The city’s vibrant music and its contributions to these genres have made it a cultural icon and a destination for music lovers from all around the world. Not to mention, music here in Memphis is expanding all the time. There are so many more genres and styles of music here than ever before. There is metal, heavy rock, more styles of rap and much more. The music here has much more meaning than any other music out there. Musicians back then worked really hard to get music to where it is today. Without all of the jazz, blues, and soul, music would not be where it is today. Music has always been the roots of this city and it will never change. Memphis has definitely placed a mark on the world that no other city of state could compare