The show is without a doubt one of the freshest ideas to come along in many years of tv watching. Much has been written about the show. Though most of the comments and reviews have been positive, there have been some questions raised about various issues: Why isn't the show filmed in Memphis? Does Jason Lee do his own singing? What about the "glitches" and miscues from the freshman season?
Why do I like the show? The characters, the setting, the music, all are magical! It is an experience! Probably you will either quickly love it or hate it! I just find that the effect of the overall feel of the show makes me smile, and makes me feel good. It also takes me back to my youth growing up in Memphis and northwest Mississippi, where rock 'n' roll and the blues all became a phenomenon in the mid-fifties to early '60s. Yes, that probably dates me, but if you love today's music -- from country, to blues, to pop, to rock -- it all started here in Memphis and in the Mississippi Delta. I plan to add some links and commentary about these and other issues as my expertise grows at blogging. This is a new experience for me, but I hope anyone who shares some of my interests will find this blog to be informative and thought-provoking, and most of all, fun.
There are many other aspects to Memphis and the surrounding areas which I plan to explore as well, so this blog will not be just about a tv show. It will be about why there have been so many recent "Memphis" shows, from the Tony award winning Broadway production "Memphis the Musical", to another Broadway production, "Million Dollar Quartet", to a reality show about Police Women of Memphis, and, of course, my favorite entry in this trend, "Memphis Beat". There have been recent musical albums by established artists, which have "Memphis" in the titles, including: Cyndi Lauper, "Memphis", and Sheryl Crow's, "100 Miles From Memphis". Remember Marc Cohn's "Walking in Memphis", 1992, and of course, Johnny Rivers' "Memphis, Tennessee" in the 1960s. We don't have to go back very far to find other musical tributes with "Memphis" in the title, as well. So, why do you think that is? This is not new, putting the name of a city in a book or song title, or even movie titles. Other cities have had songs or even movies named for them. I'm sure you can think of some. It's my perception at least that Memphis is mentioned in more of these situations than almost any other city. Someone has actually counted them and there are almost 900 songs with the mention of "Memphis" either in the title or in the song itself! I find that amazing! This little ole Southern city, so much in the news for its crime and public corruption, also has another, quite admirable side!
Most of all, this blog is for me! It's a place to gather my memories and my thoughts. If others find it to be useful and interesting, I will be delighted.
So, come along with me on this journey.
Stay tuned!
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